Ammeter ?

[Nacho-RT74]

only violet wires on all the car are low beams from floor dimmer switch up to low beams in front as mentioned, temp sender signal, horn relay source ( engine bay up to 69, underdash harness from 70 ) and backup lamp on body harness to tail lights

low beams are white traced on engine bay, dunno into the cab. I can't recall the horn source being traced... isn't the horn relay on 70s located around there close to headlight switch ? If so, that could be very well the horn relay source wire? althought shouldn’t get that low into the dash area.

beams are sourced just turning on headlights and headlights on ( on low beams selection ), but horn source is constant from batt side of fuse box

 

[Moparfiend]

OK continuing the saga I just received today my starter swich cable assembly! I plan to start the car with this out of the column before I mount in. I assume there is no grounding of the switch needed but will probably ground it externally anyway just in case.

Question I have the column disassembled to this point but not sure of the next dissasembly step to get to the switch. Any advice on next steps to get to that switch would be most appreciated! I have removed the C-clip already.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Gently tapping the shaft end while pulling the upper housing up off the shaft. Snug fit on the inner shaft bearing and the shaft, but should come off, appears you have all the fasteners removed.

 

[Moparfiend]

Thanks 72RR I tried pulling it apart again but the bearing appears to be frozen on the shaft. I put some penetrating oil on the shaft and tired some taping on the bearing to try ans knock it loose no dice. Letting sit overnight and we’ll see how it looks tomorrow. The separation I did get was the whole shaft comming out as opposed to the bearing. So I tried to get some penetrating oil in behind the bearing as well but not sure if it made it in there. I may need to rig up a bearing puller using the housing but thats pot metal and not very strong.....

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Be careful with the upward force on the shaft, that is a collapsible shaft. The movement is likely the steering coupler. Place some wood shims between the upper and middle housings, put the steering wheel nut back on the shaft to protect the threads, give a few harder blows with a rubber mallet.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0308-mopar-steering-column-rebuild/

correct, no need for ground to the ign switch. You can start the engine with switch out of the column just plugging it out out of the box... but BECAREFULL, actuall ign switchs replacements got more wires and diff terminals setup to be matched to your actual setup on your car. They should get manual instructions to check for that. Usually the extra wire is a black one where originally the orange wire for shifter lettering goes... it should be removed.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

It seems your turning switch it is already a replacement piece. I can see the cornering lights harness on it ( the one with tan, green and violet wire )


eeehm, thats another violet wire... but usually not on A, B and E bodies, just C. I guess that plug is going nowhere and must be kept like that except on C bodies

 

[Moparfiend]

Be careful with the upward force on the shaft, that is a collapsible shaft. The movement is likely the steering coupler. Place some wood shims between the upper and middle housings, put the steering wheel nut back on the shaft to protect the threads, give a few harder blows with a rubber mallet.

Hi 72RR the inner shaft is ehat is moving “upward” towards the driver and comprrsses back away from the driver and it feels hydrolic. So is that movement actually the collapsible action?

Are the two housings you are suggesting I separate with wood the halves I now have appart. I want to make sure I dont damage anything but because I don’t fully understand the collapsing action I need to verify what gets separated.

Lastly after I put the wheel nut back on where are you suggesting I smake at? On the actual nut/cener shaft?

Thanks again for staying with me on this!!

 

[Moparfiend]

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0308-mopar-steering-column-rebuild/

correct, no need for ground to the ign switch. You can start the engine with switch out of the column just plugging it out out of the box... but BECAREFULL, actuall ign switchs replacements got more wires and diff terminals setup to be matched to your actual setup on your car. They should get manual instructions to check for that. Usually the extra wire is a black one where originally the orange wire for shifter lettering goes... it should be removed.

Hey Nacho, ok curious about what the steering column ground wire is for. That wire kinda tells me something is grounded in either harness or was it just for safety since its probably electricaly floating?

I will check the harness great point I was hust going to plug and play but I guess this is not a mac lol.

Thanks for all your help with this!

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Horn switch, shifter light ( if equipped ), ign key courtesy light ( if equipped ) require ground to column. Nothing else... the ground wire attached to column bracket is a reinforce for those functions

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

The coupler at the gear box input should contain grease, may have a hydraulic feel to it as it as you move the shaft up and down. “Smack it” may be more than it needs. Suggesting, if you can separate the upper housing from the middle housing, that you slide some thin wood shims between them on each side, a rubber mallet and some firm blows should start moving the shaft out of the inner bearing. You did mention, you removed the upper c-clip (snap-ring), yes? Normally not that tight a fit.

