96 xj Air bag steering column into 92 mj?

[1989 comanche mj]

Will the 96 xj complete column with air bag bolt and wire in to my 92 mj?  I want to add an air bag to it.  I figure I can disable it when I rarely go off road. 

[1987Comanche]

In theory yes as the airbag module is a self-contained design on the XJ (no forward impact sensors, etc).  It's not a direct plug and play, however,  as all MJs use GM/Saginaw columns.  You may be best off checking the builds where someone swapped a 2nd gen dash/interior into an older MJ/XJ.

[64 Cheyenne]

I was thinking of doing the same thing with a 95 XJ column I had, I decided that the airbag stuck in the middle of the wheel was an ugly I just could not tolerate. So ugly, almost along the lines of early GM ones where they looked like they were plopped into the middle of the wheel and called it good....fugly!  I'd suggest removing the old column, place the bag column next to it (make sure you "safe it"), arm yourself with schematics and a multimeter and have at it. You might luck out and be plug and play since you are HO already. This is not a second gen swap (or component), and this column is not second gen, second gen is not stand alone and is computer controlled. FWIW another reason I was going to do this was I would get cruise controls on the steering wheel which I wanted more than having an airbag. It seemed that the easy way would have been to switch to complete OBDII that the bagged column came with (I am Renix, you are HO) then I figured if I do this I might as well go the whole way...so now I have a complete 97 XJ, gonna do the whole thing someday on the 87, then I get everything plug and play.

[67rway]

Yes, you can install a 96 column/airbag wheel, but it does require a wiring connector change (or whole dash harness), a slight shortening of the actual steering shaft (~1/2 inch), modification or elimination of the two metal support rods which go from the drivers kick panel wall to the column mount, and the redrilling of one of the firewall holes. 

 

I just did this in my 88, and went the whole harness route as I changed all the mechanical/electrical/hvac to the 96 HO system.

[64 Cheyenne]

Yes, you can install a 96 column/airbag wheel, but it does require a wiring connector change (or whole dash harness), a slight shortening of the actual steering shaft (~1/2 inch), modification or elimination of the two metal support rods which go from the drivers kick panel wall to the column mount, and the redrilling of one of the firewall holes. 

 

I just did this in my 88, and went the whole harness route as I changed all the mechanical/electrical/hvac to the 96 HO system.

 

FWIW, 96 was a bastard year, personally I wouldn't use the engine controls from this year, harness or computer...

If you have to have SRS, I'd suggest getting it from a computer controlled total 97up conversion, because it was all engineered to work correctly together.

[67rway]

More FWIW (this time from a newbie here)... the 96 system has the benefit of OBD2 without the issues associated with the 'enhanced' emissions systems integrated in 97. 

[1989 comanche mj]

In theory yes as the airbag module is a self-contained design on the XJ (no forward impact sensors, etc).  It's not a direct plug and play, however,  as all MJs use GM/Saginaw columns.  You may be best off checking the builds where someone swapped a 2nd gen dash/interior into an older MJ/XJ.

Are the MJ columns different than the same year XJ?  Mine has a stupid grant wheel on it, and I tried to swap it over to another cherokee wheel I had sitting around, and noticed it sure does look identical to a GM column like my old Camaros have.

 

I can't pull the 96 column out and try to swap them yet till I get it on the trailer to tow away to scrap.

[gogmorgo]

Everything from the doors forward is identical to a similarly equipped four-door XJ. The MJ is more likely to have a column shift (insert something intelligent about bench seats), but otherwise yes, the MJ columns are identical to a same-year, similarly-equipped XJ column.

And yes, you'll find it's pretty well the same as the one in your Camaro, too. Most Saginaw columns are that way. I'm pretty sure our resident most interesting man in the world has a column from a '70s Cadillac in an MJ.

[yellaheep]

I'll just add that the air bag system for '95-'96 will require that you use the air bag control module if you intend to make the air bag functional.  The module will be found either under the driver's seat or under the center console toward the back.

 

I'd never want to add an air bag and rely on my wiring it in to work........ i'd be too paranoid of the damn thing going off and never enjoy driving the MJ ever again.

[1989 comanche mj]

Theres no air bag module on a 96 and no wiring for it.  Just the bag.  I am almost positive.  I have a patient who was a restrained driver in a 94 Cherokee, head on collision at around 40 mph.  Lost just about all her teeth on the wheel.  I don't wanna look like that.

[gogmorgo]

So how does it trigger itself?

[64 Cheyenne]

I was going to do this, had one apart, near as I can tell it must have some kind of inertia trigger built in. When you take one apart you must safe it, see a manual.All mechanical.

[Strokermjcomanche]

I had an 86 mj that I transferred all the driveline , interior , harnesses etc from a 95 cherokee . Several years after the swap an 80 year old man pulled out in front of me and i t-boned him at 40 mph causing the airbag to blow , the airbag worked as it should . The airbag is strictly mechanical trigger in the 95 xj ( except where the airbag get the signal to blow ), but to install the column one of the bolts at the base of the column needs a hole drilled for it . The dash / radio bezel is also larger around where the steering column goes through the bezel , I used my 86 dash with the 95 harness btw