Ignition switch took a dump today
 

Lets see, within the past week or so I've had a spare tire fall off, then busted a brake line, now this.
Whats that saying ,,, Bad things happen in 3's ?
I am hoping that is it.

So I'm out this evening with 2 of my daughters and 3 of their friends.
Giggling goofy girls from 9 to 15, quite an adventure to spend 5 hours with a crew like that.
Anyhow we stopped off to get some ice cream [of course] .. And one of my girls gets in the truck after eating to listen to the radio, and calls out that the key won't turn.
Some times you gotta jiggle the gearshift a bit so I figured it was that.
No go, gear shifter or key would not budge an inch.
They was both locked as locked can be.
Wasn't thinking right at first, I thought it was probably something to do with the shifter linkage, so down I go under my truck with my handy head mounted LED light. I disconnected the linkage from the tranny shifter, tried to jiggle the gear shift by hand from underneath, no go.

So I'm on my back, with a face full of rust and grease up to my elbows, with girls around me peeking under the truck, pleading that they have to go to the bathroom right this instant, or else ,,, I'm trying to think, and it finally dawned on me that if the key won't move, then of course the gear shift is locked.

Didn't have the right size bit to take off the 2 little screws that secure the top portion of the column cover, so I basically just ripped it off.
Jiggled this, jaggled that, still the key would not budge.

Was contemplating just taking out the ignition and starting it with a screwdriver ,,, But on close exam, the ignition is held in by torx security bits ,,, A box of which I have in my garage, but not in the truck.

So I figured my options were down to either ripping it out by brute force, or getting a tow.
I was leaning towards the second, since I have free AAA towing.
I was just about to make a call for someone to pick up the girls while I wait for the tow when another idea dawned on me.

Why not just smack it around a little bit ?
So I got a hammer and bopped around, to my surprise I got the accessory position to go on.
Bopped right on the key and presto, it unlocked and I was good to go - For now, anyways.
Obviously needs replacing, I heard they are a royal pain, gonna be checking around here a bit before I make my move.


Nice n crusty - Amazing all the crud that can get under a column skin in 13 years.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y11...f/IMG_5194.jpg

my sister changed hers without incident, so you should be able to get it without any headaches.

I'm going to rename you Schleprock.:icon_razz:

If your sister did it Sheriff, then By Cracky - I can do it too !

she did it without my help too so that says something about difficulty level.

sounds like your truck is starting to take a major **** man

nah, its just an age thing. once you get the new parts on there then you won't have to worry about them for another 13 years.

New parts meaning everything but the body and frame ;)

the body and the frame are whats really getting it though (thanks road salt), the ignition switch was just a fluke.

i had the same thing with my truck, all at about the same time, ball joints, u joints and wheel bearings

his problems were just so more random