I need to replace the steering column in my EB `88. The steering wheel has the cruise buttons and tilt. Which years of Aerostar are compatible and what about Rangers and/or Bronco II columns? I destroyed my van's column getting the lock cylinder out. Long story, cliff notes: I had no choice. All Aerostars at area junk yards around my van's age have long since been turned into soup cans. All I really need is the aluminum body. I have been starting with a screwdriver but that is getting old in a hurry. Thanks in advance for any help with this!

 

I think that the columns may all be interchangeable from '86 to '91. '92-on are definitely different (when they went to SRS and column shifter). I've never had the 'pre-89 column apart, but I think they're the same as well. The tilt and non-tilt can be interchanged as a unit, but parts do not interchange at the housing level.

Speaking as a locksmith, if the issue was a key or lock cylinder issue, no column damage is necessary. But what's past is past.

Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market shows tilt columns as cheap as $25 plus shipping, with lots & lots available.

My "local" yard has only a single pre-'92, and only five Aeros total

 

If I was in a better situation damage would not have been necessary, but it was. I was at our family's cabin (almost in the middle of nowhere) and had to be somewhere in 3 hours with a 1.5 hour drive. The tool selection there is very 'caveman' like and I could not wait for other tools or a locksmith. Thanks for the info on the columns; hopefully I can find a good one.

If the key will not turn from the lock position how do you get the cylinder out?

 

Pick, make a key, or drill.

On the early ones like yours (10-cut keys), you can either drill the cylinder (to enable turning it to the ON position, then poke the active retainer from below) or drill the retainer itself, which is trickier for me because the active retainer is steel, the housing it's in aluminum alloy: the bit does not want to drill the retainer, but wander off to the housing. It can be done by drilling a very small hole in the center of the retainer, then changing up to larger bits.

On the later, 8-cut keys, the cylinder & housing are redesigned, so that the end of the cylinder is not exactly screwdriver-shaped as yours is, and the cylinder post locks behind a hardened shield plate, so the ONLY option is to pick or drill the cylinder. Drilling the retainer will NOT release the cylinder like on the early ones like yours.

I was the JY today, looked at the column in the single pre-92 there, and it is in good shape, though the wheel itself is grimy (and it's a blue rig, so the wheel is blue). I picked up a couple of good hubcaps for my snow tire set of wheels, as I have a couple of crappy ones that are cracked right now. Our JY gets $25 + $8 core + tax for a column -- "U Pull It".

 

That is what I thought; glad I did not destroy it for nothing. I tried picking the lock with women's hair clips and paper clips to no avail. Only about 6 weeks ago I replaced the factory original lock cylinder with an aftermarket. The original key still worked but was getting very close to not working at all. Other better condition keys also did not work easily. I have always been leery about aftermarket lock cylinders and this is why, I seen many fail like this. For this to happen when it did was one of those "no 'F'ing way this is happening to me right now" moments. Luckily the aluminum is very soft and easy to break.

I will probably only use the housing and swap my stuff over.

 

hello? the entire ignition switch comes out in one piece if you push a pin underneath the switch's housing?? there is a hole in the plastic cover right under this pin, between the two plastic cover's screw holes; you use a thin pick tool to push the pin up and then you pull the ignition switch out in one piece.

Either that or I am not understanding what happened in which case I profoundly apologize

 

Jose:
The active retaining pin that's accessed from under the column (sometimes through the plastic shroud, sometimes not) can only be depressed if the lock cylinder is in the RUN position. It is blocked from moving in all other positions.

If you can't turn the lock cylinder (no key, broken cylinder, vandalism), your choices are to make a key, pick the lock, or drill the lock cylinder. On earlier models (with the 10-cut keys) you can also drill the retainer (with caveats listed above) but the later, 8-cut lock cylinders require the lock cylinder be turned even if the active retainer is drilled.

And, having said all that, my own '97 had an add'l shroud protecting the active retainer, so even if you have a key, you may not be able to remove the lock cylinder without some drill work. See this post.

