Intermediate Shaft Steering Clunk

[ukrkoz]

Originally Posted by kbaird83

I know the suspensions getting a bit beat down. this could cause these same symptoms couldnt they? get the bounce hop and sway at high speeds. also how do you check if bearings are going bad? everything feels tight and doesnt have any play.

reason i know the symptoms is because i have been down that route between 60 and 70K miles. and in my case, it was terribly scary. if you are familiar with what "flutter" in aviation feels like, that was best description.

1. to check on bearing, raise the front, jack securily, grab the wheel at 6 and 12, and tug it vigorously back and for. there should be NO play at all. none. it's a large tire on a large rim, so centrifuginal forces at high speeds create huge torque moments at slightest play in the hub, esp after bounce.
2. same done with hands on 3 and 9= tierods are bad. you need to find out if you have g'ol paralellogram steering, or rack n pinion. as with the last one, you do not have idler arm.
3. you need 2 people to check on idler. have helper in the cabin, raise front securily, both wheels up in the air, get under and locate idler. ask helper to sharply turn steering wheel left-right, maybe 15 degrees each way(unlock steering wheel, btw). if you see ANY play between idler stud and connecting rod, idler must be replaced. sometimes you can hear clunck in it. same goes for pitman. it's quite noticeable, actually.
basically, it's either no play, or repalce.

[OKCSuburban]

subscribed....I might need to check into this.

[MustangX2]

Purchased 05 Tahoe Z71 new. Now out of warranty. 49.500 miles. Contacted the BBB when Chevy service wouldn't fix the intermediate shaft problem. Chevy wanted $296 to fix it. BBB arbitrated with Chevy Customer Service who is going to pay 1/2 of the fix price. My feeling is they should have paid for all of it, but I didn't push it as I noticed the problem BEFORE the warranty expired and I didn't take it into the shop as I should have. Hope I don't get the shaft on the new shaft

[smallxfires]

so i am about to do this project... i will take pictures and post on a website as a step by step for everyone... what is the final consensus of the right part to buy, and where to buy it?

napa? partsexpress 19153614? stealership?

thanks guys

[ukrkoz]

said it many times and will say again: NAPA HAS THEIR OWN DESIGN, DIFFERENT FROM OEM ONE. OEM DESIGN STARTS CLUNKING IN SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. napa's one is not prone to same problem.

[smallxfires]

part number, mr napa?

[ukrkoz]

Originally Posted by smallxfires

part number, mr napa?

yellow pages and a phone call to local napa store. oem ISS is round, with plastic bushing and splines that go into it. napa's ISS is flat. do NOT buy the round one.

[ukrkoz]

of course, edit feature does not work, so:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...=265506&page=1
that's about all the knowledge on those shafts and rebuilt kits and "how to"s. including my 2 pennies.

[ukrkoz]

that's your puppy:
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=1059054

napa resells it

[NORTHEAST PATTERN]

I have a 2004 Tahoe and 2005 Suburban, both 4wd that had this problem of a clunking sound in the steering . Replaced with a NAPA part 7-3061 steering shaft and it took care of the problem. It was easier to take off the boot in the firewall and pull the shaft through into the engine compartment than full with the accelarator bracket.Took less than one hour to do and the part was less than $60.00.

[smallxfires]

so i put the napa part in, and no more clunk. but i am getting a "squeeky'' noise when i steer, is this related?

[NORTHEAST PATTERN]

My quess is that you need to put some lube around the shaft where it goes through the rubber boot. White lithium should do the trick

[smallxfires]

Originally Posted by NORTHEAST PATTERN

My quess is that you need to put some lube around the shaft where it goes through the rubber boot. White lithium should do the trick

i went to town with some today with no prevail!

[Silverado05]

Had the "clunk" in my 2005 Z71, 4x4, crew cab and took it to the dealer at about 20K. They said they replaced the shaft, but only greased it. The clunk returned about a year later with 40K. Brought it back, once again they said they replaced it, but it returned again a year later. Wanted to jerk the wheel into oncoming traffic... Never beat on this truck off road or anything, it just started clunking again. I repacked the shaft as directed by some other fine gentlemen on this forum, and viola! What a simple fix, and if it only lasts a year, I can live with that. I just don't want to pay for a replacement shaft, just to have to eventually grease that one too. The splines on the shaft of my truck seem to have been dipped or coated in teflon or plastic, but it still clunks. And the tube half of the assembly is peened, so that the to halves can not be seperated. So I had to pack the grease like you would hand pack wheel bearings. Rubber gloves and axle grease; works great. The instructions above are spot on, thanks for the information. ONE QUICK NOTE: I had to use a 15mm socket to remove the bolts, but do not attempt to remove nuts, as they are welded to the metal extruded tabs. Took me a few minutes to figure that out - Good luck.

[TheHomeMechanic]

Does anyone have any experience with the intermediate Steering shaft available from PartsPros.com? It says it's a "New & Redesigned Dorman Assembly". It's $53.90. Just wondered if anyone used this version to fix this problem