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Ignition Actuator Rod End Making From Scratch.

Mikep_86441

NAXJA Forum User
Location
AZ
1988 XJ 4.0, auto.

The steering column has been invaded by the previous owner's young son. So it's messed up badly. Can't start it with a key, yet. I cleaned up and soldered the main wiring connectors to the ignition electrical switch using vinegar/salt. The brown wire had over heated the housing. Now it's good. The remaining wires were soldered as a cya measure.

What's left is the ignition actuator rod. The end that's nearest to the key, has had the aluminum end broken off. The junkyard had 5 steering columns gone out of 6 Cherokees on site. Not sure what that means. The 6th Cherokee's rod did not match mine. But for now no replacements found locally or online, even at auto parts stores.

Today I just picked up a bar of aluminum so that I can whittle out a replacement aluminum part. A few days ago I found the broken off part still in the steering column.

Here's a quick video of the ignition actuator rod removed from the column and the aluminum parts on the end that I need to make from scratch.

https://youtu.be/C3_O2R6QKfE
 
Have you tried looking at any gm columns of that era? These we're all gm based but I have no idea if something would work or not. I do know most of the switches are available thru ac delco. If you're close to a yard it might be easier than making something.
 
5-90 told me a decade ago the AMC Jeep columns in that era were made by GM, all GM parts. So there may be other columns he could get it from, but how many GMs lasted till 1988, like the jeeps did?

I doubt he will ever find a new one, but who knows, if he looks up the oem part online it might be a slower move NOS item at a dealer.

Cruiser54 may have some in his stash (complete Column in Az).

I doubt any one will sell a used one off a good column? Any one with a parts column would probably sell him one including an online junk yard, but from reading his recent posts I suspect he is going to build his own.

I'd probably use a steel coat hanger for the material to make one. I'd have no faith in aluminum having the strength and stiffness with out bending. Its a critical tolerance part, and with the right good part its still pain getting the switch bolted down in the sweet spot so it works right all the time.

Have you tried looking at any gm columns of that era? These we're all gm based but I have no idea if something would work or not. I do know most of the switches are available thru ac delco. If you're close to a yard it might be easier than making something.
 
I'll check the junkyard tomorrow while I'm in town for GM columns.

The aircraft aluminum I'm using is better than the cast stuff GM used.
 
That rod was used in literally millions of vehicles and is not a failure prone part. If you wanna re-invent the wheel have fun?
Good luck

We live outside of a town of 25k people. Very limited resources out here.

I'm very good at reinventing the wheel if I have too.
 
I remember the same thing EcoMike remembers - the pre-airbag columns were the standard GM Saginaw type.

Try haunting the boneyards for a Chevy/GM S-10 series pickup or SUV - I'd give good odds on you spotting the exact same column. You could also hit up LMC Truck, come to think of it, I'd bet, if you wanted new.
 
Like everyone else said, literally hundreds of millions of those columns out there. Short of finding what you need...I'd make it out of an old door actuator rod. Little thicker than a coat hangar and more forgiving to work with than aluminum.

Good luck either way.
 
Like everyone else said, literally hundreds of millions of those columns out there. Short of finding what you need...I'd make it out of an old door actuator rod. Little thicker than a coat hangar and more forgiving to work with than aluminum.

Good luck either way.

We'll find out if any are out here.
 
The junkyards around here, 2 of 3, want $82-$100 for a steering column because they won't part them out.

Found another piece of broken aluminum from the same part of the column, laying on the lower valence.

I'll get back to making that aluminum part.
 
Last edited:
Re: Ignition Actuator Rod End Making From Scratch. #2 Prototype Finished !!

The second prototype was done today. Just needs a little touch up. I made one error, but that won't interfere with testing inside the steering column.

Made from 2024 aircraft aluminum.

Looks nice !!

https://youtu.be/BYnK0ua479g
 
Nice work.

I can appreciate the lengths you are going to in order to accomplish your goal.
 
Had a headache for 10 days now. Much slower progress.

Finished bolting the steering column up and adding the steering wheel yesterday morning. When I turned the steering wheel there was no resistance. Just below the upper u-joint on the steering column, the rubber isolator (I know there'a better name for it) and the slip joint were no longer connected to the steering column. The outer shell of the isolator was turning freely around the rubber inner part. Crud.

So I was driven down to the junkyard where most the Cherokees had been recently crushed. A newish one, (1992) still had most the the steering column in tact. Only the 2 floor bolts were left holding it in. So I removed both of the u-joint bolts and yanked on the steering column and the upper spline let go first. A screwdriver pried off the one left on the steering box. Scored a good lower steering shaft for $18. The upper u-joint section had an improved design with a fail safe that won't let it castastrophically fail like the original 1988 version did !! Total length is within 1/8" or so.

Ironically this same steering column had a perfect ignition pushrod actuator. But I couldn't get it out. Didn't bring any extra tools. Maybe next trip.
 
Got the column back in today, and the new to me lower steering shaft. Had help.

In this video I show the difference between this original and 1992 steering shaft in detail.

Found the next weak link when turning the wheel. A very worn track rod end.

https://youtu.be/hcl0avr9rQc
 
Interesting.
 
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