Lubing your intermediate steering shaft for 1999 to 2004 trucks
Posted on Jan 22, 2009 by Josh Merva in How To
This article was submitted by CarGuru! Thanks CarGuru!
This is the procedure for TSB 00-02-35-003D. Since there is no other fix for this and that it plagues every full sized GM truck from ‘99 to 2004 with the recirculating ball-type steering, I thought this might be helpful. There have been other revisions that call for a replacement shaft.
You will need the Steering Column Intermediate Shaft Lube Kit from GM p/n 26098419
Steering Column Intermediate Shaft Lube Kit GM
Shaft Kit Contents
It comes with the grease tube, a plug, and the instructions.
Here are the tools that you will need:
- Torque wrench
- 2 - 17 mm wrenches (having at least 1 socket wrench will help ease things along)
- pair of needle nose pliers (must have fairly narrow tip to reach inside tube to release clip).
Once you have all of this, locate the 2 screw holding the intermediate shaft. One is under the hood. The second is under the dash just above the brake pedal.
Lower Shaft
Close up of the lower shaft
Important! Make sure you turn the steering wheel and the wheels to the straight position before removing the bolts! It will be much easier to align later when putting things back together. Do not move steering wheel once the bolts are removed, or the SIR coil can be damaged.
Upper shaft under the dash
Once you have the wheel straightened, remove the bolts. You will need the 2-17 mm wrenches to remove the bolt/retainer from under the hood. You will only need one of the 17 mm wrenches to remove the nut from the shaft under the dash. This bolt/retainer has a rounded head. Once the bolts are removed, disengage the upper shaft by pushing the entire joint towards the firewall.
Disconnect the upper shaft
Then disengage the lower shaft by pushing up towards the firewall.
Remove the lower shaft
Remove the entire shaft assembly from underneath the dash.
Entire Shaft Removed
Next, remove the clip at the end of the lower shaft with needle nose pliers.
Remove the clip
Close up of removed clip
With the shaft, fully extended, there was just a tiny bit of white grease on the shaft. Next, you should inject the entire grease tube from the kit as deep as possible to the fully extended shaft. The grease in the kit is black.
Grease the shaft
Next insert the plug from the kit into the end of the shaft you just squirted the grease.
Insert Shaft Plug
Make sure once the plug is in place, tighten the wingnut on the end. This squeezes the sealing ring so that the grease doesn’t squirt out in the next step.
Next, take the shaft and push down on the plug on a hard surface to collapse the shaft. This will force the grease up the splines.
Collapse the shaft
Fully extend the shafts out again. You should have at least 1/2″ of grease on the silver shaft.
Repeat until 1/2′ of grease is present
If you don’t have at least 1/2″ of grease on the silver shaft, repeat the collapsing of the shaft again until you have at least 1/2″ of grease on the silver shaft.
You are just about done here. Next you have to reinsert the clip back to the open end of the intermediate shaft. The clip may have to be re-spread if collapsed too much. Just make sure that the clip is not loose in the shaft. The clip should be positioned flush to about 1/4″ from the outer lip.
Once you get the clip back into place, carefully feed the shaft back from underneath the dash. Extend the shafts back out and reconnect the lower shaft to the steering gear coupling shaft, install the bolt and reconnect the steering wheel to the upper shaft and install the bolt. Since this is a safety critical item, make sure that you torque the lower shaft (underhood) bolt/nut to 37 ft-lbs and the upper shaft (dash) nut to 35 ft-lbs.
Once you do this you are pretty much done. Just make sure to clean the excess grease off the lower shaft. Then sit back and enjoy driving without the dreaded clunk. Overall, this entire procedure took less than an hour to complete.
No related posts.
Tots
06. Oct, 2009
This is the perfect job description. Thank you!
My 2002 Yukon was years overdue, so after putting in new shocks I finally decided to tackle it. (10-06-2009)
At 120,000 miles I got stumped by not being able to pull the shaft through because it was rusted a bit under the hood. After disconecting both bolts and being able to slide the shaft a bit, I clamped vice grips to the frozen shaft under the hood and proceeded to tap the shaft upwards towards the fire wall and it came out. THEN pulling it out from under the dash was easy. Chevy makes a kit for cars, the kit above has been discountinued for quite some time. So now I know the process, I’ll replace the piece when the vibration comes back. This site rocks!!!
Bob
03. Nov, 2009
I am dealing with this problem on my truck right now, and am looking for a more permenant fix to this problem.I work at a dealership and I’ve been looking around for what I think would solve this problem and here is what I’m thinking. why couldnt a person use a tacky tar substance like the stuff that holds the dust sheild plastic on in the inside of the door panel? this would allow the sector shaft to move, would never deteriorate, doesnt harden and wouldnt seep back to the bottom after a few months… any opinions you have are welcome.
Guido
15. Dec, 2009
GM has since redesigned the steering shaft and does not offer the lubrication kit. This guide is more helpful than my Haynes manual for removal and re-installation!
dark jordan
13. Feb, 2010
big yes i folw your advice now my car tahoe 2002 smooth thank you
Bud
01. Mar, 2010
Why can’t you just install a grease fitting in the shaft and seal the upper end with a plug and silcone.
Adam
07. May, 2010
If u go to you tube there is a video clip that will show you how to drill the shaft and install a grease, then u jus simply pull the U clip out and flip it and re-install the clip. Then jus JB weld the end closed. Its very simple and easy, and then u can jus grease it without ever removing the shaft again