Steering Column Lock? (1940)

Hello again. Tim here. I had a question about the locking mechanism used on these 40 columns. The locking portion is in the column drop itself and seems pretty self explanitory. It fits into/over the sleave. There is a hole in the sleave that allows the the locking bolt to slide into the piece that is screwed to the shaft itself. Now on the shaft itself....the locking collar that is there is held in by some screws....I have taken them out but can't move the damn thing... is there a way to slide that thing upwards to locate it further towards the steering wheel itself? Can you follow my dexcription? Any help on this would be great.
Thanks
Tim
MBL

 

First, scribe a line up the shaft marking the radial location of the sleeve so you can put it on in the correct orientation and it will lock on center and at extremes. Remove the screws, I believe all years have two, and that's it for the organized part. What's still holding it is just(!!) 65 years of rust&crud. Further motion requires lubrication and violence, so put something like a biggish wrench under it and pound away. The ideal hammer would actually be a stout chunk of heavy wall pipe with a side missing...either drive it to where it's going and drill&tap, or drive it completely off so you can really clean things first. On parts like this that will be protected and invisible but that can't reall bepainted because the work underway will still be violent, I wax the parts with HD floor wax after a session on the wire wheel.

 

A P.S.: A really big screwdeiver like a drag link socket can be inserted in the gap in the sleeve and used to slightly open it up.

 

I figured it may be the violent approach to sliding it off....It is not too rusty so i figured that something else might have been holding it instead of the screws. Thanks!
Tim
MBL

 

I ended up removing the steering lock portion on mine, so the column still turns, but the ignition is locked/ killed. There was a thought in the back of my head that the steering would lock up accidently.
Its a great piece isn't it?
Ford had a steering, ignition and switch lock all in one, 63 years ago!

jay

 

Yeah, I think the lock is one of the very neatest parts on a Ford V8. Early Fords all have lots of little pieces that seem like jewelry to me, and that's one of the best.