I've been doing my homework (search) and have an additional question. I read about the headless bolts, I am assuming they are under the cover (trim),for the switch. Can I just grab the trim with channel locks to pull it off? My locksmith is looking up availablility for the lock, but has expressed a little dismay over dealing with those pesky headless bolts. On search I noticed someone said I may be able to 'drift' them out. I'm going to try. If they won't come out, I will pull the whole unit and put it on the drill press.

Any comments are appreciated, thanks..dp

'87 manuel with tilt-brat

I read an article in Home Shop Machinist about getting broken off taps out of metal that suggest putting a nut over the stud and welding into the center of the nut. This makes a new head for your bolt. I haven't tried it, and it seems like it would be easy to start a fire this way, but it might be something to think about.

 

- James B

85 DL wagon

I've used a dremel to make a slot in a headless bolt before, and then used a regular screw driver to get it out....

 

never looked at the internals of the lock before though.....

Wrong Locksmith, he don't know what he's doing.

I have used the "drift" method before myself and it works as long as your using a cold chisel or a centerpunch

My solution was to file a small flat in the side and use a small pair of visegrip pliers. But I like McBrat's solution better.

I also agree with the comment about the wrong locksmith. When I had trouble with my lock, I took it to the local locksmith and he removed the tumbler assembly from the key side of the ignition lock.

Guess I'm not being clear, that's what I am asking. How to remove the tumbler from the ignition. Does the trim just pull off the lock, and expose the mounting bolts?

have you removed the ignition from the car yet? Cause that what they talking about the headless bolts. I guess its a security feature so its a little harder to put a legit ignition in a stolen car. But this seems like a really poor effort on Subaru as its a piece of piss to get out after some thinking.

the last brat tumbler assmy. I pulled had four 10mm bolt heads.

ok yeah there are 3 or 4 philips screws underneath the steering column and take those out and the bottom should drop out if the tilt steering is tilted up and then tilt the steering down to remove the top piece

 

guys he was talking about the screws for the trim not the lock assy itself

The ignition lock tumbler is like any other, there are two that it calls for, either the long one or the short one, mine was the short one. Once the tumbler is changed the accual ingnition switch(ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE COlUM) may have to be adjusted to ingage. I'm telling ya, ya took it the wrong guy.

The trim is held in w/ Phillips head screws - no issue there (if there is, stop and go lease a new car . It's the removal of the ignition switch itself where you get to deal with the two head-less screws. I removed one at a junkyard using a pointed drift and a hammer. The bolts weren't all that tight, so it was relatively easy to get them turning. Obviously you'd want to replace them with "normal" headed bolts. My plan was to replace the whole switch with a better quality one removed from a later car (junkyard car had the key in ignition), but I scrapped the car before getting to that point.