
03-05-02
Steering Columns
And
Linkage
03-05-02
which also will shear away during
im-
pact.
TILT STEERING COLUMNS
The steering column
is of the col-
lapsible type
to
lessen
the
possibility
of injury
to the
driver
of the
vehicle
should
he
become involved
in an
acci-
dent.
The
lower
end of the
steering
column tube
at the
bellows area will
collapse approximately
six
inches
upon
a
hard impact.
The shift tube
and the
steering shaft
are provided with plastic dowels
and
will shear
and
allow them
to
collapse
in proportion
to the
outer tube upon
impact.
Once
the
steering column
has
been
collapsed,
a
complete
new
column
must
be
installed.
The tilt column features nine driv-
ing positions (four
up and
four down
from
a
center position).
The
.column
also features
a
turn signal switch with
a lane-changer position turn indicating
position
and
emergency warning flash-
er control.
TILT-AWAY STEERING COLUMNS
The tilt-away steering column
fea-
tures nine driving positions (four
up
and four down from
a
center position)
and
a
tilt-away position that
is
auto-
matically accomplished
on
Mustang
and Cougar models when
the
ignition
key
is
turned
to the
OFF
position
and
the left door
is
opened.
On
Thunder-
bird models,
the
tilt-away occurs when
the shift lever
is
placed
in
PARK
and
the driverns door
is
opened.
The steering column
is of the col-
lapsible type
to
lessen
the
possibility
of injury
to the
driver
of the
vehicle
should
he
become involved
in an
acci-
dent.
The
lower
end of the
steering
column tube
at the
bellows area will
collapse approximately
six
inches
upon
a
hard impact.
The shift tube
and the
steering shaft
are provided with plastic dowels
and
will shear
and
allow them
to
collapse
in proportion
to the
outer tube upon
impact.
Once
the
steering column
has
been
collapsed,
a
complete
new
column
must
be
installed along with mounting
brackets which will also shear away
during impact.
IN-VEHICLE ADJUSTMENTS
AND
REPAIRS
STEERING WHEEL SPOKE
POSITION ADJUSTMENT
When
the
steering gear
is on the
high point,
the
front wheels should
be
in
the
straight-ahead position
and the
steering wheel spokes should
be in
their normal position with
the
Pitman
arm pointing directly forward.
If the
spokes
are not in
their normal posi-
tion, they
can be
adjusted without
dis-
turbing
the
toe-in adjustment (Part
3-1).
STEERING WHEEL
REPLACEMENT
1.
Disconnect
the
negative cable
from
the
battery.
2.
Working from
the
underside
of
the steering wheel spoke, remove
the
crash
pad
attaching screws. Lift
the
crash
pad
from
the
wheel.
(On
Conti-
nental Mark
III
models,
pry out the
crash
pad
insert
and
remove
the two
screws that secure
the
crash
pad. Re-
move
the
crash
pad. On
models
equipped with steering wheel mounted
speed controls, refer
to
Group
16 for
removal instructions). Remove
the
horn ring
(if so
equipped)
by
turning
it counterclockwise.
3.
Remove
the
steering wheel
nut,
and then remove
the
steering wheel
with tool T67L-3600-A
(Fig. 1). Do
not
use a
knock-off type steering
wheel puller
or
strike
the end of the
steering shaft with
a
hammer. Striking
the puller
or
shaft will damage
the
bearing
or the
collapsible column.
4.
Transfer
all
serviceable parts
to
the
new
steering wheel.
5.
Position
the
steering wheel
on
the shaft
so
that
the
alignment mark
on
the hub of the
wheel
is
adjacent
to
the
one on the
shaft. Install
a new
locknut
and
torque
it to
specifications.
6. Install
the
horn ring
(if so
equipped)
and
crash
pad.
STEERING COLUMN UPPER
BEARING REPLACEMENT
STATIONARY COLUMNS
Removal
1. Disconnect
the
horn wire
and the
turn indicator wires
at the
connector.
2.
Working from
the
underside
of
the steering wheel spoke, remove
the
two crash
pad
attaching screws. Lift
the crash
pad
from
the
wheel.
(On
Continental Mark
III
models,
pry out
the crash
pad
insert
and
remove
the
two screws that secure
the
crash
pad.
Remove
the
crash
pad. On
models
equipped with steering wheel mounted
speed controls, refer
to
Group
16 for
7oo/-T67L-3600-A
removal instructions). Remove
the
horn ring
(if so
equipped)
by
turning
it counterclockwise.
3.
Remove
the
steering wheel
at-
taching
nut.
Remove
the
steering
wheel using tool T67L-3600-A
(Fig.
1).
Do not use a
knock-off type steer-
ing wheel puller
or
strike
the end of
the steering shaft with
a
hammer.
Striking
the
puller
or
shaft will
dam-
age
the
bearing
or the
collapsible
col-
umn.
4.
Remove
the
turn indicator lever.
5.
Remove
the
turn signal switch
attaching screws. Lift
the
switch over
the
end of the
steering shaft
and
place
it
to one
side.
6. Remove
the
snap ring from
the
top
of the
steering shaft.
7.
Loosen
the two
flange-to-steering
column tube attaching bolts
to
disen-
gage them from
the
tube.
8. Raise
the
flange upward while
BEARING
AND
INSULATOR
Spacer
G 1502 -B
FIG.
