Replacing ignition switch on 1976 Dodge D-300. Got the steering wheel off and taken out the circlip holding in the bearing. I''ve loosened the three screws that hold the turn signal housing, but can''t pull off the housing. Do I need another puller to do this? Thanks Jim

I've done this twice in the past year. Remove the two screws under the steering column that hold the cover in place. Then you will see two nuts with washers, one on either side of the column, that hold the column to the dash frame. Remove those two nuts and washers, and you can lower the steering wheel and column to rest on the drivers side seat cushion. Then with a ratchet and I think a 5/16-inch socket and a couple of "wobble end" extensions on the ratchet, one long and the other short, you can contort your body into position to reach the two hex-head self threading screws that hold the ignition switch to the column. Once they are out, you can re-contort your body so that you can disconnect the two electrical plugs that connect to the right side of the switch. (When you first look at the plugs and the wires, it looks as though it is all one plug, but it's two.) Good luck!

If you're having trouble starting your car and you've been through troubleshooting the starter and alternator, it may be time to replace the ignition switch. Though this is a job best suited for a professional mechanic, if you're willing to take it on, here's how to replace the ignition switch in your car.
Instructions:
1.Disconnect the negative battery cable from the terminal on the battery. Remove the upper and lower steering column covers by unscrewing or unclipping them.
2.Remove the steering wheel by lifting off the center cover, disconnecting the horn wire and removing the retaining nut and washer. Make a mark on the steering wheel spline and the wheel itself so you can line it back up precisely. Pull the steering wheel straight back to remove from the shaft.
3.Take off windshield wiper and turn signal switches by pulling them off as you did the steering wheel and disconnect the wiring. Slide the spacer sleeve off of the steering column.
4. Unscrew the ignition switch mounting screws. Pull out the ignition switch. Disconnect the wiring connector from back of the ignition switch. Simply loosen the tabs and pull it out.
5. Insert your key into the ignition. Turn the ignition switch to the locked position. Depress the retaining pin with a small screwdriver and turn the key to the Off position to free the cylinder. Once it is free, turn the key to lock position and remove the key and key cylinder.
6. Install your old key cylinder into the new ignition switch assembly. Make sure the contacts in the cylinder and assembly line up. Reattach wiring to ignition switch, slide it into place, screw in mounting screws and reassemble steering wheel and switches.

Hi, removing the barrel requires removal of the steering wheel, lockplate, and turn signal switch. Once all of these are out, you will see the screw that holds the lock in. You will need a puller to remove the steering wheel and a lockplate compression tool to push the lockplate down while removing the lockplate clip. You may be able to borrow these tools from Autozone or another tool rental outlet. I have pasted the procedure below from autozone.com. Please let me know if you have more questions, and thanks for using FixYa.

1. 1969 CHEVELLE DELUXE WHEEL AND STANDARD WHEEL ON ALL MODELS 1970 AND LATER
   
   See Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13
   
   1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
   2. Remove the trim retaining screws from behind the wheel.
   3. Lift the trim off, then disconnect the horn wire(s).
   4. For most 1975 and later models, remove the snapring.
   
   
   

   Fig. Fig. 2: Steering wheel installation-1969 deluxe and 1970-72 standard wheel
   
   
   
   

   1. Remove the steering wheel retaining nut.
   
   
   1. Matchmark the wheel-to-shaft relationship, then remove the wheel with a steering wheel puller such as tool No. J-2927.
   
   To install:
   
   1. Install the wheel on the shaft, aligning the marks made during removal.
   2. Install the steering wheel retaining nut, then tighten the nut to 30 ft. lbs. (41 Nm).
   3. If equipped, install the snapring.
   
   
   

   Fig. Fig. 4: Steering wheel installation-1980 and later vehicles
   

2. 
   
3. 
   
4. 
   Fig. Fig. 5: Most 1975 and later wheels are equipped with a snapring to assure the retaining nut remains in position
   
5. 
   
   1. Hold the trim just above position, then connect the horn wire(s)..
   2. Install the center trim and secure using the retaining screws.
   3. Connect the negative battery cable.
      

