Steering column help, 73 Mustang

[electricgreen]

Behind the steering wheel where the key cylinder goes into the column, the column moves. What's supposed to be there to keep it from doing that?? Ours is apparently missing, whatever it is.....

 

[ForceFed70]

Which way does the colum move? The only thing I can think of is tilt steering...

 

[electricgreen]

Oh, it's not tilting! You can move the thing so the ignition is on the bottom and the turn signal lever is on the top-rather than on the sides! Something is seriously wrong-we didn't take it apart, but the PO's boyfriend did-we're geussing he "misplaced" an essential part. We just don't know what it is!!

 

[Grabber70Mach]

Are the brackets where it goes through the firewall and that attach it to the lower part of the dash tight?

 

[Platonic Solid]

These pics are a bit dated (which means they were taken with my old digital camera), but they may be useful in seeing the steering column retaining bracket.

 

[electricgreen]

It's not the column itself, but two pieces:

I circled the pieces that move-#1 & #2 aren't connected in ours. The piece that the turn signal lever and ignition lock cylinder is in can be moved around, so that the turn signal lever is on the top of the column and the cylinder is on the bottom and visa versa.

Is that you Ted (zincyellow)??

 

[Platonic Solid]

I've replaced steering columns, steering wheels and blinker mechanisms, but I've never gone beyond that. My 72 shop manual shows 2 "T-Bolt" retainer nuts under the turn signal switch. Maybe that is missing on yours. I don't have a scanner. Do you have a shop manual?