Manager Forum

I've been running into jeeps with a broken rod between ignition lock cylinder & ign switch. Dealer says this part is only available with column. Has anyone sourced a replacement rod after market? Thanks Tom.

the first place that comes to mind is dorman. i'm wondering if this is an issue that is being resolved by an update that isn't being published. i know it's hard to believe but there are times that this does happen. i can't count how many times i've replaced a simple part and had to renovate the area around it. there were no tsb's and on some i was hard pressed to get the necessary information to do the job.

Yea steve, Dorman was the first thing I thought of but I did some poking around and came up dry. I also checked my On Demand and there is very little info. So, it may be correct that it is a Dealer item only and that the entire column must be replaced. Seems kind a the trend among auto manufacturers to make available modular units rather than individual pieces.

i'm seeing more and more of that as well. need nylon sleeves for a ford column pucker up. i told a parts manager to at least give me a reach around. even though we as techs understand the customers can't (some) comprehend it. they feel that there is something we're overlooking. i have a practiced tail of searching and making all sorts of on line inquiries even to the point of looking into companies that make nylon collars to see if there was something i could adapt. it's crazy. there are assemblies that we are forced to purchase and strip the parts we need leaving 75% for the recycle bin. i can understand, what company wants to mass produce, manufacturer purchase, dealer stock, process the order, ship, and the part cost only 8 bucks. talk about loosing money. now attach that part to an assembly that you can charge $185.00 for and manufacture for 6 bucks. the dealer ends up with it on their shelves for 60 bucks. we purchase it for $140.00, strip the $8.00 part off of it, charge the customer the list price, see if there are other things we can strip off of it then toss it. i remember years ago i would save the trigger springs from g.m. turn signal switches. %50 of the issues were they wouldn't cancel. the spring was broken. for years no one made the spring separate. some of the switches were very expensive. i would tear the wheel off, replace the spring, charge the customer 1/2 of what the dealer quoted and put more in my pocket than if i had replaced the switch. whew.............that was a mouth full.

Found actuator rod through NAPA Belkamp. Just did the second one. Quick & easy.

Part #?? That may help the rest of us when we run into it. That is if we remember where we found it last!! LOL