Ignition actuator rod replacement continued

[ISPKI]

Hey all. I am at a complete loss. The steering column is built like a labyrinth that's not intended to come apart and I am stuck. See attached. I've stripped my column down as much as I can but I can't get the new actuator rod installed. It doesn't fit and the nylon piece in the column seems locked in by *multiple* devices designed to prevent it from being disassembled. How the heck is this rod supposed to fit in here? What's the trick?

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[Big Bart]

ISPKI,

Never done one on a Ford so just tossing out ideas since Your stuck. Hard to know with just one pic how to solve this Ford puzzle.

1) I see the steering lock poking out. If you push it in or wiggle it, will the rod move up so you have enough room to get the rod off of the nylon part? Then perhaps turn the rod 90 degrees and pull it out?

2) There seems to be a wedge of plastic between the rod and the center of the steering column. Can you slide it up and out to make is so you can get the nylon part off the rod?

3) What does that big white nylon part on the rod do? Do you have the rod pinch in the vise or stuck on some thing. Is the other end of the rod free to move or still on the ignition switch? Seems like you should be able to pull up on the rod far enough to get that off the rod? Then get the rod out.

Can you add a couple of picks.
1) Shine a flashlight into the center of the steering column so we can see the parts in there.
2) Send a pick of the other end of the column where the other side of the rod comes out.

 

[ISPKI]

I'll get some more tomorrow. So the part with the metal rod in it is supposed to fit inside the groove next to the nylon piece that's in the column. There is a slot in that nylon piece that the metal rod fits into so the piece I'm holding can pivot for the tilt columns. Problem is the nylon piece in the column is locked in by the steel bar inside the column and a steel cam device on top of the column. They allow it to slide forward and back somewhat to engage the ignition switch but this is as far forward as it goes and it's not far enough to get the new actuator arm in.

 

[Old Goat]

Never worked on one of these, but here is a Google search
one of these should walk you through it.

Ignition actuator rod replacement 94 f250 - Google Search

www.google.com

Goat

 

[ISPKI]

Interesting that your search came up with more better results. The only guide I have found says that the only way to get it in is to file down the new part until it fits. The other guides and videos I have found shows the lower piece just sliding right out which mine cannot do because it has a pinned cam locking device on top that locks it in place. If I can get the pin out of the cam, then I could slide the piece out and get the actuator arm in there without filing it down and weakening it. Also - it is packed with dust in there which probably added alot of friction and contributed to the actuator failing in the first place.

 

[franklin2]

"Someone in the world put it together, so certainly I can get it apart". That is my mindset though of course it doesn't always work that way. Steering columns can be challenging.

When I was working on the famous piece that breaks in a tilt column, I went to my local Ford dealer and asked for help. They were very cool about it, and told me they had a "steering column guy", apparently he worked on them because no one else would. I told him my problem and he told me exactly what to do and what to look out for. Sometimes you happen onto some nice people. Either that or he didn't want me to bring it in for him to work on

 

[ISPKI]

"Someone in the world put it together, so certainly I can get it apart". That is my mindset though of course it doesn't always work that way. Steering columns can be challenging.

When I was working on the famous piece that breaks in a tilt column, I went to my local Ford dealer and asked for help. They were very cool about it, and told me they had a "steering column guy", apparently he worked on them because no one else would. I told him my problem and he told me exactly what to do and what to look out for. Sometimes you happen onto some nice people. Either that or he didn't want me to bring it in for him to work on

Yeah same here. Problem is that locking cam on the top of the column. Doesnt seem like that exists in any videos or documentation I have seen and it has a pin pressed thru it into a 1/4" wide pocket which makes it damn near impossible to press it back out. I got it out a little bit and if I can get it out just a bit more then I can get a pair of pliers on it but I already broke a hook punch off trying.

Part of me wants to just cut it or drill it out since I cant figure why its there in the first place. The piece its holding in cant come out when the column is together so what givveessssss.

 

[Noiseydiesel]

Ford had a different idea on steering columns. They didn't want to impose on GM's patents.
Youtube can also be your friend when doing a few things.

 

[ISPKI]

I got it! so that cam thing on top of the column had to come out. I managed to use a pair of flat head screwdrivers and wedge against it. It has a bit of splines that hold it in. Once it pushed passed those, I was able to bend a nail to 90 degrees and wedge that against it and the pin came out. Once removed, the nylon assembly inside the column slides right out the front. I will post up some pictures once im done cleaning it up.

 

[ISPKI]

Ford had a different idea on steering columns. They didn't want to impose on GM's patents.
Youtube can also be your friend when doing a few things.

yeah I have looked at a ton of videos and guides and what not but none of them mention how to get that piece out. One video I found, the guy split them into 4 segments and ended the 3rd right before taking that cam out and then never posted the last video

 

[Big Bart]

I got it! so that cam thing on top of the column had to come out. I managed to use a pair of flat head screwdrivers and wedge against it. It has a bit of splines that hold it in. Once it pushed passed those, I was able to bend a nail to 90 degrees and wedge that against it and the pin came out. Once removed, the nylon assembly inside the column slides right out the front. I will post up some pictures once im done cleaning it up.

Glad to hear it. I too looked around last night for you but could not find your style of steering column. But Ford sure over complicated all the steering columns. My lock cylinder, ignition switch, or the parts between are worn. So I at times have to really turn hard the key and lock to activate the starter. So likely not to far behind you on this fun project. Upside is maybe I can fix my cruise control controls and horn when I do it.

 

[franklin2]

bend a nail to 90 degrees and wedge that against it and the pin came out.

That was the pin extraction tool Ford part number BR549

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

That was the pin extraction tool Ford part number BR549

Wasn’t BR549 the phone number from Hee Haw?

 

[ISPKI]

Glad to hear it. I too looked around last night for you but could not find your style of steering column. But Ford sure over complicated all the steering columns. My lock cylinder, ignition switch, or the parts between are worn. So I at times have to really turn hard the key and lock to activate the starter. So likely not to far behind you on this fun project. Upside is maybe I can fix my cruise control controls and horn when I do it.

Yeah my shifter gear selector wire thingy (the wire that moves the slider in the cluster to show what gear you are in) is broken at the loop and im balking at replacing it before I put all the trim pieces back together. Think ill just leave it for now, need the the truck for a steel mill run this saturday.

 

[Brian VT]

Yeah my shifter gear selector wire thingy (the wire that moves the slider in the cluster to show what gear you are in) is broken at the loop and im balking at replacing it before I put all the trim pieces back together.

I'm in almost the same boat. Except that my wire isn't broken. Man, that thing is thin.
Mine worked fine before I had to take it apart to get at my instruments. When I put it back together I adjusted it to show correctly when in 1st gear. My problem is it doesn't always want to go all the way back to P when in park. It seems like the spring in the cluster isn't quite strong enough to pull the cable back in all the way. I'm not sure what to do now but I know it's gonna drive me nuts not having it show what gear I'm in.