Real quick question guys. We have a couple days of warm weather here in Illinois so Im in the middle of looking into my steering column. It feels like a bearing went out which caused the cruise control and horn to stop functioning as well as cause the wheel to "bounce". So I took everything apart to find part fragments everywhere. Ive called a couple parts stores to find steering column rebuilds and was told I would have to buy a whole new column. My question is if this is true. And if so Im just getting one from a junkyard. And lastly, I just rented a steering wheel puller from Pep Boys to which it is not working. Is there a special one for our trucks. And mine is a 1997 f250 heavy duty if that makes a difference. It has the column shifter, OD button, and tilt.

 

It isn't true. LMC has individual parts.

Truck Parts & Truck Accessories for Chevy, GMC, Ford & Dodge Trucks | LMCTruck.com

 

To save yourself a bunch of hair pulling, when you search for parts for your '97 F250 HD, cheat!!!!! Look up parts for a 96.... some places don't list a 97 as an OBS (old body style) .. They lump them in with the 97 f150 body style, and that can make it hard to find the right parts.

 

X2 on the search for our trucks I also have a 97 f250 HD and I just search for 96 parts.

 

Instead of replacing the entire column, just replace the upper steering column bearing.

 

Ford bearing #'s...
F3TZ-3517-A, Upper - large (50mm OD 40mm ID), 1992/1997
F4DZ-3517-A, Upper (small) 30.20mm OD, 19.20mm ID, 1992/1997

 

So I was able to take it all apart. The bad news is that due to the holiday it wouldn't be possible for me to get the needed parts till either Thursday or Friday from either Ford or the parts stores. So I am going to the junkyard and getting a donor column to atleastget me back on the road. There was quite a lot of shavings in there so I am sure there are other worn parts. The only problem is the donor column is coming off a 96 bronco with an air bag. I was told that the parts would still work. This is true right?

 

Do yourself a favor and replace the ignition actuators and the shifter tube (that long pot metal piece on top). It's more money and work right now, but both are prone to failure. Both available at Ford, we're looking at about $60 worth of parts.

 

This is actually very good advice.
I would advise this as well

 

The ignition actuator for the 92-up trucks isn't nearly the problem that the 91-older ones are. Now, the shifter tube and plunger...that's another story.
Pretty common failure.

 

I will definitely get those parts on order tomorrow. But out of curiosity, what happens to fail with the shifter tube and plunger? Secondly, I was able to get an intact steering column. Theoretically, all I would have to do is switch out the ignition and the steering wheel itself correct? Like I said before. My truck was not equipped with an air bag, while this steering wheel is.

 

The shifter tube weakens and breaks in half, leaving you with no control over your transmission. That's happened on both of the F-150s in my sig (that you won't see in this post since I'm on mobile) Get new bushings for the tube, too. Makes it tight and very nice feeling. One more thing, I put blue threadlocker on the two screws at the front end of the tube. Those have been known to loosen up and cause sloppy shifts or totally fall out.

On the actuator, the pin usually falls out of the upper actuator, leaving the truck stuck in whichever key position it happens to be in.

Both are big enough problems to leave you stranded.

 

This actually just happened to me. I went to go to the store and when I attempted to turn my to the off position, it wouldn't budge. I just figured it had something to do with the steering column since it had some play in it.

 

Wouldn't budge, as in the key would not turn? Or the key turned but did nothing? If the actuator comes apart, the key will turn loosely and not have any affect on the switch.

If the key was locked up and did not turn, then there are other problems. The whole column is an intertwined can of worms. There is the lock pawl that contacts the shifter tube, the lock cylinder could be all jammed up, it could be anything. Tear it apart to evaluate, and take lots of pictures for reference.

 

Is the pawl the white plastic rod that connects into the ignition cylinder? If so, then its toast. It sounds like it will be a lot cheaper for me to just swap the other complete column in place and change out the shifter tube when the parts come in.