I have an 1987 automatic, non-tilt steering. Actually it's an E150 van but same thing as the F150 here.

The turn signal switch stopped snapping in position, I tried the plastic Dorman "Help!" turn signal cam plate but it didn't fix anything. So I got the full turn signal switch.

OK, so I tried to look up the disassembly and it's not clear. I have the steering wheel off, the lock cylinder out, and the first ring around the column that the lock cylinder goes into came out.

What's left is still not anything I can pull the plug through. And I don't know how to disassemble it further- unfortunately the online parts explosion diagrams are for a confusing array of years, tilt, non-tilt, automatic, std, and models. I have the Chilton AND the Haynes and can't figure out what needs to come out next.

I know that's not much to go on, but I'm really lost here myself.

 

When I replaced the switch a few weeks ago on my '95 F150, I removed the lock cylinder, remove the plastic shroud, removed the dash panel, and then simply removed the switch. It was attached with two torx head screws directly on the column. The steering wheel did not need to come off.

I hope that I could be of some assistance.

 

This is nothing like that. The switch is an assembly that threads through several pieces of the column until it turns into a big plug near the base. The plug is too big to pull through the column itself.

I tried dropping the column... the bolts on either side came off, but the column only went down like 1". There's nothing holding it but the base though.

 

Waaaaaaaaaait....

The power plug CAN be disassembled! You just gotta pull out the red strip BETWEEN the pins, and all the pins can be extracted, the old wiring removed through the hold, and new wiring put in and the plug reassembled!

Crazy complicated, but it looks like the way this model rolls.

 

I'm glad that you figured it out for your specific vehicle. When you stare at something long enough it either clicks or you end up breaking it; that's been my experience at least.

 

i found the easiest way to do this is to remove the plug from the new switch wires.
unbolt the old switch and pull it up a bit. cut the wires off the old switch. tape the new wires to the old wires, and gently pull the old wire harness down through the column. once the new wires are out of the column, you can use the old harness to get the new wires in the proper positions on the plug.

 

You found the HARD way!

Literally, that plug was intended to come apart. It has a red divider between the rows of pins and it pulls right out. There's levers to release each pin without a tool, it's MEANT to be hand-disassembled for installation.

I finally found the instructions in the service manual, in a different place than the steering column disassembly stuff. The thing is, some models don't require this.

 

no that is the easiest way i have found to get the wires up through the column.

doing it that way, i can swap a switch in less than 1/2 hour, including getting the tools, pulling the wheel, and putting the tools away.