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July 24, 2003
A follow up on the steering wheel lock clicking. The lock plunger knocking back and forth in the slot on the steering shaft formed sharp ridges on the top edges of the slot which when the steering shaft turned wore down the softer aluminum housing enough that the steel plunger was left slightly above the level of the surround housing and it was catching momentarily in the steering column slot as the steering shaft turned.
I removed the steering column and rather than drill out the break off bolts took my Dremal tool and used a small thin cut off disk to grind slots in the top of the break off bolts which were of fairly soft metal, then used a flat blade screwdriver and backed them out to re-use them and also save the switch housing from any damage drilling them out may have caused.
I then ground down the metal plunger enough to lower it below the slot opening again using a standard bench grinder, even though the plunger is spring loaded there was enough force against the grinder wheel to take off the 16th inch needed to lower it enough not to catch on the steering wheel lock slots. Screwed it back on using the same break off bolts that now have slots in the ends.
It makes me wonder if there is the possibility that one of these steering column locking locks could fail and the locking pin engage. I would like to see inside one to see what fail safe mechanics are in place to prevent that from happening.
Don
"Don May" < may.d@... > 23729
Posted on July 24, 2003 09:00 PM
Posted to category(s) Braking System | Drive Train | Electrical System | Engine (external) | Exterior | Interior | Lubrication System | Miscellaneous | Restoration | Suspension & Steering | Technical Info | Wheels
