Question
'*6 Beretta
Okay, I've gotten to the point that I believe that the large yellow spring in the center of the column is the only thing preventing me from getting to the tan/green wires under the upper housing. Is this correct? How much pressure is on this spring? are there any loose/small parts/clock springs that I should be expecting? Is this the only thing that's still keeping the upper and lower housings together?
I've found the rack cam (I'm sure that this is what it is) on the floor by the brake peddle. I didn't know what it was before but I can just barely see where it's supposed to go at the and of the lock cylinder. Is this something that can be reattached once I'm finally able to extract the cylinder?
Once again, thank you for your help.
Answer
ignition rack gear
Excellent, thanks for the updated pictures.
The yellow spring has some pressure, but not anything to worry about. Slip off the snap ring, remove the spring and washer and you can slide the upper housing off. Then you can remove the lock cylinder to see if the rack gear is broken. Sorry, I didn't include the promised picture of it in my last answer. Here it is now.
If the rack gear is broken, now you have to remove the column and start the dis-assembly of it from the bottom. We do it in our lap after it's out. The rack gear goes in from the bottom after you remove the mounting bracket and the ignition switch and the small spring loaded steering lock mechanism inside the lower housing. These bolts are 15 torx, (very small) and the locking pin only goes in 1 way with a spring inside it....be careful and attentive to this part.
You needed to remove the lock cylinder anyhow to replace the rack gear so the upper end work was not wasted. Once the new rack is installed you need to reinstall the lock cylinder and switch making sure it is in the proper position to hit all the functions in the ignition switch...ACC, Lock, Off, On, Start.
Once that is in place, you can assemble everything else, either in your lap or after you reinstall the column.
This job is worth about $225, just so you know what you are saving by doing it yourself.
Good luck
Doug
