Infamous Steering Wheel Clunk...

Stylous · April 27, 2010

I feel a clunk in the steering shaft when going low speeds making r/l-hand turns. I have seen A LOT of posts about the ISS replacement, U-clamps, grease, bearings, ball joints, etc here and on other forums. However, those posts all seem outdated so I am asking this forumn if there are any recent success stories related to this problem.

I can offer this history...

I have replaced in the last month:

- pitman arm

- idler arm

- idler arm bracket

- ISS with a Dorman unit

- Steering shaft bearing, replaced with the "green" one

- Alignment. Shop tells me wheel bearings are good, shocks are good, tie-rods are good. They actually DIDN'T try to sell me anything!

All this, and the problem still exist.

Any help would be appreciated.

jro909 · April 28, 2010

did you try replacing the intermediet steering shaft? i had the clunk and got it fixed at the dealer for 125 bucks and no more clunk...

Westlotorn · April 28, 2010

I had a serious clunk on turns, mostly right hand turns, not as bad to the left. BIG O Tire told me it was the steering box for sure and of course they could fix it.

I took it home, watched Craigs list for a couple months as I don't need this vehicle it was OK to sit. Found a low mileage box and went to install it.

Once the rock shields were off the bottom and I had the car sitting on stands I was looking up on how to attack changing out this steering box and saw the power steering hose has a metal bracket that seems to work as a hose protector. This bracket had slipped down and was catching on my steering shaft knuckle right where it attaches to the box.

I only noticed it because this black bracket had a shinney spot staring down at me. I spun the steering shaft and could see that the clamp attaching the shaft to the box had a bolt that was hitting on the bracked every time it went around. Sometimes it caught hard, sometimes it did not catch at all. I losened up the bracket bolt and moved it up a half inch.

My steering clunk was gone and has stayed gone for 4-5 mos now. I hope this helps someone else.

Anyone need the box I did not need to install?

04JJHD · April 28, 2010

i had the clunck in my truck, and I installed a borgeson steering shaft. 20,000 miles later no problems. What happens to the stock shaft is the grease works its way to one end of the shaft, a cheap fix would be install a grease fitting on the shaft so there is grease in there. Be careful as this is a steering part

Paulie G · April 28, 2010

I installed the gm lube kit which worked for a while and I understand you can't get them anymore.

I installed a grease fitting on the lower shaft. When I went to reassemble the shaft I put in a piece of steel wool that fit tight before the retainer clip. I'm not sure if that clip it to retain the grease or to keep from crushing the shaft from over tightening. It obviously doesn't hold in the grease. I didn't grease the shaft before assembly because I wanted to see if just adding grease through the fitting would stop the clunk.

It did, and for about 3 months now without adding any more grease.

Stylous · April 28, 2010

did you try replacing the intermediet steering shaft? i had the clunk and got it fixed at the dealer for 125 bucks and no more clunk...

Yup...replaced it with the Dorman shaft which everyone said fixed their problem. Not for me.

JG1418 · April 29, 2010

Do you have the electronic or manual on the floor to put your truck in four wheel drive. I had the same problem you are having and changed the intermediate shaft along with the plastic bearing.

Thought I had it licked but the clunk was still present. Made the wife drive the truck while I crouched to try and pinpoint the noise and grabbed my manual 4x4 shifter on the floor and presto.............found the clunk which me and several of my friends swore the clunk came from the shaft area. Tightened up the 4x4 handle and re stretched the spring securing the handle and that annoying clunk is gone. Amen....hope that helps.

did you try replacing the intermediet steering shaft? i had the clunk and got it fixed at the dealer for 125 bucks and no more clunk...

Yup...replaced it with the Dorman shaft which everyone said fixed their problem. Not for me.

04JJHD · April 29, 2010

I have the borgeson heavy duty shaft and 20000 miles later no clunk

hdeatsprius · June 1, 2010

Infamous is right......I had the clunk on my 06 Z71 4x4. Dealer replaced something with the steering shaft probably the ISS under warranty, no more clunk....Now I have the exact same clunk on my 07 2500HD Classic 2WD....My problem is that I dont have the time to leave it at the dealer, so I've been putting up with it. Irritating as can be, though

GoobzKustomz · June 7, 2010

I took mine to the dealer and they greased it and it went away for a while. Then it came back and they said they were going to replace the intermediated shaft. Went away for a while. It's Back!!! Bet they regreased it again and didn't change anything.

gator63 · June 10, 2010

I had a slight clunk in my steering shaft, brought it to a friend who use to work at a dealer. He made sure the steering wheel was straight, removed the bolt holding the two steering shafts together(t think it was a 15mm) slid the top shaft up and down to distribute the grease and tightened bolt back. Works fine ever since.