73 Mustang Fixed Steering wheel with a gap between ignition housing and column tube

[Brett_62]

Hello all,
I have a 1973 Mustang Mach 1 with a fixed steering wheel and I am having some trouble. I took off my ignition switch and column flange bolts and nuts and found after trying to reassemble them I have a gap that appears when I turn the key. Turning the key all the way forward I can spin the ignition housing has anyone had this issue and found a solution?
Is there a certain way to install the flange bolts and nuts to prevent this? I used the gap to install the flange bolts

 

[Steve McMahan]

I don’t know what happened, I wonder if that flange slipped down? Anyway, here is the page from the Ford service manual, maybe the reassembly instructions will help?

 

[Bentworker]

Hello all,
I have a 1973 Mustang Mach 1 with a fixed steering wheel and I am having some trouble. I took off my ignition switch and column flange bolts and nuts and found after trying to reassemble them I have a gap that appears when I turn the key. Turning the key all the way forward I can spin the ignition housing has anyone had this issue and found a solution?
Is there a certain way to install the flange bolts and nuts to prevent this? I used the gap to install the flange bolts

if at first you don't succeed, try, try again

 

[73MustangCoupe]

It sounds like the 2 T-bolts did not engage in the little, square cut-outs in the lower column shroud. When you turn the key, it pushes the rod connecting the key to the actual ignition switch farther down the column, forcing the upper shroud out.

Starting the nuts only a couple threads, making sure the T-bolt is aligned with it's slot, and also with the little square cut-out in the lower shroud, should allow it to catch and it will then pull the upper and lower together as you tighten the nuts.

Autorestomod on YouTube has a video showing how they go together. The part with the T-bolts starts at around 9:30.

I am sure there are a number of other YouTube videos on it as well, but this is one that I watched in my reassembly journey with The Rickster.

I hope that helps.