[bronco boy]

Remove the screw holding the key buzzer terminal and the two screws for the turn signal switch; slide both parts out. Remove the screw right below the steering wheel lock pin and pull out the retaining block:

Undo the three screws and slide off the upper cover:

Slide off the collar:

Remove the snap ring:

Finally:

The actuator was broken flush with the housing:

I tried to pick at it but that drove it in more:

Not knowing how long it was, I tried to drive it out the other side, but it bottomed out:

I drilled a small pilot hole in the actuator:

Then used a pick to pry it out:

I figured I could take it out this way:

Not so. Again, not knowing how long the actuator was, it hits the upper tilt flange:

Remove the two pivot pins:

Thread a screw into the pin; when the pin starts to rotate, lightly pull it out:
**UPDATE - The threads are supposed to be #8-32**

 

[bronco boy]

I thought I needed to drive out this lock pin that the tilt jaw (see next picture) locks onto, but it turns out that you can press upwards on the tilt jaw and pull outwards to clear the pin:

Tilt jaw:

The replacement actuator. Ford #E9TZ-3E715-B:

Old vs. new:

New actuator with the old ignition rod:

Put a light coat of grease on the new actuator and install:

Lower the tilt jaw to clear the lock pin, line up the tilt flange and tap in the pivot pins:

Carefully put the tilt spring in:

Line up the upper part of the acutuator and slide on the upper cover:

Put the retaining block back in and snug up the screw:

Put on some loctite and thread in the three upper cover screws:

Slide the signal switch on and tighten the two screws:

 

[bronco boy]

Re-install the transmission and signal lever's:

Push the ignition rod to "on" and drop in the drive gear. Use the ignition cylinder as a reference as to what position the gear needs to be in:

Slide in the bearing; it has a tab on it so it can only go one way:

Drop in the snap ring:

Slide the cylinder in and turn it to "off" to lock it into place:

Attach the rod to the switch and snug up the two nuts:

From here, reconnect the battery, align the igntion switch and cycle the ignition cylinder.


Tighten the two bolts:

Attach the two screws. Cycle the shifter and align the indicator on the dash:

Put the cover back on and snug up the screw:

Place the panel back and install the two screws:

Get the steering wheel on, double check that everything is tight, and you're all done:

 

[bronco boy]

There you go kids. You can all run out and fawk with your steering column's now! :histerica

 

[bronco boy]

bronco boy:
How long did it actually take you to do the job start to finish?

Um, two weeks. :banghead

I puttered with it at night and when I had a few spare minutes. I had it apart at least five times due to my stupidity. Now that I know how to do it, I could easily do it in an hour. In fact, once I find a new tilt rod I will be back in there. If you are following my pictures, give yourself a couple hours, or maybe even half a day (just in case) and you should be fine.

 

[bronco boy]

Two things: Nice writeup and where did you get that steering wheel?

Thanks! The wheel is by Grant, model #18851. Unfortunately it has been discontinued for over five years.

 

[bronco boy]

My 1995 will turn on with out the key being inserted into the column. Will the above process work for fixing whatever is broken on my 1995?
Thanks,

No. sounds like you just need to replace the ignition cylinder.

 

[bronco boy]

Thanks!

I really appreciate that great write up.....One of my pivot pins slid right out, just like in your pic. The other one was a cast iron bitch to remove. I ended up having to get the proper sized bolt to thread into in and rigged up my slide hammer to pull it. The slide hammer was definitely overkill, but it would have been handy to know that the pivot pin has a #8-32 thread before hand.

Don't know how I missed this write up broncoboy

GREAT JOB !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm loving your switch banks and other switches. Well done ! I paid a mechanic 25 minutes labour to change my actuator rod.....Best 25 minutes labour charge I ever spent !

Thanks all. I can't believe the feed-back from this write up. Since doing it, I get at least two e-mails a month thanking me.

Dave - I will add that pivot pin info to my page for future reference.

Six - I remember reading about your repair when I was researching this. And thanks about the switches. I love the ARB style one's; I want to change all my switches to match them......one day.

 

[bronco boy]

BroncoBoy, great writeup, as a matter of fact I liked it so much that some time ago I asked for your permission to copy it to our local club website and it was a success.