Fig. Fig. 6: A ratchet or driver should be used to loosen the trim pad retaining screws

Fig. Fig. 7: Once they are loosened, remove the trim pad screws from the back of the steering wheel

Fig. Fig. 8: Pull the trim pad from the steering wheel in order to access the horn wire(s)

Fig. Fig. 9: Remove the retaining nut snapring

Fig. Fig. 10: Matchmark the relationship between the steering shaft and the wheel in order to assure proper wheel installation

Fig. Fig. 11: Loosen and remove the wheel retaining nut

Fig. Fig. 12: Use a steering wheel puller to loosen the wheel on the steering shaft

Fig. Fig. 13: Once the wheel has been loosened by the puller, the wheel may may be removed from the steering shaft

1. Remove the trim cover from the column.
2. Remove the steering column cover from the shaft by removing the three screws or by prying it out with a screwdriver (1976 and later models).
3. Use a compressing tool, such as No. J-23653, to compress and hold the lockplate. With the plate compressed, pry out and discard the snapring from its shaft groove.
4. Slide the cancelling cam, spring, and washer off the shaft.
5. Remove turn signal lever.
6. Push the four-way flasher knob in and unscrew it.
7. Remove the three switch mounting screws.
8. Pull switch connector out of the bracket, pull it off the shaft and allow it to hang by the wires.
9. Remove the lock barrel retaining screw and remove the lock.

Behind the steering wheel there are two phillip screws you have to remove first. Then using a 13/16 socket, loosen the big nut in the center flush with the threads and give it a couple of easy whacks with a hammer being careful not to ruin the threads. That should loosen the steering wheel where you can pull it off. Then you have to remove a circlip which holds the turn signal assembly in place being careful not to distort the clip. Next with a phillip screw driver carefully take the three screws that hold in the turn signal assembly and then pull the assembly over the center stud. Now you you can get to the ignition cylinder. With a small screwdriver push in the clasp that holds the cylinder in place and while holding the clasp in you should be able to remove the ignition cylinder. To put a new cylinder in, make sure it is lined up in the cylnder housing and make sure the key is not in the ignition. Just tap the new cylinder with small hammer and it should pop right into place. Very simple. Then reverse the procedure to put everything back together.

Remove the steering wheel center portion

if it has a driver airbag you will have to loosen the screws around the back of the steering wheel

if not the hooter potion should just clip off

once off remove the center bolt of the steering (unplug the airbag plugs if applicable)

mark where the steering wheel was located on the shaft so that you dont put it back scew.

remove the steering colum covers that go around the indicator and wiper switches.(there are usually a few scres that go in from underneath

Remove and unplug the wiper and indicator switches (usually just fastens with three very small screw from the front.

now you will see the ignition housing.

At the top side of the steering colum you will see a plate that pulles the ignition housing against the steering colum.

this plate is fastened with "break off bolts" the heads of the bolts break off once fastened as to prevent thieves loosening the ignition lock.

to loosen these screws use a centre punch and a hammer and work them in an anti clockwise direction.

Unplug the ignition switch at the back of the ignition.

please note that if the vehicle has airbags you should not switch on the ignition whilst the air bag is unplugged, this will activate the airbag fault lamp on the instrument cluster.

Install in reverse order.

I am not familiar with 316s since they are not sold here, but I posted the following tips on an e36 forum that should help. I think that you will have a problem using a lock from a donor car. Your key has broadcast a code that matches your car. If it is a late model, you may be able to reprogram it. If it is an e36, you will have to keep the old key to transmit the code to get your car to start.
Anyway -
You have probably discovered that using a stiff wire to release the lock from the the housing works only with a brand new lock and housing. After 10-15 years of use, if you can get the lock cylinder to release from the housing using the stiff wire method described in the manual, you win the ignition lock lottery.

