Ignition switch removal & replacement

Can someone give me a basic run through on how to do this. The haynes and Bentley manuals are all make it sound simple, but I'm having difficulty accessing the switch to replace it.

The van is a 1975 Mexican import. I have found a screw that holds the lower section of the plastic cover (around the key barrel/switch) to the column and I can see the bottom of the switch. However, I understand that there is a grub screw to undo and I cannot find a way to remove the plastic around the key barrel and steering colum to access this. The plastic will obviously not slip down due the the metal bracket holding the column to the dash. Even if I undo the column from the dash, this bracket is going to prevent me from pushiing the plastic down.

So is the only way to access the switch to take off the steering wheel, top section of plastic shroud, turn signal and wiper arms? This would seem to be the only way to be able to get the swtich out in the open.

Anyone done this who can give me a clue? Cheers.

 

You need to take plastic shroud off, which involves doing all you state above (been a while since I've done it). You can't get the plastic off without effectively dismantling the steering column, but it's straightforward enough to do.

 

Cheers snotty. I feared as much......mine's not proving straight forward. The steering wheel is refusing the move and I'm hoping the horn push is not knackered with levering it out. Everything feels so brittle and breakable. Knowing my luck I'm gonna end up replacing the whole set of switch gear as it looks like it will disintergrate upon removal.

 

Keep going - it's really not that hard. Unfortunately, been a long time since I dismantled mine, so can't remember how it's done. Re the horn push: don't try to pry the silver bit out - it's part of the steering wheel. Just flip the black plastic push out.

The shroud's screwed to the alloy lock casting and clamped by a shear head screw. Here's the view from below...

 

seems like you have a good selection of useful photos @snotty
When I did the main bulk of the resto work on mine, back in the day before micro sd cards and such, I borrowed a digi camera, and uploaded all my pics to an MSN group site....if they don't get updated once in a while, they get binned, irretrievably.....so I lost everything
every now and then, I'll do an image search for something or other and I spot one of my pics....it's a bit like hearing what a very ex girlfriend is up to, from a friend of a friend

 

Right, The steering wheel is off, the wiper/turn signal assembly out - with a bit of a fight. The Bentley manual is talking about drilling out a shear bolt????? Where is this and what is it?.

Through the hole in the LH side of the lower plastic shroud, I can see a 6mm hex key bolt which I have undone - but I cant see anything else to drill?. The manual seems to suggest that once this is done, I can turn the key, unlock the steering colum and the wholsteering lock will slide off the steering column - at the moment it's stuck fast - so what numpty thing am I missing?

 

the shear bolt is on the right-hand side of the photo above....so could well be the hex bolt you're looking at....if my suspicions are right, the shear bolt has been replaced in the past.....with the bolt now removed it should now be possible to slide the shroud up or down...make sure the key is in the ignition....

 

Cheers @vanorak . I think the shear bolt has been removed in the past then - nothing would suprise me with this van!

Does the steering lock catch at all when trying the lift the whole unit out? now with the 6mm hex bolt unbolted I can wiggle the whols casting a bit side ways, but tit does not seem keen to lift upwards. The ignition key is in and the steering lock unlocked, but the bloody thing is still refusing to come out!

 

brute force and ignorance always works for me.....you could try prising the casting on the ignition barrel casting with a flat bladed screwdriver, but it sounds like you're almost there

 

Someone's done the hard bit and removed the shear bolt already, just remove the hex bolt, draw the column out from the aluminium housing, then the screw that holds the switch will be visible.

 

I'd be careful using the brute force route, the castings the hold the switches in are very delicate. You have removed the 4 screws and drawn the switches out haven't you?

 

That's where my problem lies at the moment. I cannot seem to draw the aluminium housing up and off the column to get to the switch. It wiggles a little, so appears to be loose, but it will not lift up for love not money. Something is holding/catching it even tapping it upwards with a length of wood and a mallet is not pursuading it to move!

Here's a couple of pics of where I have got to. Please feel free to tell me I am being a numpty and have forgotten to undo something/take something off - I would love a simple answer!





I am assuming that there is nothing further to remove from the top of the casting - there appears to be a metal ring pressed down around the top (to protect the top of the casting??) but that doesn't look like it would come off. I addition there seems to be a black plastic sheath pushed down over the column.....but again, its tight on there and the manual doesn't say to remove it. Clutching at straws now as to why the casting won't lift up and out so I can just replace the bloomin switch!

 

It's a bit difficult to see what's going on, but that big spacer on the inner part of the column needs to come of, is it seized on?

 

The black plastic spacer that looks a bit chewed up on the top photo? I did wonder if this needed to come off, but couldn't see it mentioned in the manual and I wondered if the casting would just slip over it. Its on tight, but I will Plus gas it and get a couple of screw drivers on it tomorrow. Cheers.

 

To be honest, I'd say go a bit further and take the whole steering column off: un-tab wiring harness, washer hose off, three bolts under the dash plus two under the circular floor plate. 20 mins work, then you'll be able to see what's what. I'm sure the casting must be removable without all the hassle, but I can't remember how it might be done. I'd dismantled all of mine for a good clean and paint of the outer column. It may well be that the steering lock is engaged with the inner column (it's pretty hefty), but with everything off, you'll know how it all works ...

@vanorak: good thinking re pics. I've got a load I took during the resto. May stick them somewhere on the web for posterity. Another of the column in its glory (ignore the dog ). Surprising what a quick blow-over with Halfords Satin Black can do...

 

I love halfords satin black

 

Hey mate - just seen this - here is a link to when I did it on mine - maybe of some use - I managed to do it without removing the steering wheel/column..

http://www.thelatebay.com/index.php...out-dismantling-the-column.23091/#post-382913

 

It is indeed Paint Of The Gods, although Halford's Matt Black comes a close second...

Just found some pics of my dash repaint - I'll start another thread so I don't hi-jack chilli's.

PS @chillicamper: are you trying to change the plastic switch, or the lock barrel itself?

 

FYI - Camper & Bus magazine covered ignition switch replacement in the Summer 2013 issue. You can buy it online for 2 quid:
http://www.vwcamperandbus.com/news/current-issue/camperbus-magazine-–-summer-2013/

 

The plastic switch. The barrel seems OK at the moment - key is a bit worn, but still works. But I've have intermitent cutting out of the engine which is solved when I push up on the underside of the switch. The connections in the multi connecter all look OK, so I'm assuming a dodgy switch is to blame. I can always rewire the multi pin connector with separate spade connectors if the switch doesn't fix the issue. I thought it would be a simple, cheap fix.....but a usual, it's the simple jobs that try to bite you!