Steering column fun 39 PU

[Gary in Mozarks]

Well, today I drilled out the breakoff bolt on the back of the steering column drop. Got that out in one piece, so now it will slide up and down the tube.

Found the tube is cracked most of the way around but was hidden by the drop.

I also managed to drill out the pin holding the key cylinder in place. Key cylinder still won't come out. Key will not trun a full 90 degrees either.

Toggle switch is still frozen stiff Everything is soaking in PB blaster. Anything else I coulda done to get the dang thing apart?

Gary in Mozarks

[Mike in AZ]

maybe the magic blend of atf and acetone might help break it loose??....or kroil oil??....Mike

[Ross in East Texas]

Can you take the back off of the ignition switch to get to the rear of the toggle lever? The lock cylinder should pull straight out with the pin removed. Keep soaking and moving the components, they should eventually come out.

[aaron griffey]

You may have to stick a screwdriver in where the key goes and turn the cylinder with a wrench on the screw driver. It may not be drilled completely out yet. May need to use larger bit.
Take the srew out of the top of the switch that holds the spring and detent pin for the toggle. Carefull not to drop any parts. Squirt penetrating oil in.

[Gary in Mozarks]

Originally Posted by aaron griffey

You may have to stick a screwdriver in where the key goes and turn the cylinder with a wrench on the screw driver. It may not be drilled completely out yet. May need to use larger bit.
Take the srew out of the top of the switch that holds the spring and detent pin for the toggle. Carefull not to drop any parts. Squirt penetrating oil in.

Thanks, The key is stuck in the lock and Ive been trying to save it. I carefully drilled out the cylinder pin and when I got near the end, I was able to collaspe the pin and pull the pin out with the bottom stepped part intact so I think I have all the key cylinder pin out. I wonder if the key not being able to turn a full 90 degrees is what is keeping the cylinder from being removed. Everything is frozen solid excep the key which will turn about 60 degrees. I have the electrical swich off it and the detent out. I am trying to not break off the toggle swich. (I did that once before) I wonder which way the toggle drum is inserted in the column drop so I know which way to tap it.
Gary

[Grandpas38]

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Is the center assembly the round unit that slides up and down thru the center of the toggle switch drum free? Where is it in relation to the body of the column drop? Is below the top flush with it or above it? If it is above it and the toggle is in the off position it needs to slide down.
Keep soaking it in a penetrating oil. The position of the assembly could possibly have the key cylinder hanging up. Will the key cylinder slide in and out a very small amount or is it completly frozen? If memory serves me correctly I thought that was a lobe on the end of the key cylinder that slide the center piece up on down and will turn above or below the inside opening in which the key cylinder is in and that the center assembly needs to be able to slide up and down to get that lobe into position to slide the key cylinder out I'm searching for my key cylinders to verify this but having no luck. Does any one you of know manufacture the Toggle drum? Mine are pretty worn where the click ball rides across them.

[48-710]

G'Day gang and greetings from Australia,
Firstly thank you Ryan for taking on Fordbarn so that I, and who knows how many others around the globe, can still get our daily "fix" of our beloved flatheads.The vast years of knowledge that is available here carn't be underestimated. Now for my question.Are '39 and '35 steering columns the same when it comes to pulling them apart ?
Regards,
Gary

[Grandpas38]

I'm not quite sure of the differences between the '35 and '39 mechanically. I think they are very similar. Maybe someone with more '35 experience can jump in here.

[OLD...BILL]

Gary: Did you get the pictures? Good news on the drilling of the pin. Now drill the other pin, on the back / center of the drop, this one keeps the locking slug from moving to far up or down, with that pin out, more room the put soaking stuff in ie blaster, kroil oil and ATF/acetone mix, and tap,tap,tap. also some heat, heat gun, hair dryer,
and to Gary and Mr 38 we need a picture, if its like 39 pasanger the locking "slug " moves up and down, and lobe on the cylinder dose not move outside the bore OD ...OLD....BILL

[Grandpas38]

Thanks Old Bill for clearing my memory on the Lobe I wasn't quite sure. I agree with the tap, tap, tap, oil and low temp heating as you recommend. I have freed one up this way and it worked quite well but that was a while ago!
I can try and post a picture If you can give some time. Do you need to see the back of the column drop I'm not sure what type/angle of a picture would help.