Ya, I remember. :thumbup

How did you remove the steering wheel? Do you have a special tool so you don’t have to smash the wheel out?

I have a Grant steering wheel that comes off very easily, but even for a stock wheel.....

• loosen the steering wheel nut about 3/4's of the way
• pull up on the wheel (the nut will keep the wheel from hitting you in the face)
• once the wheel is loose, remove the nut and pull the wheel right off

You can use a steering wheel puller if it won't come off via the above method.

 

[bronco boy]

Then I remembered I'd had it in neutral to turn the driveshaft.

:twak :goodfinge :histerica

Would lubricating the slide for the ignition actuator help extend ita life?

It may help. I did put some grease on mine when I installed it, just in case.

Could it be lubricated without complete dissasymblie of the collumn?

I would say no, as the upper cover hides it.

 

[bronco boy]

Great pics, but i have a question. When you reinstall the actuator, how do you get it past the catch inside the slot( where the long part goes)?

I had the same problem.....a few times. I had to wiggle and jiggle things to get it in. IIRC, it was because everything was loose, so nothing was where it was supposed to be. The actuator needs things to be where they are supposed to be. Did that make sense? :toothless

 

[bronco boy]

I was hoping someone could perhaps tell me the exact name of the part so that I can try to get it replaced.

Serious? Your image clearly calls the part "upper ignition actuator", which is what the part is, and that is what this thread is about, replacing the ignition actuator. Go back to post #1 and everything is there.

 

[bronco boy]

I'm sorry if it seems stupid, but to me the arrow didn't seem to be pointing at the part I have circled, but just at the other end of the lower actuator. When I bought the part at the Ford Dealership, I just asked for the ignition actuator... no mention of upper or lower.. and they gave me the correct part so I thought maybe this specific piece was called something else, since it isn't connected to the piece they gave me.

Also, please bear in mind, I am hopelessly mechanically inept.

Ok, I'll let you off the hook. :toothless

I don't think the upper actuator is known for breaking, and I can't see you damaging it by wrongly installing. But as I have learned first hand, anything is possible. :toothless

 

[bronco boy]

when we bought the bronco, the "PO" (im a noob, and ive picked up some stuff lol) had been starting it with a set of pliers and pushing down the rod that connects to the actuator. it has a key but the key just turns, with a kind of skipping feeling like its jumping the teeth of the actuator. im just hoping this writeup is the key to getting this bronco to start in a more reasonable way. also, just wondering what are the mechanics of the rod, because it seems that only works sometimes. other time we have to start it by shorting the solenoid.

The actuator pushes on the rod, which activates the ignition switch. Check for a broken actuator or a mis-aligned ignition switch.

also, where can i order the actuator and/or the rod? or even a few of the gears involved?

These are only available from Ford or a wrecker.

 

[bronco boy]

The actuator from hell is what I call this, a total of 10 hrs wrestling with this bastard. The hardest part is the jaw gear on the bottom and spring, you need 4 hands to put this back together.

Ha-ha. I jumped for joy when I got mine back together. :thumbup

When I was trying to push the small pin back into the actuator that keeps the rod in place it popped out and disappeared into the bowls of the garage floor never to seen again so I made my own temp for now. Does anyone know where I can get another, the new actuator didn't have one in the bag.....?

Isn't it just a roll pin? Available from any hardware or parts store.

I got it all back together but when you turn the key it doesn't start, the pumps come on but I had to use the pliers to drive the rod to start. I noticed when I shut it off and the wheel was locked that the display was on so I skiped a tooth in the key tumbler which I will pull out today and reset.

Ditto. I can't turn mine back to "accessory". No biggie, but I will be fixing it soon.

What a PITA dragon, at least I can say I did it now ~ lol lol

:chili::chili:

 

[bronco boy]

My actuator kept jamming up the first 10 times I tried it too, then I got it the way it is now. Yours is probably just out of alignment. My buddy told me that the actuator and gear on the ignition cylinder only go together properly one way.

 

[bronco boy]

.....you need to get a diagram, try your haynes manual !

Or go back to post #1 of this thread. opc1: