1970 steering lock plate- do I need to remove?

[Sonny]

I recently rebuilt my steering column out of my 1970 Belvedere. It was a three speed column shifter that I converted to a floor mounted B&M shifter. I removed all the linkage including the long hollow shaft and collar from within the steering column that rotates and changed gears. Also replaced the head of the steering column with a Tony’s Mopar parts collar that does not have the shifter indicator in it.

Do I need to remove the theft deterrent locking mechanism and the sawtooth round gear within the column? I read somewhere that this could accidentally lock the steering wheel if you do not have all the linkage installed? I like the antitheft device and would like to leave it as is if I can But not if it poses a danger with all the missing linkage to the transmission.

 

[R413]

The lock plate inside is activated by the key. It keeps the wheel locked so it can’t turn.

The tube and linkage To the trans is for rotation of the front collar so the key can be removed. This will not lock the steering wheel. If it turns and the key won’t come out just turn it by hand.

 

[Sonny]

The lock plate inside is activated by the key. It keeps the wheel locked so it can’t turn.

The tube and linkage To the trans is for rotation of the front collar so the key can be removed. This will not lock the steering wheel. If it turns and the key won’t come out just turn it by hand.

View attachment 1146325

Thanks! This is what I read in Mopar Action magazine that made me ask:

 

[R413]

Strange they say that. Think of it this way. On a stock not modified car. You can have the engine running and move the console auto shifter to any gear and the steering wheel will always turn, it will not lock with engine running.

Now have the shifter in D With engine running and turn the key back as far as you can. It will only turn the engine off, but can’t lock the column. Then watch the front collar on the column as you move the shifter to park and you can see the front collar turn, now you can get the key out and the steering wheel locks.

The function of the trans linkage to the column is rotating the collar That allows the key to turn back and be removed, which locks the column. It’s turning the key back that does the locking, not rotating the column collar.

 

[Sonny]

Strange they say that. Think of it this way. On a stock not modified car. You can have the engine running and move the console auto shifter to any gear and the steering wheel will always turn, it will not lock with engine running.

Now have the shifter in D With engine running and turn the key back as far as you can. It will only turn the engine off, but can’t lock the column. Then watch the front collar on the column as you move the shifter to park and you can see the front collar turn, now you can get the key out and the steering wheel locks.

The function of the trans linkage to the column is rotating the collar That allows the key to turn back and be removed, which locks the column. It’s turning the key back that does the locking, not rotating the column collar.

I know right? Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing anything dangerous. I couldn’t figure out his point either.

 

[Kern Dog]

The Mopar Action rationale is that during the extremely unlikely event that you tried to turn the engine off with the car in motion, you could turn the switch far enough to lock the steering wheel.
Who drives along and turns the engine off anyway?
I like the steering lock feature. I swapped from a floor shifted automatic to a Tremec 5 speed and retained the steering lock system.

 

[cosgig]

Try navigating the reverse key lock deal on the 4 speed cars. I put mine back on, but most people just chuck the whole affair. I think it has the same symptoms, if you get rid of everything, you still may have to turn the collar to disengage the key from the switch. Yes, let’s complicate matters even further!

 

[OKDart]

FYI, in 1970 the floor shift cars also had the hollow tube and the linkage to the transmission along with the floor shift linkage. That was how they made it so you couldn't turn the key all the way back until it was in park. Later years used an annoying lever on the column that you had to push and turn the key back simultaneously.