Howdy gang -

It's been a while since I checked in here. Got a new (old to some) problem with the '89 Troop (4 cyl., auto).

Key cylinder is stuck in lock position. There's a thread from a couple of years ago on the subject here

Good solutions and suggestions found there, though I've got a quirk on mine that needs a little extra something to get me over the hump. Specifically, the two shear bolts that need to be slotted in order to be removed appear to have snapped off down inside the female threads a bit (several threads deep), making it pretty hard to get a Dremel cutting wheel in there to cut those slots. The Dremel would be the preferred method but it's clear that I'd have to cut into the body of the steering lock-clamp-thingamagig holding all this together around the column. Also, it's so tight in there I'm not sure I can get the Dremel in square to the shear bolt, let alone a drill with bit to back them out.

A post in the older thread also seems to suggest cutting the bolts, then doing the bolt extraction on the work bench (via Robt). Cut where, through the seam between the two pieces that mate around the steering column? That seems a bit dicey.

Advice welcome. Gotta get the old girl running <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />.

- Paul <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

if yanking the wheel back and forth and trying to turn the key doesnt work, its not that hard to remove the steering column.. pull the steering wheel, disconnect the wiring, mark the position of the shaft on the steering box and pry it loose, undo bolts under the dash and at the firewall, and pull it out