Square body steering column tumbler problem.

[BigcountryNC]

Hey guys new guy to the forum... I just picked up a 82 K10 needs lots of love.. so whats up is original steering column broken and floping around, seller had another one for me to install. Nothing to it he says...lol. No keys with other column so I have it installed and ordered a new tumbler. Well come to find out the column is a 78 or older as it has a slot you push a flat blade in to push in a tab on the tumbler to remove it. So new tumbler, I installed it and the problem is it will not turn back enough to get the marks to line up and the key will not come out of it. Not sure if I have the wrong tumbler or something is broken in the column. I have put pliers on the tab the tumbler engages with and it seems like it is hitting a hard stop when rotating it forward and back. Hope someone knows more about it than me...
Thanks in advance!!
BC

 

[Shorty81]

Welcome from Ohio.

 

[Vbb199]

Welcome from Salisbury, fellow north Carolinian!

 

[Big Chip]

Hey guys new guy to the forum... I just picked up a 82 K10 needs lots of love.. so whats up is original steering column broken and floping around, seller had another one for me to install. Nothing to it he says...lol. No keys with other column so I have it installed and ordered a new tumbler. Well come to find out the column is a 78 or older as it has a slot you push a flat blade in to push in a tab on the tumbler to remove it. So new tumbler, I installed it and the problem is it will not turn back enough to get the marks to line up and the key will not come out of it. Not sure if I have the wrong tumbler or something is broken in the column. I have put pliers on the tab the tumbler engages with and it seems like it is hitting a hard stop when rotating it forward and back. Hope someone knows more about it than me...
Thanks in advance!!
BC

Was the original a tilt column that was flopping around?

 

[BigcountryNC]

Yes it was a tilt column the original one. I finally got it straighten out this afternoon, rookie mistake.... thanks gents!

 

[Goldie Driver]

Yes it was a tilt column the original one. I finally got it straighten out this afternoon, rookie mistake.... thanks gents!

Glad you got it figured out. What was the issue ?

 

[squaredrop]

I had a similar issue the tumbler wouldn’t go back to lock position, I replaced the tumbler and had the same issue , it turned out that my 74 was converted from a column shift to a floor shift , the column shift casing had turned a little so the sector was hitting against a plate inside .the sector wasn’t lined up with the slot that was made for it so it was hitting a plate , I turned the column shift casing until it cleared and the key rolled back to lock

 

[BigcountryNC]

Squaredrop hit the nail on the head same thing on my truck... converted 4 speed truck has auto column that was twisted.... Hey to Carolina crew!