Smart ideas for disabling steering lock...

[peas]

I have bought a barely smashed AE91 and the panel shop has done me the pleasure of losing the keys. I tried to get one made to match the door locks but it seems that someone has changed them in the life of the car and it will not work in the ignition.

I have removed the panel below the steering wheel but the bolts that have been used to secure the barrel assembly to the steering column seem to have no heads any more! Is there any simple way of disabling steering lock or is it a case of easy-outs on the bolts? I dont need it to start just steering would help.

[HELBND]

steering lock pokes out of the ignition barrel iirc, so really you gotta take it off

[RS13]

There should be a number on the steering column or barrel IIRC, that relates to the key that you need to open it.

Normally when I've needed to disable it, I've just opened up the column and snapped the locking pin off, its' what car thieves do as well, by pulling hard on the steering wheel, except it pays to find and remove the broken part so it doesn't get lodged anywhere.

Buuut if you want to fix it without breaking, then you'll need to take it off, its' a real prick of a job too.

[Stealer Of Souls]

There should be a number on the steering column or barrel IIRC, that relates to the key that you need to open it.

Normally when I've needed to disable it, I've just opened up the column and snapped the locking pin off, its' what car thieves do as well, by pulling hard on the steering wheel, except it pays to find and remove the broken part so it doesn't get lodged anywhere.

Buuut if you want to fix it without breaking, then you'll need to take it off, its' a real prick of a job too.

That was my suggestion. Stand outside the car. Grab to top of the steering wheel. And pull like 15 year old with a porn mag...

[Mr XXX]

to get the torque bolt out (those are the naughty little headless bolts) you can try by cutting slots in them, like a flat head srew, and try and un screw them that way, or try spot welding something to them, like another bolt
Allan

[Mr.Phreak]

Or just use a centre punch and hammer

[Elmo]

Center punch and hammer is usually the way to do it.

They arent called torques bolts, those are the 6 pointed star type heads (like a 6 pointed philips basically)

They a bolt that does have a head, and a second seating point, when they have been done up, the seat hits, and goes tight, they are then further tighened to shear off the head, that way, making it as secure as possible.

So they arent MENT to have heads.

[cr1mnl]

dont try wrenching the wheel to snap it. all it will do is fcuk the steering column. my advice. get in there with a grinder and grind the heads off the two bolts. once its out unscrew whats left of the bolts. easier than trying to punch/ chisel the bolts out.

[Lloyd]

Hence why they are called shear bolts, because they shear off at a certain torque. And those others aren't torques bolts, they are Torx, which I'm fairly sure is a trademarked design.

Hammer and centre punch is usually easiest. Once you get it starting to move they come off pretty easy. Any decent key/security place should have a supply of them.

[85AW20v]

Go to a locksmith and tell them your problem. I took the door barrel out of the left side and they cut one off that as its usually the right hand ones that get replaced. Actually, it might just have been the number off it that they needed and they cut the key from some sort of programme they had.

[DRFTIN]

i just got the grinder out with the thinnest grinding disk i could find and cut the bolts in between the 2 halves that clamp round the column

[Mr.Phreak]

If you're going to all that trouble, why not just slot the heads and use a screwdriver to take them out??

[ATAl]

I've had this problem before.

This is hard to describe without pics but I'll try.

The ignition barrel is held into the steering column by a pin that sticks into a slot in the steering column, this is on the underside of the ignition barrel from memory.

Normally to replace the ignition barrel you would just turn the key to ACC position and the pin becomes unlocked allowing you to push the pin in and remove the ignition barrel from the steering column.

Because you don't have the key you need to drill this pin out, if you're careful you can do this without damaging the slot in the column.

Once the pin is gone you can just slide the ignition barrel out and replace it with the one you have the keys to.

Pay attention to the way the current ignition barrel is fitted as putting the new one in the wrong way will result in the steering lock coming on at inopportune times...

[Adamal]

Drill out the ignition barrel, order a new one for around $50.