73 R Rnr Steering Whl Removal

[luther]

I have a 73 Road Runner and the ign sw is bad (starts but won't shut off--have to pull coil wire to shut down, then disc. batt for safety). I have a new switch on order fm Family Car. Any hints on removing the steering wheel to get at the ign sw?
Thx, Luther
PS: My first Mopar was a 53 Plymouth flathead 6!

 

[HawkRod]

Your wheel should be of the type shown in picture 1.

A) Gently pry off the center piece cover. It is held on as shown in picture 2.

B) To remove the horn buttons and center piece, remove the three screws, two of which I am pointing to in picture 3. You may even be able to remove the wheel without removing this center piece - I don't remember. To make life easier, I suggest you remove the center piece since it is easy - just don't forget to loosen the horn wires too.

Done - wheel will now look like the last picture.

Good Luck.

 

[luther]

Thanks Hawk! I couldn't have asked for a better description! Appreciate your help. Glad I signed up with B Bodies Only. My next quest is for rear bumper trim for the 73 Road Runner--any ideas in that regard?

Tell your son to drive that RR with pride!

Best Regards, Luther
Orange County, CA

 

[HawkRod]

Luther,

My son loves driving the ol' beast! He goes to a big school (about 2900 kids in 10th-12th grade). EVERYONE knows his car, and it has a real bad a$$ sound to it too!

Rear bumper trim is a bit of an issue. His 73 has the old center piece still there, but it is in horrible shape. I think I did see the center strip on the net, it costs like $90 for a repro, and I have no idea if it is any good. It is on eBay here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-1974-R...t=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

I did see this low buck way to make your own:
http://www.muskie-lures.com/73roadrunner/73_road_runner_rear_bumper_center_trim.htm

I am not aware of the side pieces being available from any other source other than junk yards.

If anyone knows of any source for these let me know too!

Thanks,

Hawk

 

[Ron 73]

Hawk, Its been awhile but i did a search on EBAY for those corners and there were a set on there, I don't remember if they were new or used, but they looked new to me. Sometimes its how you type in what your looking for it makes a difference.. sometimes. If i can find the link as i try to save things in case im in need later, ill post it for you, if its any good now. Glad to hear your sons having a great time in the "beast"

 

[luther]

Thanks for the info on bumper trim, guys. I need the center and end pieces. I was rear-ended by a small Nissan several months ago & his insurance is paying for repair. I got a new paint job, new striping & Rd Rnr decal, and rear bumper re-chromed (sent to Ariz, not Calif, where chrome is done right). You should have seen the damage to the Nissan vs. that done to my Road Runner--his plastic front end scattered all over the road, and little damage to mine (but enough to have his insur. pick up the tab). The body shop has been looking for the bumper trim for months, so I took over the search in hopes of finding the pieces. When I find them, I'll let you know.

I'm attaching a photo of the paint job before the striping was attached.

--Luther

 

[Revhendo]

Thanks for the info on bumper trim, guys. I need the center and end pieces. I was rear-ended by a small Nissan several months ago & his insurance is paying for repair. I got a new paint job, new striping & Rd Rnr decal, and rear bumper re-chromed (sent to Ariz, not Calif, where chrome is done right). You should have seen the damage to the Nissan vs. that done to my Road Runner--his plastic front end scattered all over the road, and little damage to mine (but enough to have his insur. pick up the tab). The body shop has been looking for the bumper trim for months, so I took over the search in hopes of finding the pieces. When I find them, I'll let you know.

I'm attaching a photo of the paint job before the striping was attached.

--Luther

Wait, what? There's another one in Orange County?

 

[Bruzilla]

I thought you didn't need to remove the steering wheel to replace an ignition switch? If I recall, you put your key in, rotate the switch to (I believe) the accessory position, then slip a small probe (nail, pin, tiny screwdriver, etc.) in through a hole under the switch and it comes right out.

Am I wrong with this guys?

 

[HawkRod]

I thought you didn't need to remove the steering wheel to replace an ignition switch? If I recall, you put your key in, rotate the switch to (I believe) the accessory position, then slip a small probe (nail, pin, tiny screwdriver, etc.) in through a hole under the switch and it comes right out.

Am I wrong with this guys?

Doh!

I completely forgot about that! I have never had to do it but your post sparks a memory about it. I just focused on the steering wheel removal and not the reason WHY he was removing it.

Maybe I wasn't so much help after all...

 

[luther]

Hi guys:

I looked for that place to use the pin, but didn't see a hole on my key holder. I saw an article about that & I think it was for an older rd rnr (pre-73). I haven't taken the steering wheel off yet--will do in the coming days, after Fed-X brings the ign sw. I ordered. Will let you know what all is involved.

Hey Rev with the 73 rd rnr in OC, Calif, I'm in Laguna Niguel. What's your city? I heard there's a Mopar club in OC--have you attended?

--Luther

 

[Bruzilla]

The pin hole will be on the steering column collar, under the ignition lock. This has been a standard practice from back in the day to today, so that's probably the case with your car.

By the way, what hsorman demonstrated is how to take the wheel apart, not how to take it off. You're going to need a steering wheel puller to take it off. If you look at the last picture hsorman posted, there are two holes on either side of the main hole in the center of the wheel. You need to insert the bolts from the puller into the holes, then press against the steering wheel shaft to get the wheel out. Auto Zone sells the puller for like $20 or so.

Also, before pulling a wheel, take a marker and mark an alignment point across the steering wheel center and the column shaft so you can put the wheel back on in the same place it was before you took it off.

But like I said, I don't think you even need to pull the wheel to get to remove the ignition switch.

 

[luther]

OK, thx Bruzilla. I'll look for the pin hole again before pulling the steering wheel. The new ignition switch just came on Fed-X & it looks pretty big to fit in the hole where the ignition lock is--but I'll find out!

Thx, Luther

 

[HawkRod]

Just some additional information:

As Bruzilla stated, it is always good to mark your steering wheel. If memory serves, 73's have a "tooth" removed and a flat spot inside the steering wheel. Pretty much guarantees getting it back aligned! :hello2:

To be on the safe side, mark it anyway!

In case you can't get the pin trick to work, I have posted a section of the 1970 service manual relating to this. (I didn't find the pin trick in there, but might have missed it.)

 

[luther]

Thx for the additional info, Hawk. I also found some instructions for changing an ignition switch in a 73 Dodge pickup, with photos. It looks a lot like the switch that I got in the mail last night. So I should be set.
--Luther