My whole steering cloumn from where it comes out of the dash is trashed. The truck came from an auction and the ignition was popped and all the cruise and everything was a MESS. I bought a complete steering coulumn and thought i could replace it pretty easy, but after looking at it i thought it would be easier if i could just replace the parts from the column out, piece by piece. Am i getting in over my head? should i just replace the whole thing from the steering wheel down to where it connects below?

 

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Replacing the whole steering column is not that hard.Disconnect the battery first. Remove the trim inside the cab around the column ,disconnect the wiring harness on the side of the column near the ignition switch. There are two bolts inside that hold the column to the column support below the dash. At the floor level inside there is about 6 bolts that attatch it to the floor. In the engine compartment there is a pinch bolt to remove and it should be able to pull the whole column back through into the cab. You may have to lightly tap the lower shaft inside the engine compartment to get to slide off after removing the pinch bolt.Oh, and disconnect the transmission linkage.A pry bar will help to remove it from the rubber gromett. Sounds like a lot but fairly easy.

 

Thanks a lot man, i looked at it after you said that and it really doesnt look to bad...

 

make sure that you have a helper when you go to put your new column in...trying to get the 2 lined up by yourself would be a nightmare.

 

I got it all finished tonight, maybe 2 hours total, it wasnt bad at all. I was hoping it would fix the ignition problem i was having but it didnt. Sometimes when i try and start it it fires right up and the starter sounds strong, other times NOTHING, no click just nothing. I thought it was maybe the neutral switch, but i replaced that and the same problem. I have to pop the hood and put a screwdriver on the soleniod. It sounds like maybe electric or bad ground or something, i dont know? any ideas? thanks a lot!!!!

 

It didnt start doing this until i had the lift put on, i dont know if its a coincidence or not thought it might help narrow it down though....

 

if its a body lift you might of stretched a wire.

 

yeh body lift...

 

Try a couple of things.Power fom the ignition switch goes through the neutral start switch at the tranny and on to the starter solenoid on the fender.Is the ignition switch adjusted on the steering column? There are 2 bolts that can be loosened to move the switch up and down the column. To start set it dead cente in the slots and see what happens. There is a fair amount of play so try the different positions if it doesnt work the first time.You can even try starting the vehicle from the ignition switch and bypass the key /rod arrangement to help narrow down where the problem is.Get access to it and push the plastic slider with a small screw driver to immitate the rod moving it . What you are saying if you turn the ignition to on and jump the the two large connetors at the solenoid it starts every time? if that is the case you are not getting power from the ignition switch to the solenoid .You have already replaced the neutral start switch. On the inner fender on the drivers side there is a few large wire harness connectors. Find the one with the wire that matches the the red/light blue and lightly tug on it. Mine had corroded in the connector and had not come off , making it a little tuff to find the problem. Another check ,if you apply 12 volts to the small connector at the solenoid the engine should crank over confirming the solenoid is ok.