The steering shaft is made up of two pieces, designed to collapse. Normally “pined” to a fixed length by injected nylon or plastic into cross holes. Excessive force to the bottomed put shaft can collapse the shaft a bit.

 

[Moparfiend]

Horn switch, shifter light ( if equipped ), ign key courtesy light ( if equipped ) require ground to column. Nothing else... the ground wire attached to column bracket is a reinforce for those functions

Perfect thanks!

 

[Moparfiend]

The coupler at the gear box input should contain grease, may have a hydraulic feel to it as it as you move the shaft up and down. “Smack it” may be more than it needs. Suggesting, if you can separate the upper housing from the middle housing, that you slide some thin wood shims between them on each side, a rubber mallet and some firm blows should start moving the shaft out of the inner bearing. You did mention, you removed the upper c-clip (snap-ring), yes? Normally not that tight a fit.

The steering shaft is made up of two pieces, designed to collapse. Normally “pined” to a fixed length by injected nylon or plastic into cross holes. Excessive force to the bottomed put shaft can collapse the shaft a bit.

Firm blows on the center shaft right?

The coupler at the gear box input should contain grease, may have a hydraulic feel to it as it as you move the shaft up and down. “Smack it” may be more than it needs. Suggesting, if you can separate the upper housing from the middle housing, that you slide some thin wood shims between them on each side, a rubber mallet and some firm blows should start moving the shaft out of the inner bearing. You did mention, you removed the upper c-clip (snap-ring), yes? Normally not that tight a fit.

The steering shaft is made up of two pieces, designed to collapse. Normally “pined” to a fixed length by injected nylon or plastic into cross holes. Excessive force to the bottomed put shaft can collapse the shaft a bit.

Yes C clip removed. She is being stubborn I don’t want to break it but was smacking it and the bearing was not budging.

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Put the nut on to protect the threads, move to a something more solid. Never had one that stuck.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Put the nut on to protect the threads, move to a something more solid. Never had one that stuck.

agreed! that could become on a headache! ( BTDT ). Had to file threads on mine to save it!!!

 

[Moparfiend]

Ok got it off .... went back to using my trusty ball peen. I swear I love my ball peen hammer lol. I am out of time to get back to this but hopefully later tonight I can. That bearing was stuck good but the oil and hammer did the trick! Thanks guys!!

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

Next steps;

Remove the lower bearing c-clip from shaft, pry locking plate sleeve up and off, knock out locking plate roll pin. Remove locking plate off shaft, will then have full access to ignition switch mounting screws. Inspect the yellow wire for any contact to the inner column parts that would explain the short.

 

[Speedbird]

For future reference, I've done this a lot.
Your post 84 about the pot metal.
Don't worry about that.
It will work.
All you need for a puller is a piece of 3/4 black iron pipe with a washer welded on one end and a nut welded on the other.
The washer should be drilled to accept those 3 screws.
Run a long threaded bolt into the nut and use various lengths of something inside the pipe to back it up till you get it off.

 

[Moparfiend]

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/mopp-0308-mopar-steering-column-rebuild/

correct, no need for ground to the ign switch. You can start the engine with switch out of the column just plugging it out out of the box... but BECAREFULL, actuall ign switchs replacements got more wires and diff terminals setup to be matched to your actual setup on your car. They should get manual instructions to check for that. Usually the extra wire is a black one where originally the orange wire for shifter lettering goes... it should be removed.

Yup the replacement switch is VERY different from the original. I actually carefully cut out the two red wires on the end and the orange one since as you pointed out orange is for the shift lettering. The two red pair goes to a terminal next to the cylinder lock. Not sure what thats for. Now where the orange wire should go I call it slot 3 in from the end there IS already a black wire there that goes to the contact switch. Should I replace it with the orange wire? Then what about the red pair? Should I install them in the two ends like the original set up? This would leave the back wire dangling but otherwise be like how it was set up originally.

 

[Moparfiend]

Oh here are a few pics. That locking ring was not an obvious removal took a bit a digging to know that there was a buried pin that needed to be released. By the way the original switch fell appart upon removal. I need to ohm it out to see if yellow was indeed shorted.