I see this get complained about a lot. And the answer is simple.

Simply remove your steering wheel, ignition cylinder lock, take the snap ring out holding the gear in.

Remove the screw holding the steering wheel lock/ gear rack in. Degrease everything, take a small cloth rag and a long skinny screwdriver and clean out the rack gear/shaft hole as best as you can. Now that everything is clean, reassemble most of the way. To the point you can actuate everything. Use the CRC Heavy Duty Silicone lubricant. You can find this at Walmart. Spray everything in there down very well. And it's best to spray in down past where the ignition lock sits, before you install it. Work the mechanism quite a bit. Let it dry, spray it again a couple more times. Put your steering wheel back on and it's good to go.

The grease the factory put in there has become dry over the last 30-35 years, collects dirt and gets gummy. The silicone dries and leaves a non stick film so no dirt will want to collect and cause a gumming problem ever again. I did this months ago and it's been super easy to actuate in 20 degree weather.

 

how do you get to the lock cylinder to be pulled out? i read a lot of thread and on my 82 F100 there is no pin hole around the lock cylinder shroud to push the "pin". i got a new one and i see where the pin is but no access on my steering column.
appreciate

 

 

thank for the video link. will give it a try tonight...

 

Anytime, did you get it removed?

 

no not yet. got distracted by a new issue with higher priority... the famous mechanical choke as the temp got down here in texas truck start well but stay in choke position until ambiant temp warm up late rin the day.. found line going to mechanical thermostat broken at exhaust manifold. been researching topic all around to find an easier fix rather than have to go to the exhaust manifold removal and cleaning of where that tube goes. in the mean time for the start side issue, i just bring back the key into the correct position after the engine start until i can get to the cleaning procedure you send me the link for..
appreciate...

 

New here, I had this problem I will be 100 percent Honest I just sprayed carb cleaner in it, works great now. probably was a really bad Idea but it was a successful bad idea.

 

I bet all it did was soften up the hardened grease. As long as it works.

 

Right you are sir, It was in the middle of winter, I had to use channel locks with cloth wrapped around the switch to get it to turn, So I decided the easy way was better than nothing, How ever I will do it the proper way at some point.

 

is it different on non-tilt columns? I have an 85 f250, and I cannot find the hole to push pin in. I have done it on other trucks, and am stumped on this one.