so yesterday I went to start my truck and the ignition compleatly snapped (you know, the silver thing you put your key in?) It now turns about 720 degrees with no effect to the truck. Luckly it is stuck in the "on" position so I can still bump start it. On the flip side, I also have to stall the engine to shut it down and remove the negitive battery cable every time. I guess my question is do I have to replace the entire steering column? Or can I simply replace the switch? I took the wheel of and tried evaluating it myself, but I wasn't about to rip it apart (my only ride) without hearing from Sean.

 

Tough call. Pull the lock cylinder and see if the mechanism behind it snapped. Also inspect the cylinder. Otherwise I'd say change the lock cylinder.

 

That's my problem, I couldn't see how to remove it without compleatly tearing into it.

 

There's a little hole under the column just behind where the silver keyhole is. It's 1/8" - if the key is in the 'on' position, you should be able to insert a 1/8" screwdriver, or something else in to push the little tab in. With that pushed in, the cylinder should slide right out.

A new one should slide back in the same way.

 

Crap, didn't even see that. Thank you sir.

 

If it's not the cylinder check the actuator assembly. It's a piece of metal that rides on a gear. When the gear turns it pushes (or pulls) a metal rod that goes along the steering column down to a large square switch (also mounted on the steering column). It may be possible that the rod just popped out of the switch. Easy to determine and cheap to fix!

 

i need to put a new ignition cylender in my truck but it had gotten broke into and a screwdriver broken off got it out but key will not trn ignition anymore so cant get it to on position to push button any sugestions/????????? mjf_87@hotmail.com

 

Use a B.F.H. ? If you don't have one a brick might work. Mine ended up just being the switch. They had it a Kregan for $12.

 

as Rossmatt mentioned - there is an actuator part between the ignition lock cylinder and the rod going down to the actual switch near the brake pedal. It's been my experience that this part is junk - made out of pot metal - and will break. Cheap part - $10-$15 - but a PITA to replace.

The big clue as to this part's reliability is that when one begins to describe the symptoms to a Ford parts counter guy, one can barely finish the first sentence before he nods and goes to retrieve the necessary part.

 

I had an 81 that the lock cylinder messed up, I drilled below the key hole and then removed pins and turned the cylinder to remove it. According to Ford if you cannot turn the key you have to replace the entire steering column.