Uh oh

What am I in for here? I have a '80 CJ5. I discovered last week that I can start it without a key, even when it's in the locked position. Is this something I'm going to get so pissed off at trying to replace it that I'm better off just doling it out, or is it relatively straight forward? No, I'm not going to tell you where I live, it's in the garage anyway. Thanks.

Reply to
bizbee
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Reply to
L.W.( ßill ) Hughes III

It's not a difficult job, but a bit time consuming. You will need a GM lock plate tool that most auto stores will lend you and you will likely need to drill out a rivet on the cylinder itself if it is a column lock.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

bizbee wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Mine can start in any position except Locked. Once the key is turned out of the locked position, I can take it out completely and leave it in my pocket until the ignition is turned back to the Locked position again.

It is not too difficult to replace the lockset, but you will need to disassemble the steering column in the area. You will need a special tool to get the Lock Plate off to actually get to the lockset. The lockset itself it a standard GM part that you should be able to get from any parts store. The Special Tool is also available, it should cost something under $10, and AutoZone will let you use theirs for free. You will also need the steering wheel puller.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

But Bill, he can start the car by simply turning the ignition without having the key. Basically, the locking part of the ignition switch is gone, which is what he was asking about.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

On Wed, 30 Mar 2005 22:36:17 -0800 in , L.W.(ßill) Hughes III graced the world with this thought:

Well, the steering wheel locks, but the ignition doesn't... and since the steering wheel lock appears to be a nylong pin that fits through a hole, I assume that can be broken pretty easily.

Reply to
bizbee

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 08:58:10 -0500 in , Mike Romain graced the world with this thought:

Indeed, it is a column lock. Maybe I'll just take it to the shop... thanks

Reply to
bizbee

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 09:12:58 -0800 in , "Jeff Strickland" graced the world with this thought:

arrrgh... I forgot about pulling the steering wheel...

Reply to
bizbee

Well, that is the easy part ...

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Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Shh! Just don't tell anyone and act like it's not broken. If you never show anyone that it starts without the key, maybe no one will find out ;-).

Of course, fixing the lock is more secure.

Darn! I'd love to get a ride in an old CJ. :-)

-D

Reply to
Derrick Hudson

bizbee ( snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net) wrote on Wednesday 30 March 2005 09:55 pm:

Once you get the steering wheel off, it's not too bad. The Chilton CJ books do a pretty good job of describing the procedure.

Reply to
Michael White

Reply to
L.W.( ßill ) Hughes III

Yep, getting that damned locking ring out of the slot is what always gives me fits - never have found the right sort of expander to make it easy.

Reply to
Will Honea

You need the lock plate compressor as the previous poster stated.

It's easy to remove the plate with it. It worke the opposite of the wheel puller. You attach the center shaft to the threads on the steering column after the steering wheel is off, tighten down the compressor nut to expose the lock ring, pry the lock ring off with a nail or an icepick and the lock plate slides right off. Nearly impossible without the proper tool. To reinstall the lockplate compress it with the tool and push the lock ring back into the slot.

I just replaced the turn signal switch in my CJ last week so I went thru the whole drill. It's relatively painless with the right tools.

Good Luck

Claude

Reply to
claudel

I've got a lock plate compressor - it's getting that stupid ring to come off once it's exposed that bugs me. I always manage to let it pop back into the groove while I'm working around it, or it keeps spinning and I can't get it to start out. Basically, a PITA to work with.

Reply to
Will Honea

It is a pain.

Make sure that you crank the lock plate down as far as it will go. You should be able to see a bit of the metal below the slot that the retaining ring sits it. I just used a nail to pry the ring out on mine. The ring was fairly malleable and bent out of round and I was able to run the nail around the slot and pry the ring all the way out. I tried at first to expand the ring with needle nose pliers but they kept slipping off. The ring was out of round when I finally got it off but I was able to bend it back into a reasonable shape and reuse it. WHen you put it back together the lock plate will force the ring back into the slot when you release the compression tool. On mine the ring was glued into the slot with enough crud so that it didn't spin. You may need a second set of hands to block it from spinning long enough to get one end above the slot

On mine, the lockset comes out when I have the key in the "off" position. I just take it with me. The steering wheel is locked and I don't think that it is possible to unlock it without the lockset in the steering column. Also, I have a Grant removable wheel for the really dodgy moments.

Good Luck.

Claude

Reply to
claudel

LOL!

Ok, well, um, er, ah... the tool the B+E boys use just slams the lockset out of the cylinder so then all they have to do is use a flat head screwdriver to start it....

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Reply to
Mike Romain

If you have a circlip tool, that little circlip comes right out.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Amen! The socket on my column was so loose I used brass shimstock around the new lock assembly just to tighten it up - AIR, I used 2 wraps of .010 brass it was so loose. The original Jeep ingition set was the same way, so it wasn't the lock assy that was undersized. Everything about that tilt assembly was loose - finally disassembled the whole damned thing to tighten all the screws.

Reply to
Will Honea

What is easier, fixing the current one, or replacing the steering column?

Reply to
Rusted

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