 

Justin:
The OEM part is made by Strattec (used to be Briggs & Stratton, years ago) & Huf (depending on who was supplying the part in what year: they both made the same part, but the Ford contract to make it varied from year to year). For the Aero, they're both good. The ASP brand parts are OK, too.

BWD is not so hot, and that's a common supplier to the aftermarket, and is one of the brands you'll get when you go to an Autozone, O'Reilly's, etc.

You won't find the Huf parts anywhere but in a Motorcraft box. But you can buy the Strattec stuff on the internet, and the ASP stuff as well.

Strattec are the ones that pulled Ford's nuts out of the fire by doing two redesigns on the Focus/Escape ignitions. Those things were awfully prone to failure in the early years (2000-2003-ish). I've replaced dozens. Strattec's version doesn't fail.

 

asavage: thanks for the explanation.

 

I need to do this exact thing...

I have a 1989 - and my issue is that the key still works, but the unit itself is wobbly, to the point now of being shorted sometimes if not just in the right spot in the run position - can short also in the AUX position...

I see where the screws are to pull open the plastic "flap" under the column but I want to be sure I don't distroy the column, etc - I have tools and time to do this...

I guess I need to pull the battery first?

how is the switch held into the column? I have a new one (made by standard) comes with plastic keys as opposed to my OEM Metal Key...

does anyone have a photo of that access or a diagrahm of it? I would REALLY love to see all this before I start forcing things, or hurting things... :-)

Thanks so much!

 

RE: it's not the switch itself - it's the lock cyl - how is it attached? the new one shows a sort of square end is all that's there...

Thanks

 

do you have a salvage yard close by? check if there's any Aerostar, go to it and "practice" removing the switch assembly. Remove the covers, then push the pin/button and pull it out. The black or chrome switch cover is pried off, it might look like you are going to break it but it comes off.

 

This lock is similar to yours, though the end & cover are different:



From the 1997 Aerostar Workshop Manual, Section 11-04B:

(click on any image for larger)



With the lower shroud off, it should look similar to this (though other parts have been removed in this pic):


Depending on the year, and how good your skills are at finding the poke hole through the shroud, you may or may not want to remove the lower shroud to poke the hole. If there's a factory hole in the shroud (there isn't always), it's not necessary to remove it, but sometimes it's easier if you do.

Once you've turned the key to ON and poked the active retainer up (it moves about 3/16"), you just yank on the key (or ears) and the lock cylinder slides out of the column. It's not necessary to disconnect the battery, but when you remove the lock cylinder, the ignition will be ON, and you can't turn it off easily -- well, on your '89, you can, using a large flat screwdriver, but it's best to just slide the new lock cylinder in immediately.

On the new lock, make sure that the retainer pin is retracted before you even start. If it's out, you'll need to turn the new lock to the ON position and use pliers or similar to push the pin in, or you can't install it. You can't usually push the pin in with your fingers alone on a new lock. Remember: the key must be turned to the ON position.

After insertion in the column, the new lock will be hard to turn to the OFF position the first time, as you're pushing the retainer pin out as you turn to OFF, but it should operate easily after that.

The symptom you're describing sounds more like a failing ignition switch than a failing lock.

 

great technical info. Al. the famous pin/button few know about, some people think they have to lower or remove the entire steering column to replace the ignition switch and yet, it is so easy !!

what I do not see in your pictures, is a quarter-moon-shaped, brown plastic attachment with a copper or brass "leg" connected to a wire with a yellow jacket that is inserted into the 8 o'clock position of the switch. ??

I want a Workshop Manual just like yours.

 

Hi,

great diagram, but this is the newer style - I have the older one, I guess they are similar...(the van is an 89)

very good tips on everything though from everyone...

RE: someone thought it's the switch instead of the key cyl - I guess I'll try this first, and then have to deal with it.

do you have the switch connection to the key cylinder?

Thanks