Steering column / can 'o worms / stranded....

At least I'm stranded at home My boss wasn't too happy either. "It's Friday and you can't make it to work because your Jeep is broke? Yeah, right".

Anyway, my '88 XJ steering column is disassembled as far as I can go and I still can't get at the problem. It is a tilt column.

The last few days it has been getting harder to turn the key all the way to the start position. Something mechanical is catching. If I turn the key hard enough then something finally gives and it starts. It has gotten worse and I almost couldn't get it started last night after work.

Today I pulled the steering wheel and everything else behind it. What a can of worms. I hope I can get it all put back together. It is not in the lock cylinder. I removed it and turned the mechanism with pliers and it still catches. There is a toothed rack on the left side that transfers the key rotation to the ignition switch rod (blue arrow in photo). This rack is what appears to be catching, back behind the shroud where I can't see. I can manipulate it with a screwdriver while turning the key and reduce the catching quite a bit. Lots of spray lube did not help.

I cannot get to the problem because I cannot figure out how to remove this darn collar/shroud from the column (yellow arrow). Does anyone know how to remove this thing? I'm getting ready to give it a permanent removal, if you know what I mean. But I really don't want to break it.

I now officially hate steering columns. One tiny little mechanical problem and I cannot drive the Jeep. I can still turn on the ignition with the key so I could hide a starter button under the dash.

Any help with getting that shroud off would be greatly appreciated. And if anyone else has had the same problem with the sliding rack catching on something I'd love to hear about that too.

thanks,
John

try again with the image:

I'd also check out the ignition switch which should be sitting on the outside of the column sowhere on top behind the dash. The rack you see inside is connected to a rod that is then connected to this ignition switch (outside column) Remove the switch and see if the catching is still there. If it goes away, you found your problem. If not, then the problem lies deeper in the column and then I'll give you my best wishes.

Thanks for the link old_man. I hope you get your column figured out...

SuperRA, I thought for sure that it was catching in the column but after your post I went out and fiddled with the ignition switch and now it works just fine. Thanks man, good call.

Back on the road again. What a shame, it's too late to make it to work. I guess I'll just have to have Friday night off

Thanks guys,
John

looks good for an 88. cant say the same for my 90. its kinda crappy. but drives good. 50 cents for a crappy air pump at some lousy gas station. made my tires lower. rip off. o was i still typing. woops