Bronco Graveyard had the parts. First time it was lost in the mail, my first incident with the post office in several years. JBG was great and sent me another set of bearings no problem once I finally figured out the parts weren't coming and called JBG.

Finally getting back into the column. I finished disassembly, blaster and painted the tube. I need to to blast and paint the upper cast part now that it's disassembled and old nasty grease cleaned out. I suspect there may be a particular orientation of the lock cylinder gear bits to reassemble within the adjustment range of the ignition switch. Took a few pictures before disassembly. I may order a new turn signal switch as the one in the truck is broken-ish and the one that came in this column is missing some parts. Not sure if I have everything to make one good switch so I may just suck up the cost of a new switch.

 

Also note I painted the column tube Duplicolor Engine Enamel DE1635 Ford Semi Gloss Black. I cleaned off part of the tube and sprayed over it before blasting, it was nearly an exact match. Good enough. I'll scrub the plastic parts with Totally Awesome and a bristle brush, if they are too dull I may try some Back to Black, discreetly before going all out.

 

Make sure you take pics when it is together. I want to see that awesome column!

 

Will do. I'll try to get pics of how it goes back together as well so others can reference it. I tend to get a bit OCD with every little thing like swapping a column, so everything ends up being a project. The whole "While I'm in here..." thing.

 

That's the alligators that nip at you while trying to drain the swamp.

 

Do you think the "lower bearing and retainer" can be changed with the column still in the truck? Or is this definitely a "remove the column from truck and take to shop bench job".

 

I suspect it's possible to change it without removing the column. There are three bolts that thread into the plastic retainer that have a 1/4" hex head, then it just slides out with the bearing, a plastic washer that snaps into the retainer to retain the bearing, and a red DD sleeve that clips over the bearing to fit the shaft DD. This all comes out and can be replaced on the bench then reinstalled.

The upper bearing can be changed by pulling the steering wheel, removing the turn signal switch (3 screws), and pulling the shaft out. It is retained by a snap ring and has a very light press fit over some splines on the steering shaft.

Pulling the column is not necessary, but really isn't much work. The worst part is if some PO has hackjobbed some wiring in and run it below the column bracket without using disconnects. Took me longer to figure out what all the extra wires were, eliminate the ones unused, and run new wires properly.

 

I got a little more time to start putting it back together. Sandblasted the rusty bolts, treated with ospho, and painted before reassembly. Note I left out the push button the remove key. this was just a lever and spring retained with a C-clip, into a baggie and the random truck parts box it goes. I considered eliminating the steering wheel lock but figured that's rarely an inconvenience and should be at least a reasonable theft deterrent. It's just a steel pin with a shaft on the back, it goes through the cast potmetal slide the key cylinder actuates up/down the shaft and is spring loaded with a C-clip to retain it.



The column as it sits:





Comparing the new turn signal switch (Airtex 1S2496, allegedly fits an 86 pickup without tilt wheel) with the one that came out of this column there was an extra wire and clip with metal springamathing on the new one. After some head scratching thinking I determined this is to determine whether the key is inserted or if it's in some position. I vaguely recall some annoying buzzer that I ripped wires out of under the passenger side of the dash. I was going to remove the pin from the plug to remove the entire wire and clip for this nuisance when I noticed the pinouts are different on the new and old turn signal switches.

Old on left, New on right




Why is this, what is correct for my '86 F-350 XL factory 6.9 IDI, C6, NP208, non-tilt column, cruise control? From a peek under the dash it's hard to tell but it looks like the switch in the truck has the same pinout as the old switch pictured (left). If that's the case I'll just move the wires on the new switch to match the old. Otherwise mechanically the switches appear the same. Did the turn signal switch wiring pinout change from 80-86 or later years where the same physical switch and plug were used?

 

These columns are too easy to pull to not. Why fight with it in the truck?

 

Perhaps it is just the wire colors that are different? Have you checked with an Ohmmeter? Just find out what the blue wire is for. Is there anything in that pin location on the harness side?

 

I think the wire colors are the difference. The turn signal switch pinouts as well as the connector pinouts for 1981 are on Page 97 here: Component Testing - ???Gary's Garagemahal. The same info for 1986 is on Page 148 here: Component Testing - ???Gary's Garagemahal. And for comparison purposes, here's the 1981:





And here's the 1986:

 

Sorry a little late to the show.
In restoring my 1970 AMC Javelin column, basically GM column, the new switch also had different color wires. I also had to pop the wires out of the half round plug to fit it down inside the column and the plugs were different between the 2 switches but the switches were the same.


What I did was run a pin out of colors of both plugs and marked that on paper.
I then did wire for wire from plug to termination on the switch for both switches.
With this information I was able to tell what colors went where of the old switch and made sure that same wire termination of wire on the new switch was the same.
This way I did not care really what color the wire was of the new switch as the termination would be the same as the old switch.


Wish I could say it worked but I don't have all the lights in the car but a quick check looks like it will work.
Hope it helps.
Dave ----

 

I finally finished this project, it has been taking up the majority of my bench for a while so I'm glad it's done.

Note the lower column to cab mount flange must be installed before the lower bearing retainer.









Cleaning the accumulated crap out of the grooves in the steering wheel. I then went over the whole thing with Totally Awesome and a scrub brush (don't use TA on the fake wood insert!), then followed with Back to Black when I saw how not black it was as compared to the semi gloss paint on the column.



Better but not perfect...

 

Well done!

 

Hey cadunkle,

Is there a trick to removing that white plastic washer that's holding the bearing in the black housing? I see there are three little tabs holding it in place, but I can't get them to budge. I'm putting enough force on them I'm worried I'll break something.

I'm doing some other work to the column and I want to install new bearings while I'm in there.

OR...if anybody knows the part number so I can check with Ford to see if it's available?