How do I get the steering column out??

[jcolville]

I don't get what I'm missing to get the old stock one out from a 72. Do I have to disconnect it at the rag joint steering box junction? If so What kind of funky bolt head is that? Some star thing I have never seen.

[fordman]

it is a 7/16 12 point socket. you have to take that apart the firewall bracket the inner firewall seal bolts and the two bolts under the dash. remove the shifter rod or rods. if equipped. unplug the wiring from it.

[jcolville]

Ahhh ok....off to napa to get a new socket in the morning. Thanks for letting me know. I had the rest of it apart that you said..well except for the inner firewall bracket.

[jcolville]

grrrrrrrrrr I tore the s*** out of that cover thing on the firewall......what do you call that so i can see about getting another?

[fordman]

the column rubber seal? is that what got tore up?

[jcolville]

yeah that one a little but i got it to work, it's stapled to that flange and you have to slip it over whats left of the rag joint..but I was talking about the covering on the inside of the firewall. LMC has plastic ones but after the column issues with them, I cant bring myself to deal with them. but the new column is like...wow..it looks so nice in the bump..all chromey and shiney.

[fordman]

oh i would have pulled thr bracket off with the column and then removed the center shaft before removing the inner column seal. to heck with trying to go over the rag joint with it. i done that once. and then i pulled the center shaft out. to get the seal off the column. many vendors sell the rubber seals i think. yo ucan try the links apge to find a different vendor than lmc.

[jcolville]

this is off topic but im riding my motorcycle from Spokane to Topeka in July...when is tornado season?

[fordman]

april and may. maybe june. . its not that big of a deal aroudn here really. most bad storms are north of topeka and soem make it to lawerence. 30 miles north of us. topeka is 60 miles nw of me. go 10 miles west and then 50 miles north.