In a message dated 3/22/01 10:35:20 AM, dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET writes:

<< Dropping the column allows you to drill the hole into the steering lock
assembly so you can remove the lock cylinder.>>

I wish I could figure out where THE hole has to be drilled which requires the
steering column to be dropped.  If you have ever had the steering/ignition
lock assembly apart, you must realize that there are numerous ways to defeat
it with the steering column in place.  Some ways are quite elegant, some
pretty crude but effective.  One of the most basic ways would be to use ANY
Vanagon key, even a blank, and a pair of Vise-Grips or a small pipe wrench.
Hell, even a Volvo key will work.  I will leave it to you to divulge the more
sublime methods.

<<  You can remove the entire steering lock without dropping the column, but
this now requires considerable work and special tools to replace (and you
still have to drill
the hole to get the lock cylinder out). >>

If you have the steering lock housing in your hands, which, by the way, first
requires the steering wheel to be removed, why would you ever drill THE hole
and replace it?  Would it not make more sense to pop out the ignition switch
and operate it with a screwdriver?

<<Another point to consider: if the shearing heads are to control install
torque, why work so hard to make them difficult to remove
afterwards?>>

Yeah, real hard to remove.  Most guys do it with a pair of Chinese knockoff
Vise-Grips.  Anyway, if they wanted to make it hard to remove, they would
have used something like a Huck bolt.

<<If the bolts themselves are designed to shear off in a
collision (and just what sort of collision would apply shear forces to
these largely vertical bolts?), what does the install torque have to do
with it?>>

I prefer to use the term shear HEAD bolt to avoid this misconception that
these fasteners are designed to fail in shear.  I think they are used merely
as a means to quickly assure that they were tightened to a minimally
acceptable torque value.

Rich