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I am the proud owner of a well preserved 71 350 manual roadster. The lever on the engine compartment side of my steering column which rotates up to activate the ignition key lock is too stiff to allow the newly installed cable connected to my transition reverse linkage to move it (the cable bends instead). I'm hoping someone can advise how to approach a repair to the lever noted above to allow it to work as original. Thanks in advance.
I am the proud owner of a well preserved 71 350 manual roadster. The lever on the engine compartment side of my steering column which rotates up to activate the ignition key lock is too stiff to allow the newly installed cable connected to my transition reverse linkage to move it (the cable bends instead). I'm hoping someone can advise how to approach a repair to the lever noted above to allow it to work as original. Thanks in advance.
You need to replace the cable assembly first because it's froze up inside.
You need to replace the cable assembly first because it's froze up inside.
From the description of the problem it seems that he installed a new cable and that it is bending. One end of the cable is attached to the reverse lever on the transmission. The other end is attached to a lever on the steering column. The cable is supposed to move that lever to a UP location (as if you were able to look down the steering column from the driver position and see the lever at the 1 o'clock position.)
So it sounds as if the steering column lever is frozen. The lever is welded to a metal tube that is concentric with the steering column steering shaft. The end of the tube sits inside a plastic adapter that also holds the lower steering column bearing. The end of the tube should smoothly rotate inside the adapter. Since that adapter is in the engine compartment it is very possible that there could be corrosion products that could be preventing the tube from rotating.
Did you check to see if the cable slides freely in it's sheath?
Does the lever on the steering column move up and down freely when the cable ISN'T attached to it?
Does the cable slide freely when the transmission is shifted into reverse but the cable isn't connected to the lever on the steering column?
Is the bracket on the transmission that stabilizes the cable in place?
Does the cable follow a smooth arc from the column lever to the transmission reverse lever?
Regards,
Alan
Here's the bracket on the transmission. Look for it at the upper bolt that bolts the transmission to the bell-housing.... just above and to the rear of the clutch fork.
I am the proud owner of a well preserved 71 350 manual roadster. The lever on the engine compartment side of my steering column which rotates up to activate the ignition key lock is too stiff to allow the newly installed cable connected to my transition reverse linkage to move it (the cable bends instead). I'm hoping someone can advise how to approach a repair to the lever noted above to allow it to work as original. Thanks in advance.
Perhaps the lever is simply needs a little lube.
I'd try spraying it with the lube spray of your choice and manually move the lever up and down until it loosens up (with key in the off position).
Thank you for your response Alan (and others). I installed a new cable that moved freely inside the housing, then disconnected it from the steering column when I ran into this problem. With the cable disconnected I tried to move the lever on the steering column up-and-down and it takes quite a bit of effort. The car is 46 years old and has never been restored to my knowledge so I would imagine there is corrosion inside the steering column. If that's the problem is there an easy way to recondition this part of the column without removing the entire steering column from the car?
Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi D,
WELCOME!!!!
Did you check to see if the cable slides freely in it's sheath?
Does the lever on the steering column move up and down freely when the cable ISN'T attached to it?
Does the cable slide freely when the transmission is shifted into reverse but the cable isn't connected to the lever on the steering column?
Is the bracket on the transmission that stabilizes the cable in place?
Does the cable follow a smooth arc from the column lever to the transmission reverse lever?
Regards,
Alan
Here's the bracket on the transmission. Look for it at the upper bolt that bolts the transmission to the bell-housing.... just above and to the rear of the clutch fork.
From the description of the problem it seems that he installed a new cable and that it is bending. One end of the cable is attached to the reverse lever on the transmission. The other end is attached to a lever on the steering column. The cable is supposed to move that lever to a UP location (as if you were able to look down the steering column from the driver position and see the lever at the 1 o'clock position.)
So it sounds as if the steering column lever is frozen. The lever is welded to a metal tube that is concentric with the steering column steering shaft. The end of the tube sits inside a plastic adapter that also holds the lower steering column bearing. The end of the tube should smoothly rotate inside the adapter. Since that adapter is in the engine compartment it is very possible that there could be corrosion products that could be preventing the tube from rotating.
Jim
Jim, thank you, and I think that you are correct. I would imagine that taking this assembly apart, cleaning, and reassembling is likely the answer then. Do you know if this can be done without removing my power brake assembly or the entire steering column?
Hi DK,
Jim is really the best person to advise you how to proceed with what needs to be done to have the lever operate normally in the column again.
While removing the column isn't just a 5 minute job it's not too big a job either. I don't know if it has to come out to do what needs to be done or not.
Regards,
Alan
Contact (PM) Jim if he doesn't happen to your your reply to him.
Hi DK,
Jim is really the best person to advise you how to proceed with what needs to be done to have the lever operate normally in the column again.
While removing the column isn't just a 5 minute job it's not too big a job either. I don't know if it has to come out to do what needs to be done or not.
Regards,
Alan
Contact (PM) Jim if he doesn't happen to your your reply to him.
I agree with Alan. With the cable disconnected from the lever on the steering column, you could try to work some lubricant into the area of the plastic lower bearing adapter. However, it would be a lot better to remove the column from the car in order to disassemble the adapter and lubricate the shift tube where it rotates.
Here is a paper on removing the steering column from your car.
Ignition reverse lockout lever stiff
