Steering Wheel Lock Removal

[R2 Racing]

Can you guys help me out with this? I need to remove the steering wheel lock (per SCCA rules) and have never done it before. So how do I go about doing this? It's a '92 Civic. Thanks!

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Kevin
R2 Racing
ITC Civic
ITS Prelude

[davew]

Kevin,

This topic has come up quite a few times in the life of this forum and you should find a fair amount of information by searching the archives.

That said, you didn't mention if you wanted to keep your keyed ignition switch or not. If you don't care about a key, the problem is solved quite easily by removing the entire switch and lock assembly and and rewiring in a togle switch or something suitable. If you want to keep the key for security, etc...you can remove the assembly as above and then remove the cylinder lock assembly and drill out the large brass steering lock bolt and spring that hides behind the brass plate on the assembly. then reassemble the lock cylinder and reinstal the assembly. If you have never done this it can be tricky and take a very long time to figure out, whereas once you do it once it can be accomplished again quickly and easily. But it is difficult to describe with text...

the biggest key is that unlike most manuals say, you can remove the bolts that fasten the assembly to the steering column by using a small chissel and hammer to rotate the heads and unscrew them. Then if you slot the bolt heads while they are off you can use a scewdriver to reinstall, or you can replace them with regular bolts of the same size if you have them available vs. retaing the breakaway bolts that honda uses for "security" purposes...

feel free to email me if you have specific question once you are in there...

-dave w

basically need to

[R2 Racing]

Thanks for the info Dave. I won't be able to get back to the car until Tuesday or Wednesday and I'll have a good look at it then. Until then, I'm just trying to gather some ideas.

FYI, I've been here long enough to know to try a search before I posted this but came up with nothing.

[Greg Gauper]

Kevin,

It is pretty easy as described above. Use a small hacksaw or a Dremel tool to slot the bolt heads. You will be able to reuse them or you can replace with real screws if you wish.

When you pull the mechanism out, you will see the pin than engages the steering column. You can take apart the lock as described above, or you can do it the easy way and just gring the pin off with a dremel tool. It use real soft metal.

Whatcha doin with the old car?

[R2 Racing]

Yea, I'm just going to slot the heads and remove those bolts. I'll just replace them with some real bolts.

My old car is still here. I think my Dad's going to be using it some and we've got a couple of guys who are interested in renting it too. I might also run some Honda-Challenge with it. How's the Prod change over going?

[gran racing]

I'm having some difficulty getting this done. (I've tried doing searches here as well as at honda-tech.com) Unfortunately I only have the generic shop manual, the other one should be coming soon. I have an '87 prelude si, and can't get the cylinder out. For that matter, I can't get the steering wheel off. The manual I have says I can pry off the face of the steering wheel to access the bolt to take the wheel off. But, the face on the wheel is one continous piece. Any help you can provide me (or how / where I can find the previous posts on this subject) would be greatly appreciated.

[Kazoo]

I can's speak on your particular model Honda, but with all that I've ever worked on, this is the deal... the piece you need to remove to access the nut holding the steering wheel on is actually the Honda emblem. The "H" is somewhat recessed, and will pry right out of the center of the steering wheel cover, allowing you access to the nut. Good luck.

[davew]

You don't need to reomve the steering wheel to remove the ignition switch and steering lock assembly. Just remove the plastic covers on the column and then the two breakaway (headless) bolts on the d-bracket that holds the assembly on the column.

You can grind the steering lock off the assembly as described above, however, I prefer to remove them completely so that there is never any chance of malfuntion in the future should something weird happen. Weird things always happen to me, so I try to lessen the odds wherever I can.

-dw

[johng]

See the large disk to the lower left of this assembly? Drill this out and the spring/pin crap falls out. I don't believe the steering wheel even needs to come off. Just access this part.

http://a6.cpimg.com/image/A8/15/16277416-8870-02000180-.jpg

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1994 Civic DX - ITA #93

[gran racing]

Well, I drilled out the "button" but must have drilled too far. The key does not work any more - it won't turn. At this point I am thinking of wiring it to a throw switch, but am not sure how to wire it. On my ignition switch, there are four wires going to it. Any suggestions?

[Tom Blaney]

I took a different approach, with the lock pin in the retracted position, (key in and turned), I simply put some JB Weld onto the pin and let some go into the area around it. This will keep it retracted without any fuss.

[Geezer]

Originally posted by johng:
See the large disk to the lower left of this assembly? Drill this out and the spring/pin crap falls out. I don't believe the steering wheel even needs to come off. Just access this part.

http://a6.cpimg.com/image/A8/15/16277416-8870-02000180-.jpg



I just did this on my CRX, based on the instructions in an old thread I can't find here anymore (dumb search).

Before drilling, you have to take the lock cylinder out. Turn the ignition key to the "I" mark, then stick a paperclip in the small hole on top of the lock body, press to release the retaining pin, and pull the lock cylinder out.

Now drill a 1/4" (more or less) hole in the large disk and use a screwdriver to pry it out. Using a Dremel with cutoff wheel to cut a slot in the disk helps soften it up so it'll come out. When the disk comes out the lock bar and spring will come too.

Put the cylinder back in by turning the key just shy of the "I" mark and gently wiggling it until it pops back in.

A Helms manual is a big help too.




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1988 CRX Si
ITA/HC4 wannabe

[il8apex]

Originally posted by Geezer:
I just did this on my CRX, based on the instructions in an old thread I can't find here anymore (dumb search).

Before drilling, you have to take the lock cylinder out. Turn the ignition key to the "I" mark, then stick a paperclip in the small hole on top of the lock body, press to release the retaining pin, and pull the lock cylinder out.



Okay, I feel like a complete idiot right now. I can't even get the lock cylinder out!

I'm putting a knife, paperclip, sawblade... Whatever will fit into the slot above the lock cylinder and still the lock cylinder won't budge. At the risk of sounding like a virgin... have I got the right hole?

-Tom

[edit] Duh, a little light helps... The pin is exposed on the top of the lock body, and must be pushed perpendicular to the axis of the cylinder. I feel better now...

-T


[This message has been edited by il8apex (edited March 15, 2003).]