Actually, you can remove the entire lock assembly without removing the
"shear bolts", with no special tools.  Remove steering wheel, remove wiring,
remove plastic covers, remove clamp bolt, insert key , turn lock, Done...

I was also told these are for tamper resistance, not Anti-theft, just tamper
resistant. Being steering is rather critical....

my .02

Matt
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Beierl" <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2001 10:28 AM
Subject: Re: . . . & Those Damn Shear Bolts

> Dropping the column allows you to drill the hole into the steering lock
> assembly so you can remove the lock cylinder.  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).
>
> Another point to consider: if the shearing heads are to control install
> torque, why work so hard to make them difficult to remove
> afterwards?  Furthermore, *what purpose* in engineering terms would this
> accomplish?  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?  That should be controlled by the material of the bolt
> itself.  Furthermore again, shear pins are ordinarily installed in very
> close-fitting assemblies, not in a mounting point where one of the parts
> accommodates a range of mounting positions.  All right, here's a
> counter-point -- suppose that the object of the exercise is to tighten the
> bolts only loosely, so that the bracket can slide if needed so as to bring
> the shearing edge in contact with the bolt?  And by the way, does anybody
> know at what torque these things actually break off (the 6-mm hex-socket
> part, that is)?
>
> david
>
> At 10:59 PM 3/21/2001, Rico Sapolich wrote:
> >Scott,
> >
> >There is one obvious fallacy in saying that the steering column shear
bolts
> >are an antitheft measure: the shear bolts do not retain the steering lock
> >housing.  Removing the shear bolts does allow the steering column tube to
> >fall away from the dash, but the steering lock remains firmly attached.
Now,
> >I suppose a determined thief may see this as an opportunity to substitute
an
> >unlocked steering column in toto, but I doubt it.
>
> David Beierl - dbeierl@attglobal.net
>