Since life is not like that, you are replacing the lock AND the housing. The housing is not hard to remove if you have a dremel tool and a small closed-end ratcheting box-end wrench. After removing the plastic housing around the steering column, you cut straight slots in the heads of the two security bolts with your dremel. Then use a short straight-blade screwdriver bit and your small ratcheting box end wrench to turn it, and you can crank those security bolts right out.

Don't forget to take careful note of the positions and orientations of the two bushings between the steering wheel and the bearing in the lock housing. Put them back the way you found them or the steering wheel won't fit properly.

The HARD part of this job is putting back that stiff wire circlip that goes between the bushings. You have to pull out on the steering shaft while pressing down on the inner bushing to center the bearing while opening the circlip with duck-bill snap ring pliers (which you don't have). That takes three or four of your hands, your tail swishes off the flies, and there you are!

Since you don't have the correct snap ring pliers, you can try to use multiple flat blade screwdrivers to force the circlip up its taper and into its groove. Odds are good that you will end up stabbing a screwdriver through your instrument cluster.

OR THE EASY WAY which I discovered last weekend, is you can cut a short piece of the 3/4" PVC pipe that you have laying around the garage from the last time you repaired the lawn sprinklers.

After installing the new housing, lube the bearing and tap it into the housing. Then slip the inner (plain) bushing down the shaft. Then place the circlip on the shaft, then your piece of PVC pipe. Now take the steering wheel center bolt and screw it in. Screwing down that bolt forces the PVC pipe to push the circlip up its taper and into its groove, while simultaneously pulling on the steering shaft and compressing the bearing. You can do this by yourself while holding a beer in the other hand!

You just tighten the bolt until you hear the sweet "click" of the circlip snapping into its groove.

Now remove the bolt and PVC and slide the outer bushing down over the circlip, replace the steering column covers if you haven't already, put the steering wheel back on. Reconnect the battery which you remembered to disconnect several minutes before you removed the air bag, and you have it!

Try and turn the wheel from side to side while turning the key as it may be jammed on the locking pin... If that's a no go then you must remove the steering wheel and signal switch to access the screw that holds the cylinder in place. If you must remove the wheel go to a parts store and buy a lock plate installer to remove the circlip that holds the lock plate compressed.

u need to take of the brake pads and rotor. loosen the three bolts to the wheel bearing, take the top one completely out. take a long socket with another guy in the truck. start it and have the socket wedged on the bolt and the front axle. dont use the 12 point socket ur using to loosen bolts. it might break. anyways turn the steering wheel until the socket pushes on the bolt breaking the bearing loose from the axle u get that and u pull the shaft out and change the u joint

Two special tools are needed: steering wheel puller and lock plate depresser. Both available at auto parts store for $20 or less. This is how I got to mine on a 1987 Corvette. It has a special steering wheel, but this should work for you too. Pull steering wheel. Remove plastic cover (no tools needed). Depress lock plate with special tool. With 2 screwdrivers, or 1 screwdriver and needle nose pliers, pop the little ring out of the channel towards you. This ring was holding the lock plate down. Loosen the lock plate tool and bring lock plate out. Philips screwdriver to take hazard light switch off. One phillips screw holds the turn lever to the switch. Set the small metal arm and screw aside. Three philips screws hold the turn indicator switch (plastic ring). Carefully tug the switch towards you. There should be just enough slack in the wiring that you don't need to unplug it below the steering column, but it's close. Leave the switch dangling in front of the steering column. You're almost there! There's another screw that holds the ignition switch in. Remove that screw and the ignition switch. Replace everything

What you need to do is this:

Remove Steering wheel
Remove big connector under dash, it has a 8mm bolt that is holding it in, this will loosen up the wires in the steering column
Pull out clock spring and let it hang
Get lock plate compressor and remove lock plate, the snap ring is kinda hard to get off
Remove plates and spring behind lock plate
Put turn signal switch to the turn right position
remove three screws holding in turn signal cam
remove key warning buzzer, needle nose pliers and it just pulls out, be gentle
remove screw with a torx head that holds the ignition tumbler in place



remove tumbler

I hope this helps, it took me a while to figure this out