corvgreg

The lock housing assembly should look like this. The large tooth of the plastic sector gear engages the large dip in the sector gear. The spring attaches to the lock lever, gets attached lower in the housing, and the fold in the spring goes into the cavity of the plastic sector gear. The spring needs to be attached properly for the lock rod to get pushed forward. Shown is a GM tilt column but the same applies to the tilt tele.

kansas123

and that is how mine is, all properly installed

corvgreg

OK, if you remove the ignition switch from the column and pull the ignition rod back, does the lock pin move forward?

Greg

kansas123

I haven't had time to look at it, but am anxious to see if moving/adjusting the switch will do the trick. Thanks

kansas123

Ok, what I tried to do was to loosen the ignition switch and coax it up the column; I did loosen it and if it moved, it didn't very much at all. And it made no difference in the lock plate/pin works. I suspect from reading papers on it, that that will not move the lock pin; there is something inside the switch itself, while it is off the column, that must be set just right for all of it to work together correctly. I'd guess that it's where it needs to be and that I will be going back in and addressing the sector again; while in there before, all the parts looked all-there, newish, and properly installed, but there was a little bit of slop. I will remove the parts, clean, lube, and reassemble. When I will do this, I am not sure....

kansas123

Well, I have put this problem to rest. I removed the spring, sector and the lock rod, and made a new lock rod that is 3/16 longer. Problem solved, has plenty of reach to lock the wheel. It isn't rocket science and I am not a Bubba wannabe, that just beats the devil out of removing the entire steering wheel to get at the stupid ignition switch readjust it. And that might not have solved the problem; what I did definitely solved it.