Steve83

The actuator isn't a switch, and it's made in at least 2 pieces. It's just a roll pin that works its way out.

This "clock spring" isn't a spring, and is very easy to R&I. But that roll pin is a nightmare to access, fix, & reassemble. It's much easier to swap the column as an assembly, which is a relatively easy job. About as much work as swapping the radio for a modern one.

Forcing the cylinder without using the manual release wouldn't result in this symptom anyway. It would either result in not needing to press the release ever again (like it was always pressed, or removed), or the lock cylinder bezel would twist freely (but it wouldn't prevent the key from working normally).


(phone app link)

pixelpadre

I understand the actuator isnt a switch. I have already seen many videos on removing it. Its a rod that has teeth. If its broken it might be able to work in the push position but not the pull position, which is the exact symptom I am experiencing.

Steve83

It's a molded plastic gear rack - not a rod. And of the 3 I've seen with the symptom you're describing, all were the result of the roll pin working out. None broke. I don't think the roll pin is strong enough to break the plastic parts, or that the lock cylinder or ig.sw. can put enough force on them to break them.

pixelpadre

Looks like a trip to the salvage yard. What years are interchangeable, any idea. Mine is 1995 F150. Can I use F250 etc?

Battery was dead this morning. If key is stuck in on position would that run the battery down overnight?

BLDTruth

You will want a 94 or 95 F150 column to avoid having to deal with any wiring issues - ideally with same airbag, cruise, tilt configuration.

Steve83

All the wiring has to come off the column anyway, so that's not a problem. There's really no wiring on/in the column anyway - just the clock spring. All the other wiring is on the dash harness, and simply connects to things on the column (in the lower L of this pic).


(phone app link)

The real issue is the steering wheel because Ford changed how it keys onto the column several times over the years. Otherwise, the column itself hasn't changed much from ~'92-now.


(phone app link)

So choose your steering wheel, and then get a column that has it, or that fits your original wheel ('92-96 F-series/Bronco & '97 heavy Fs, and many others). This & the NEXT show how I put the wrong wheel on my '93 column - it wasn't easy or fun:


(phone app link)

So just get a matching column/wheel combo that you like, and put your truck's original MFS on it so you'll know that wiring works. The ig.sw. is always the same, so that won't be a problem. At most, you might have to splice the mating connector for the new clock spring onto your dash (because original '94-97 clock springs are hard-to-find/out-of-production, so it's better to have a newer one with more features that you can conceivably replace in the future). But that's only ~4 wires.


(phone app link)

You CAN use more wires (if the column you choose has more) to control an aftermarket radio, or to add cornering lamps.

pixelpadre

Well thanks for all of the pointers.

I took the ig sw off the column and was able to push the rod or whatever you want to call it, back and for with my finger. Turning the key had no effect on that plastic rod where the post on the switch slips into.

Today I noticed that unlike the utube videos I have been watching, my 95 has no cross member to prevent my column from falling right to the floor if I take out the four bolts holding the column. Thats a mega break for me because it means I can drop that whole column without having to pull the wheel. yahoo.

I found a swapper for 30 bucks. Should be easy work now. The replacement does have auto on column and tilt, but I dont see how that will be a problem. New tilt will be a bonus, and column shifter unscrews. Cowling will have a big hole for shifter. Might just keep the column shifter in place. It would be a great anti theft device. At the very least it would leave them scratching their heads.

I will tackle a rebuild on the old one at my leasure. Someone could use it, maybe even myself.

Steve83

It's very simple to swap the floor-shift parts from the original column to the replacement.

pixelpadre

Found the culprit stuck in the yellow paste....the pin


No cross member means easy work.


The bad boy who won the battle against plastic.


Salvage yard $30. Don't know if I will fix the other.

pixelpadre

Idiot proof re assembly by taking pictures as you take it apart.


OK, installed everything from the new column. No horn...

Relay works. no fuse. clock spring I assume.

OK. there is a god......

I decided to fix my broken actuator...rather than swap out clock springs. It needed to be fixed eventually anyway......

So by a miracle, a few days ago I spyed the pin stuck in yellow caked grease on the outside of the column. Got my magnet and plucked it out for taping it to the tip of a 9mm bullet for a nice burial. But I had it still on my stove....

So when I separated the upper and lower column I found the actuator. Expecting it to come out in pieces I was surprised that everything was intact on both plastic pieces. Skeptical I decided to see just how loose the pin was when it slipped out. I had to clean all of the old dried out lubricant from everything. There wasnt really much lubricant left. Not sure there ever was. But I digress....I needed channel locks to push the pin back in. Now the s.o.b. wont come out.....not that I want it too. But IT IS VERY TIGHT. How the hell it ever came out is a true mystery.

So now I will re lube everything and put it back together and re install my original column that I know has a working horn.............

The only way to do this job is removing four nuts and one bolt from the column support and simply carry it to the gazebo and turn the tv on.
Its a really simple way. Everyone one of the youtube vids show doing this job in dash. totally ridiculous. Its an easy job. On the 10 scale of difficulty, I give this one a BIG 3. I have had harder times removing spark plugs.