I broke the turn signal all the way inside the column and relpaced it without a problem. I thought I was doen and then.....when I took the bonne for a test drive the steering wheel was lose. The shaft is fine and so is the column, it'* just the wheel. Sooooo I took it all apart to find that the Wheel locking plate is not staying in place after I pushed it down and placed the locking ring and clip on shaft. I have tried using new clips and ring and still it slides up so the wheel will not lock and the horn does not engage. Any ideas as to what I am doing wrong. I have followed all instructions and diagrams and still not clue......GRRRRRRRRRRR

KC... we need the year of your car to help out a little better. Also being upstate NY you might be in luck. If you are interested in a big meet, I know Geoff is coming out and he'* probably your neighbor.

oops sorry .. I am in Farmington Ny and the car is a 1993 SE...I figured out where the lock plate needs to go but I can't get it down that far. I wonder if the shaft slipped down while I was working on wiper and blinker connection? but...big mystery I never went any further than that so I am not sure how it happened if it did...????

ok got the plate down and now the steering wheel is still loose. The column does not wiggle just the wheel...and ideas

I think we need some help from someone with experience or a manual. Calling backup

GREAT THANKS>>>>!

First of all, the job is next to impossible to do without one of these...


Secondly, I don't know how you got that ring off without one of those tools!?! I know it is possible, but it'* HARD to do without the tool. And I realy don't think the ring can be put back on without that tool. Or at least I would never even try to because I'd be wasting my time, I KNOW I can't do it without the tool.

If you actually got the clip on in the lower groove and the ring below the clip, (which is where it needs to be) the only way I could imagine you did this was by removing the compression spring (thats the big heavy one).

If that is how you did it, then you need to put that spring back in. Without the spring the top steering column cage bearings will not have any pre-load on them. Without pre-load on the bearings they will slide off there seat and cause lots of play in the upper section of the column....but you will only see the play in the steering wheel as the rest of the loose shaft is covered by the column covers and column itself.

Let us know if this helps you out.

That tool may be available to rent...doesn't pep-boys or auto zone rent tools? Well if not, you can probably buy one at Napa for $20, maybe less?

I know.......I have done it without the tool and it took WAY too long and WAY too much effort to ever try it again without the tool.

I have done so many of these that I can't count them on my fingers and toes put together, but I will NEVER try doing one without that tool again.