1—Removing
Steering Wheel
G 1497-A
FIG. 2—Installing Upper Bearingprocarmanuals.com

03-05-14
Steering Columns And Linkage
03-05-14
8. Connect the turn signal and
emergency flasher switch wires at the
multiple connectors. Connect the wires
to the neutral start switch. Adjust-
ments for the neutral start switch are
detailed in Group 7 of this manual.
9. Connect the tilt-column control
cable to the release cable retainer and
vacuum motor (if so equipped). To re-
move cable slack, loosen the bracket
attaching screw and pull it slightly
toward the column, then tighten the
screw. If difficulty in adjusting this
control is experienced, the retainer
slot may be filed to gain additional
travel.
10.
Install the instrument panel
steering column plate and cover and
the instrument panel lower outer fin-
ish panel.
11.
Connect the negative cable to
the battery.
12.
Start the engine and check the
operation of the steering column and
switches.
LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
Removal
1.
Disconnect the battery.
2.
Disconnect the rod from the
lever at the lower end of the selector
tube.
Loosen the clamp bolt that locks
the flexible coupling to the steering
shaft.
3.
Working from the underside of
the steering wheel spoke, remove the
two screws that secure the crash pad.
Remove the pad. Do not use a ham-
mer or knock-off type wheel puller.
Striking the puller or shaft may cause
damage to the bearings and/or col-
lapsible column. Remove the steering
wheel as shown in Fig. 15.
4.
Remove the instrument panel
steering column finish plate.
5.
Remove the four screws that at-
tach the lower retainer to the dash
panel.
6. Disconnect the turn signal switch
and emergency flasher wires at the
connectors. Disconnect the wires from
the neutral start switch.
7.
While supporting the steering
column, remove the bolts that attach
the lower clamp to the upper bracket
(Fig. 15). Lift the column from the ve-
hicle.
Installation
1.
Position the column in the vehi-
cle,
making sure that the steering
shaft engages the flex coupling.
2.
Install the column retainer-
to-dash panel attaching screws, but do
not tighten them.
3.
Install the lower clamp and the
attaching nuts. Tighten the nuts fing-
ertight.
4.
Move the lower flange as re-
quired to center the steering shaft in
the tube. Aligning procedures are de-
tailed in Part 3-1. Tighten the lower
flange attaching nuts when the shaft is
centered.
5.
Connect the shift rod to the shift
lever at the lower end of the column.
6. Install and tighten the flex cou-
pling attaching bolt.
7.
Tighten the instrument panel-
to-clamp attaching nuts.
8. Connect the turn signal and
emergency flasher switch wirss at the
multiple connectors. Connect the wires
to the neutral start switch. Adjust-
ments for the neutral start switch are
detailed in Group 7 of this manual.
9. Install the instrument panel
steering column finish plate.
10.
Install the steering wheel and
crash pad.
MAJOR REPAIR OPERATIONS
STEERING COLUMN
SHIFT TUBE REPLACEMENT
STATIONARY COLUMN
WITH STANDARD
TRANSMISSION
Removal
1.
Working from the underside of
the steering wheel spoke, remove the
two screws that secure the crash pad.
Remove the pad. (On Continental
Mark III models, pry out the crash
pad insert and remove the two screws
that secure the crash pad. Remove the
crash pad. On models equipped with
steering wheel mounted speed con-
trols,
refer to Group 16 for removal
instructions).
2.
Remove the steering wheel from
the steering shaft with tool T67L-
3600-A (Fig. 1). Then, remove the
tool from the steering wheel. Do not
use a knock-off type steering Wheel
puller or strike the end of the steering
shaft with a hammer. Striking the
puller or shaft will damage the bear-
ing or the collapsible column.
3.
Remove the steering column
from the vehicle.
4.
Remove the selector lever from
the hub (Fig. 16).
5.
Remove the bearing upper snap
ring. It may be necessary to pull the
turn signal switch out to remove the
snap ring.
6. Remove the screws that attach
the shift tube bearing, shift arms, and
shift tube to the lower end of the
steering column.
7.
Slip the shift tube and steering
shaft from the lower end of the steer-
ing column tube. The upper bearing
has a slight press fit on the steering
shaft.
8. Remove the C-washer from the
upper end of the steering shaft, and
pull the shift tube from the steering
shaft.
9. Remove the shift tube bearing
from the lower end of the tube
Installation
1.
Position the shift tube bearing
(Fig. 16) on the tube and insert the
steering shaft in the shift tube.
2.
Install the C-washer on the
upper end of the steering shaft.
3.
Insert the shift tube and steering
shaft into the steerint column tube
and install the three attaching screws
at the lower end of the steering col-
umn tube.
4.
Position the bearing and insula-
tor on the shaft if it was disturbed
during removal. Work it down onto
the shaft as far as possible, then place
a piece of 3/4 ID x 2 1/8 inch pipe
over the end of shaft and install the
steering wheel attaching nut (Fig. 2).
5.
Tighten the nut until the bearing
is seated in the flange, then remove
the nut and pipe from the shaft.
6. Position the turn signal switch
on the flange and install the three at-
taching screws. Install the upper snap
ring.
7.
Install the selector lever and the
turn signal lever in the column.
8. Adjust and install the neutral
start switch as detailed in Group 7.
9. Install the steering column in the
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