Ignition lock tumbler =='s A Tow home

[scott2go]

3 days after our AC starts acting crazy in 112* heat My wife calls last night,50 miles from home and says the key in our 81 300sd won't turn,,
Of course I say jiggle the wheel blah blah,No luck,So I say hold on and do a quick search on this site and OH NO!!!,I see big trouble,Having never had the key give us any trouble I figure I will go save the day,haha,get my tools and drive to Globe,AZ,Long story short,I didn't take enough time to search a stuck tumbler, so after 2 hrs of trying to turn the key,,,and no luck We get a tow home @ $150.00,
This morning I search and find a tip on using a palm sander to vibrate the key or the assembly after the inst. cluster is removed, and BAM!!!! it works,I get the key turned to #1 position take my smallest allen and get it in,unscrew the cover and out comes the tumbler.

W/out you folks I would have no clue,So a big thank you to all!!!! You saved me again..but I see that some people say just replace the tumbler,and some say replace the wheel lock as well,Should I pull the lock off the coulmn and check for anything thats broken??I even saw something on just removing the lock pin,that might be the cheapest route for me,any suggestions would be great.I am saved from a Hyundai or Kia for another Day!!! Scott

[R Leo]

Now, pull that locking assembly and grind the pin down all the way so that it can't lock the steering column. Don't ask why, just GET ER DONE!

[scott2go]

Thanks,I will grind away.....

[engatwork]

What pin gets ground down R Leo? I am interested in doing the same but I am not quite sure which pin you are talking about. Is it the pin that actually goes into the steering column and locks the steering wheel?