...behind the steering wheel after removing the steering wheel with a steering wheel puller.

 

They make a special tool the threads onto the steering shaft and presses the plate down so you can remove the snap ring that holds it.

You can buy or rent these tools at most auto parts stores.

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R

R.I.P. #3
My favorite quote about D.E. "He can see air"

 

84,

The lock plate (disc with slots around its perimeter) is held in place by a small round wire lock ring at the center of the steering shaft. You need to compress the lock plate against the upper bearing spring, and it's a pretty stiff spring. Then you can use a small screwdriver to work the round wire clip out of its groove. Release the lock plate and it should slide off the steering shaft.

There is a tool available for holding the lock plate in place while you remove the spring clip. Unless you are an octopus, the tool makes the job a lot easier. I used to fight them out with the "brute force method" but the tool was a good investment.

Here are a couple of pages that might be helpful:

Steering Page 1.pdf

Steering Page 2.pdf

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Later,
Vader
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"I'm'a do Things My Way - It's My way or the Highway."
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Go to your local O'Reilly's or Autozone and tell them you want a steering wheel lock plate remover tool and they will give you what you want. Working in autoparts I can tell you it will run you around $20.00. Well worth it.

 

Thanks for the descriptive pages Vader, they answered all my questions except one, what does it cost to rent one of these items for a day?

 

I just Pushed it down with one hand, and Got Busy with the screwdriver In the other

Came out in about 2 minutes... )


Nessicity Is the mother of Brute strength.




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60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

Cool, I'll try that, but how easy is it to damage something when doing that? And how hard is it to get it back on?

 

I can't get it off with a screw driver and the local discount auto parts doesn't carry them, what do I do? When you say I should remove the ring with a screw driver, is there anything easier to use? All I have is large screw drivers, I tend to lose all my little tools.

 

I dunno, I just sorta sat in the seat and Becnh pressed the plate with one Hand and pried at it with the other. I used a big screwdriver, it took some muscle power tho.

Hit the gym


as for gettnig it back in, I put the lock plate in without the retainer ring, and it seems to work fine, except my steering dosent lock ( funny that ), not something im entirely worried about.




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60 Ranchero - Project ( Money Hole )
85 Sport Coupe LG4 - Daily Driver

Just another Hot Rod kid, or thats what they all tell me.
Livin' the Stereotype

 

Hey Bort...you installed it without the SNAP ring that holds it all together??

Or did you just leave off the lock plate??

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R

R.I.P. #3
My favorite quote about D.E. "He can see air"

 

Bort,

I hope you saved the lock ring. The plate is what holds tension on the spring. The spring is what preloads the upper steering shaft bearing. If you want the steering to remain tight, you might want to fight that lock ring back in there. I know the nut holds the plate down, but not where it is supposed to. Aslo, the lock ring is what drives the turn signal cancelling cam, and the signals might eventually get to the point where they don't cancel automatically after turns.

Just a thought.

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Later,
Vader
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"I'm'a do Things My Way - It's My way or the Highway."
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

For getting that snap ring in and out, a pair of snap ring pliars works great, and they're cheap too!