Thanks, Ed.  I'll get me one.  I'm still puzzled, though, about Bentley's
description.  In order to get the lock assembly back on the steering column
he calls for a using a clamp (identified as VW tool 267a) which appears to
hold the steering column tight.  Is the idea that the column is loose
without the top bearing and has to been held tight in order to get the top
bearing back on?  He also calls for VW tool 420 to get the lock housing
spacer sleeve back on.  This tool appears to be just a length of tubing to
force the sleeve back on the steering column.  But what about that
clamp?  It doesn't look to be standard or easily duplicated.  Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Charles
'85 Westy

At 02:05 PM 6/15/01 -0700, Ed DeBolt wrote:
>you will need a 2 or 3 arm puller which you can purchase from an autoparts
>place for 10 to15 dollars.... that is all you will need to complete the
>ignition switch replacement.
>
>ed
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Charles McGehee <chasm@ELLTEL.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Date: Friday, June 15, 2001 1:04 PM
>Subject: replacing ignition switch
>
>
> >Has anyone out there had experience replacing an ignition switch?  I
> >started to following Ken's instructions on his website.  But then I got to
> >the point of pulling off the lock assembly and found that it didn't just
> >come off.  It seems to need some sort of a puller and probably a special
> >one.  Then I discovered that Bentley has a section on pulling the steering
> >column lock (indexed under steering, it turns out, and not under ignition
> >or starter which was why I missed it in the first place) which calls for
> >all sorts of specialized things -- puller, clamp, spacers, shear bolt, etc.
> >
> >
> >Does it really have to be that complicated?  How come Ken makes it sound so
> >simple?
> >
> >Charles
> >'85 Westy
> >