[Dak Rat]

Its been my experience, that if even one piece is stuck in the column drop, nothing will move enough to operate properly. What has worked for me is to just keep spraying kroil into the thing and moving all parts until it frees up. This will work in time unless it is just rusted soild.

[Scott H]

I'm in the same boat. Started working on this last fall, but let it sit over winter. Mother's Day I finally dug into it again and was able to disconnect the steering arm and remove the gearbox and entire assembly in one piece. Now its on my workbench and easier to work on! I have the lock cylinder completely drilled out but the switch is still frozen solid. Gonna try penetrating oil and tap-tap-tap...
I also have a column drop out of a 38 passenger car in similar condition. Maybe between the two I can make ONE good one!
36 column drop.JPG

38 column drop.JPG

[Gary in Mozarks]

Originally Posted by Grandpas38

Is the center assembly the round unit that slides up and down thru the center of the toggle switch drum free? Where is it in relation to the body of the column drop? Is below the top flush with it or above it? If it is above it and the toggle is in the off position it needs to slide down.
Keep soaking it in a penetrating oil. The position of the assembly could possibly have the key cylinder hanging up. Will the key cylinder slide in and out a very small amount or is it completly frozen? If memory serves me correctly I thought that was a lobe on the end of the key cylinder that slide the center piece up on down and will turn above or below the inside opening in which the key cylinder is in and that the center assembly needs to be able to slide up and down to get that lobe into position to slide the key cylinder out I'm searching for my key cylinders to verify this but having no luck. Does any one you of know manufacture the Toggle drum? Mine are pretty worn where the click ball rides across them.

The cylinder that has the toggle and pin in it is frozen. The toggle is in the off posistion and I can;t move it. I have already drilled out the breakoff bolt in the back and the key cylinder pin.

I was trying to gently tap and twist things today and managed to break off the key in the key cylinder. The key cylinder still rotates through the 60 degrees or so.

I think I am going to try to pull the sterring wheel off so I can remove the outer tube from the steering box and maybe slide the drop off the tube to get to the backside of the toggle cylinder. So far Im 0 for 3
Gary in Mozarks.

[Gary in Mozarks]

Here you can see where I broke off the key

here you can see the crack that goes about 90% around the tube

[Ross in East Texas]

I believe that I would drill in the center of the key slot, run a sheet metal screw in and use a slide hammer to pop the lock cylinder out.

[Bruce Lancaster]

No violence!! Ouch!
Keep tapping, and try to tap cylinder endways as best way to break it free. It can be partially blocked by slider part, but I think it is just stuck from corrosion in its hole.
I happen to have the exact same unit, in working order, sitting here in my office. Can't remember why, but here it is and it might help us figgerout what is happening.
I can see moving part of cylinder moving on mine as I wiggle the locking piece.

[Grandpas38]

Bruce is right keep TAPPING! I have one also sitting in my office at home If you need pics to help let me know I will take some and post when I get home tonight. This one was pretty frozen at one time also. Is the toggle switch still frozen?

[Bruce Lancaster]

Also, with key broken you can now apply a fat bladed screwdriver there and carefully apply a lot more torque than you could with the key.
I think cylinder is a Briggs& Stratton (sold mostly as parts counter set) from Ford and not an original Hurd, used in most production.
Remember that the replacement cylinders for '36-48 now available are absolute crap, so don't be hasty or violent! Toggle is easy to break too...

[Grandpas38]

Gary here are some pictures if they help.

[Gary in Mozarks]

Yep its pretty frustratin,
I did get the steering wheel removed, using the three screw tapping method. I tapped the three spots with a 5/16x 24 tap and used a standard wheel puller and it came off, so I was able to get everything apart and to see the backside, down in the hole.

There is a large spring loaded squarish pin (on the backside of the toggle cylinder that sticks down into a slot on the collar, on the steering shaft. I have no idea what that does.

I wish there was an exploded diagram available so I coudl see how everything interrelates. Somehow that toggle cylinder has to come out. and I assume there is a shoulder on the front so it must come out that way. So far no movement so we keep soaking.
Gary in Mozarks