FIRST OF ALL:
Do you KNOW for certain if you have a tilt steering column or a non-tilt (straight) steering column.
I ask that because a lot of people have a tilt column AND DON'T KNOW IT, thinking that it is a standard column. I was one of those. I could not find a lever to release and adjust the steering wheel angle and then lock it into place so I figured it was a standard column but it's NOT, It is a tilt column and the tilt release lever IS THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER. You need to push that turn signal lever rather hard toward the instrument panel to release the lock and adjust the tilt.
There are BIG differences in doing work inside the upper column, such as changing out a turn signal switch (different switch for a tilt column vs standard column) and automatic transmission shift actuator. (My truck has a C-6 and those actuators are probably the same for both columns). I LEARNED THE HARD WAY at first and I was even fabricating special tools I designed myself in attempting to get the job done. That whole job was a NIGHTMARE that lasted about 2 weeks until I realized that I do in fact have a tilt column.
What threw me way off course was a lengthy multi- part Youtube video on replacing the shift actuator.
That guy had a Tilt Column and HE DIDN'T KNOW IT. He totally believed it was a straight column, EVEN WHEN he found the springs and entire tilt column parts inside! HE STATED, "For some reason Ford put these tilt column parts in all of their steering columns even when it is NOT a tilt column.
He must have spent MONTHS making that multi-part video. Maybe 5 or 6 months, EVERYTHING ABOUT IT WAS WRONG simply because he didn't know it was a tilt column. There were probably some components that got damaged in the process.
The instructions for working on or in the upper column on a tilt column ARE VERY DIFFERENT than the instructions for a standard column. (I was thinking about that when you wrote that you had a difficult time removing the steering wheel). Eventually he removed the entire steering column and completely took it apart (every part) on a bench to rebuild it. That was basically the end of the video Finally he went to a wrecking yard and bought a complete used steering column to install in his truck.
ALL THAT for what was at that time a $12.00 pot-metal shift actuator.
The LESSON in that story is: There is a lot of bad and incorrect information and advice on the web, including a lot of poor advice within topic threads on these diesel truck forums. The only remedy I know of to counteract that is: Search, Study and Learn as much as you can about the job you plan to do before jumping in and making series of mistakes based on improper / incorrect advice that someone posted in a topic thread where you could end up making the problems worse and more complicated.
NOW I have something relevant to post in your topic and I'll do that AFTER this post
