Clio 172 Project

Tools needed:
T30 Torx bit
T50 Torx bit
13mm socket
10mm socket
Ratchet

1: Disconnect the battery by firstly disconnecting the negative terminal using the 10mm socket, then disconnect the positive terminal using the 13mm socket.  Leave the car for 30 minutes to allow any charge to dissipate (I also put the key in the ignition and turn it to position three/M “Ignition on”).

30 minutes later

2: If you’ve not already done so put the key in the ignition and turn to it postion three/M “Ignition on” to disengage the steering lock.  Now turn the wheel so that “3 o’clock” is facing straight up.

3: Place light pressure on the face of the airbag and use the T30 Torx bit to undo the two grub screws on the rear of the steering wheel at “quarter to nine”, don’t worry they don’t come out so just unscrew them until you can’t go any further.

4: Gently pull the airbag out of the steering wheel.

5: Disconnect the grey plug for the horn and remove the orange plug from the back of the airbag itself (it literally just pops off).

6: Using the T50 Torx bit loosen the central bolt until it’s most of the way out.  Now using the palm of your hand hit the top, bottom and both sides of the steering wheel to loosen it and then fully remove the bolt.  Pull the wheel towards the rear of the car to remove it from the splined column, be careful here though as you don’t want to pull with too much force as you could rip the cables out or smack yourself in the face with the wheel if you’re sat in the drivers seat at the time.

7: Thread the horn and airbag cables and plugs through the gap they are already fed through, you will find it easier to start with the horn cable and plug.

Done.

To refit just do the above in reverse.

I accept no responsibility for any damage or harm caused by following this guide.

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First off let me say this.  I fucking hate the French.  There it’s out in the open lol.  I’ve not even done anything fucking complex today and EVERYTHING has gone wrong at some point.  But it’s all done now so here’s the results:

Started by fitting the silver indicator bulbs for the front to get rid of the fried egg look that I had going on.  Fucking stupid design meant that getting to the bulbs required me to smash every bone in my hand to get to them and then just to be a cunt I dropped one trying to fit it and it went to what is possibly the most inaccessible area of the engine bay.  Grrrrrrreat.  So after lots of swearing, scraped knuckles andsome more swearing I got the bulb back and finally got them both fitted.  It was worth it though and a nice cheap mod.

Next up a quick swap of the old bolts on the engine cover for some chrome plated ones.

Shortly followed by temporaily fitting the cargo net in the boot, need to get the below parts from Renault that they oddly chose not to fit to the Ph1.

Bolt: 77 03 602 120 x2 – £0.67
Bush: 77 05 001 391 x2 – £1.71
Hook: 77 05 008 033 x2 – £2.89

So once I’ve fitted these bits the net will be stretched out properly.

ZOMG it’s Pedobear!  Run for your poopers!

And finally the epic mission of removing and refitting the steering wheel for a less manky one, also means I can send my old one off to be re-trimmed at some point.  Followed a brief guide but it was written for a Ph2.  So I’ve decided to re-write it myself for Ph1 owners and include some pretty pictures which can be found HERE.  Anyway everything that could go wrong did, apart from (thankfully) the airbag going off, dropped a bolt which ended up on the plastic engine guard, took the battery out to get to it…and fuck me that was a lot of fucking about, then when refitting the battery I dropped the clamp so had to get the battery back out AGAIN and well other stuff that I’ve forgot because it’s taken me hours lol.

Anyway it looks a lot better now as the old wheel was letting the interior down.

So for now that’s it.  Watch this space.

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