It looks like a problem with my ISP- everything I send is bouncing...
I'll keep trying.

That slot should move back & forth with the key all the way...

 

the slot is loose. i can move the slot and the key wont turn. or i can turn the key and the slot stays still.
i held a pick in the slot and turned the key and that made the slot turn with the key motion halfass

maybe thats my problem? its supposed to be tight a in sync with eachother?

 

Yes, the slot is supposed to be connected to the key via a 2-piece plastic linkage called the ignition actuator.
My email is still bouncing...

Check out this site...
Steering Column Parts, Replacement, & How to Instructions

 

cool. i see the part numbers for it. for anyone doing a search and finding this:


ford ignition actuators rack05 ignition actuator | Steering Column Services
ford ignition actuators rack06 ignition actuator | Steering Column Services

correct? the 'lower' is the piece with the slot i was moving?

 

Yup, those are the pieces. The upper has the rack gear at one end, and a pin at the other end that connects to the curved slot in the lower. (that arrangement allows it to work with a tilt wheel. Even if you don't have a tilt wheel, Ford used the same parts...)
I have their instructions, from back before they started charging for them, but my ISP is still having problems.
I'll keep trying, though...

 

yea im hoping to try it tomorrow if i can find the parts at autozone or ford.
any idea if i have to drop the column? dont really want to, its killing me seeing the truck this torn apart already..

did you know the cylinders are obsolete now? according to ford, they cant get it, ever. arent obs f150/f250/f350/obs bronco all the same cylinder? thats so screwed up, theres so many of these trucks on the road still

 

I got the parts at Ford when I did mine about a year ago...
As I recall, I had to loosen the column and let it down a bit, but not drop it down all the way.

 

what about this? i know it was posted already. but its only one part, the ford version is two parts.
Help/Ford 1980-1992 Ignition Actuator (83280) | Ignition Switch Actuator | AutoZone.com

is that all i need?

 

I think there's a mix-up of years... The earlier style takes the part from autozone, the later is the style as shown in the exploded diagram. I thought the break was between '91 & '92... Is your column an like the earlier trucks or the later trucks?

 

i have the newer style. column doesnt not look like the 91 and older models at all.
worst case, i got return the two pieces i mentioned before and get the autozone one if it turns out i have that one.

but where the switches pin goes, same size hole and same color plastic as the newer style parts.

got the pdf file this time, thanks. once it prints im going to go tackle this crap. ha

 

Yeah, the Autozone site is wrong.
Finally got my email working now. My ISP changed the mail servers & didn't notify me...
(It only took an hour & a half on hold to get them...)

 

So the cheap *** steering wheel puller from autozpne failed. Bokts were screwed up. So I ate up the threads on the steering wheel.
Tried tapping it and the hole is to shallow.

So now the steering wheek is stuck on thereunless I can muscle it off? I tried already.
things never seem to go as planned for me :/

 

I've always used the angry gorilla method: Plant feet firmly, grab wheel at diametrically opposed spots, get mad at it, (thinking of my ex helps...), then give it an all-mighty yank.
(I put a couch cushion between my head and the rear window. You can imagine how I learned to do this...)

 

yea i had been trying that. mostly at 9 and 3 positions. just gonna keep trying, i think it came out some already before the pullers bolts pulled out of the holes.
and mines a 4 door so i dont think thats gonna be an issue, but i may relocate that cushion to between me and the steering wheel

 

FINALLY got the wheel off. drilled all the way through with 5/16 bit, tapped for 3/8 thread all the way through, then used the 3/8s bolts in the supplied rental puller kit to get the wheel off

forward to the actuator, got the upper one out, yes i fished out the lost pin. had to magnetize a small flathead just for that task. im guessing the lower needs the whole column to be removed? i just decided to replace the upper, since thats what was broken.

forward again, got the ignition setup to test it before reassembly. i have off, acc, run, and crank. i seem to have lost aux (counterclockwise from off). i think i just put the gear one tooth off in the key cylinder on the actuator. it all functions correctly besides aux.
should i just keep it that way or try and play with the gear somemore?


one more thing now, how the hell do i get the tilt wheel spring back in??? in the 3hrs i tried to put it in, it went flying at my forehead twice, and shot out and flung my knuckles into random hard objects multiple times