94 ranger ignition HELP

position, and it is

has one, do I have

---snip---

g'luck

If its like the SUV's of that era, you need to remove the bottom plastic shroud over the colum, not the wheel to get to the hole where the retainer is.

Steve

methinks you gotta pull the wheel... there were a FEW that required it... --Shiva--

You are correct Shiva, I remember now having to do that on an Explorer, as the hole is pointed directly at the wheel and very close to the wheel as well.

Steve

LUCKILY, they learned their lesson, and changed it... YEA...

I want the idiot that 'thought of the Impala ign lock... remove the ENTIRE dash??? Luckily for certain tools...

--Shiva--

ok, well, after all weekend of poking my inexperienced fingers into empty holes,lol, what do I need to do to get the tumbler out ? Remove the wheel, and there is a pin there? Thanks for all the help guys, I really am at a loss on this beast, reminds me of an old pontiac that I did the same thing in years ago, that cost me

pull the wheel...

--Shiva--

There is still a retainer pin. You have to remove the plastic trim to get to it. It will work as long as the lock is functional.

OOPs you said 94 you might well have to remove the wheel. No big deal though just get a steering wheel puller from any good auto parts store.

The retainer is there but you will need to pull the wheel off to be sure. The access hole for the detent pin is locted on the INSIDE of the casting and will require a bent pokey tool to depress the retainer.

Goofy thing about this stering column is the fact that all that holds the sttering wheel on is the 3/4 inch nut on the shaft . I've always thought that this was weird as there really is no "backup" in place like a GM withe the truarc ring.

I wonder if people have died becaus of this fact.

Darren (who always puts Threadlock Blue >

Actually, the wheel is held on the shaft with a taper, the nut just presses the taper in place. This is why you need a puller to remove the wheel. Also there is seldom any pull applied to the steering wheel when the car is in motion.

Have never seen a GM or any other for that matter where the nut had spontaneously loosened.

the nut had

then you need to ride around in the south :-) plenty nuts behind the wheel that spontaneously loosen :-)

guess its in the wording ?

No shortage of 2 legged nuts behind the wheel anywhere I have ever been, anywhere with roads anyway.

well, while looking for a 1/4" socket to take off the horn cover, I noticed a 45 degree channel running adjacent to the tumbler. No visible hole there , but when I stuck my dental probe in there, low and behold the tumbler popped out as ez as can be. thank you all for the help! Much appreciated

Ah, spontaneously is the word. I've had once where I I did something or other to a steerign column for a friend's truck. An old Chevy, as I remember. The steering wheel spline that held the wheel on didn't have that flat spot that determines how the wheel goes back on.

So, I guessed. It was an older truck. The fellow who had the truck liked the wheel "just so" and he could rest his thumb on it just right. Well, two days later his wife called, his steering wheel had come loose, and he couldn't make the last turn into the driveway, and the truck was at the bottom of the hill.

It was eyars before the little clip over the nut. I was grabbed with guilt, and rushed right over. I got the wheel back on, and tightened up. It was only later that evening that I learn that they had been complaining about it to everyone who would listen. And some young kid with no brains offered to fix it. He musta not tightened the nut with a wrench, the thing was loose the entire next day and fortunately didn't fall off in an intersection.

I'm not friends with them any more.