- Joined
- Aug 31, 2021
- Messages
- 1,891
- Reaction score
- 973
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Roanoke VA
- Vehicle Year
- 1997 and 1999
- Make / Model
- XLT 4x4 & B3000
- Engine Type
- 4.0 V6
- Engine Size
- 4.0L in XLT, 3.0L in B3000
- Transmission
- Automatic
- 2WD / 4WD
- 4WD
- Tire Size
- 31x10.5-15 K02's on the Ranger, 235/75R15 on Mazda
- My credo
- The perfect is the enemy of the good.
I watched vid on how to take off clamshells around the steering column. My tilt it frozen in place. Problem is, they say, tilt the wheel down to take off the clamshells, but that's the whole problem, it's up, and I can't move it, that's why I'm trying to get to it. I'm afraid to just start spraying stuff in there because there's ignition wires etc etc and I don't want to muck something up that would be even worse.
Besides that, the vid says, unscrew the tilt release shaft/knob, and that's also frozen in place. If I can get to it, I can soak it in WD40 or something, but right now it's really in there, I even reefed on it pretty hard with my hand but I can't unscrew it. I suppose perhaps putting some tape around it and grabbing it with vise grips might do it, but I hate forcing things. Anyway, that only helps me if I can get the clamshell off, and if I can even get the top part off I probably can get to the, I imagine, universal joint that lets the steering wheel tilt, and soak it in lubricant, probably that would free it up. It's really stuck. I guess somebody had it where they wanted and just never changed it. Any ideas? I really can't bend/maneuver the top part enough to get it off without breaking it, which I suppose is an option - get another one, break that one off, then put new, but, man, I don't wanna do that unless I really have to do it.
Besides that, the vid says, unscrew the tilt release shaft/knob, and that's also frozen in place. If I can get to it, I can soak it in WD40 or something, but right now it's really in there, I even reefed on it pretty hard with my hand but I can't unscrew it. I suppose perhaps putting some tape around it and grabbing it with vise grips might do it, but I hate forcing things. Anyway, that only helps me if I can get the clamshell off, and if I can even get the top part off I probably can get to the, I imagine, universal joint that lets the steering wheel tilt, and soak it in lubricant, probably that would free it up. It's really stuck. I guess somebody had it where they wanted and just never changed it. Any ideas? I really can't bend/maneuver the top part enough to get it off without breaking it, which I suppose is an option - get another one, break that one off, then put new, but, man, I don't wanna do that unless I really have to do it.