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How Do I remove The Steering Lock Plate???

uglytruk

uglytruk

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IN A JUNKYARD, UNDER A TRUCK*N E Rust Belt
On my 1994 Sub 4x4... It's got an extra plate I've never seen b4. I removed the two TORX screws, but the upper plate still won't come off. The horn thingy is busted... Drove 4400 miles from Phoenix without a horn... Good conditioning...
It looks like I'll need a narrower puller to pppush down the usual plate that is now covered.

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try prying out the round snap ring in the middle with a pick. There should be a spring behind that plate, so you might have to push it in a little to get the round snap ring out.
 
That tool compresses the ring down to get to the snap ring that is just visible in the second pic. Once there you can use a pick to get under it and get it to slide out of the groove. They can be a pain to get out, but once started it should go very smooth.
 
Problem is that outer plate, I've never seen it b4, and it stops the pusher I'm using from getting to the plate. I've removed many, usually ussing finger pressure on the lock plate, then able to get under the little spring ring... I may have to make a narrower "pusher"
 
I see what you are saying. Not sure where that plate came from, I have never seen on it any that I have done.

I know this doesn't make sense, but it appears you have to remove the torx screws to get that plate out of the way before you can remove the locking plate below it. I don't see any other reason that the screws line up so well, unless the intent is to remove that plate first. Just my thought, take it with a grain of salt.
 
It's the 1st time I've ever seen a cover over the usual lock plate. I unscrewed the TORX screws, but the upper plate has tangs that prevent it from just sliding off. I think I'll have to make a narrower lock-plate depresser and remove them as one piece.

It must be a newfangled anti-theft item of some sort... Weird...
 
I would bet that it is something aftermarket in that case. I have torn into a ton of GM columns and never seen that plate.
 
Yep, including my old 97 Lumina, and there has never been anything like that on any of them. I did newer S-10's and a Yukon or two, but never saw anything like it in any of them. Many of them always made me nervous dealing with the airbag, but none of them had that plate. If someone else chimes in and says that it is factory I would be very suprised.
 
I'll post a few more pix...

I just pried it off. The tabs don't line up, and I had to bend it to get it off. No poart no, but def genuine. I've attached a few pix of the screw receps. It's def NOT going back on!!!

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I've never seen one of those either. It does appear to be a factory "anti theft helping device" but as you can see it probably only took you a couple seconds to remove once you said "screw it".
 
I've seen that before, but they aren't common. IMO definitely anti-theft. If they had spent that effort making the column hammer proof, the whole column would have been better.

I know I pulled one, but it's been so long. How are you SUPPOSED to remove it without bending stuff? Can you push it in around the tabs?
 
They had to get it on there without bending, so theres a way to remove it. I wonder if once the torx were out if it could be rotated to clear two "keyways" in whatever holds it in place? Can't have gone in from the bottom on assembly.

Since you pried on the column, does that mean that part (the bowl, which holds the lock cylinder, etc) was metal in your application? Not all of them are metal, I know mine is not.
 
dyeager535 said:
They had to get it on there without bending, so theres a way to remove it. I wonder if once the torx were out if it could be rotated to clear two "keyways" in whatever holds it in place?
Click to expand...


I volunteered to help a coworker replace his lock cyl and tighten up the tilt on his '94 2500 a couple years ago. It had the same metal cover. I tried jiggling and wiggling, but eventually bent it off... bent it back into shape and while putting it back together, it sort of just went together. I remember thinking,"why didn't I just do that to take it off?"
I can't remember much about it, but I think it could come off a certain way without bending. Pain in the ass.

Edit: my lockplate compressor is home made, and uses two bolts to push the plate down instead of the flat arms in the comercial tool in the pics a few posts up. the bolts hit much closer to the center of the steering shaft and cleared that outer ring/cover. I think with the lockplate partially compressed (and torx screws out) you are able to spin and wiggle the outer plate on and off.
 
Ya I've dealt with lots of them on P series vans. You don't need to bend anything. You can bend your comressor tool to fit inside the ring or get a different one. They do make them. After you bend the tool it still works fine. Undo the screws then use your tool and take the spring clip off the shaft. It will all come off together.

I'm not totally sure because it's been a while but the ring might have something to do with the steering lock. Does it support the top part of the steering lock pin? Just a guess.
 
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