Leveling kit and steering rack problems

tim couillard · October 27, 2019

I just put a RC 3.5" on my 2014 Silverado last month. I also changed lower ball joints and outer tie rods. I began having the popping when I turn left at slow speeds. I first thought it was a ball joint that had failed and went to replace it yesterday. Upon crawling under it yesterday I realized the ball joints were fine. As I was investigating I noticed the popping in the tie rods and figured I need inner tie rods. Replaced the drivers side with no problem, there was play in both sides, when I pulled the passenger side inner tie rod I found what looked like 2 washers on the rack and pinion shaft. I am assuming this is the piston seal but I am not positive. I have no leaking of fluid that I noticed. I put it back together after I removed the 2 washer looking pieces and the popping is gone. Not sure if anyone else has had this happen or knows if I should be concerned. I have no issues steering but I am clearly concerned of the steering just locking up. No one makes a rebuild kit and it looks like it's going to be about $2500 to get it fixed but sounds like it's difficult to get ahold of a new rack and pinion. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

g2full · October 28, 2019

Just recently leveled my 15 with the rough country spacers. I only did 2 inches. I have noticed that now that it's getting cold the steering is a little stiffer but on warm days it's perfectly fine. No popping as of yet.

Robert carline · November 6, 2019

On 10/27/2019 at 1:40 PM, tim couillard said:

I just put a RC 3.5" on my 2014 Silverado last month. I also changed lower ball joints and outer tie rods. I began having the popping when I turn left at slow speeds. I first thought it was a ball joint that had failed and went to replace it yesterday. Upon crawling under it yesterday I realized the ball joints were fine. As I was investigating I noticed the popping in the tie rods and figured I need inner tie rods. Replaced the drivers side with no problem, there was play in both sides, when I pulled the passenger side inner tie rod I found what looked like 2 washers on the rack and pinion shaft. I am assuming this is the piston seal but I am not positive. I have no leaking of fluid that I noticed. I put it back together after I removed the 2 washer looking pieces and the popping is gone. Not sure if anyone else has had this happen or knows if I should be concerned. I have no issues steering but I am clearly concerned of the steering just locking up. No one makes a rebuild kit and it looks like it's going to be about $2500 to get it fixed but sounds like it's difficult to get ahold of a new rack and pinion. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I’m having the same problem with the same level kit. Brought it to the shop and I also have 2 washers one being loose so I’m wondering if it’s safe to drive if I took the loose washer off?

Ludesh01 · February 13, 2020

I have a 17 Z71 with a 3.5 RC knuckle lift kit. I have the popping/clunking in the steering also when stopped turning left to right or vise versa. Has anyone actually found a fix to this issue? Besides replacing a whole rack which I’m skeptical of spending that much just to happen again on me. My new(ish) truck (34,000 miles)sounds like a 1990s f150 when I turn and cannot stand it. Mine started clunking as soon as the kit went on.

per previous posts. Has anyone resolved the issue by removing the loose washers? I am almost afraid to remove the boot and check the inner tie rod.

thanks

Phil

Senator316 · November 13, 2020

On 4/20/2019 at 8:01 PM, C_Blair78 said:

First time posting guys, been searching for answers so I’ll give you the run down. Installed a Zone leveling kit on my 2016 Silverado. After 40,000 miles I had a popping in the steering and they replaced the intermediate shaft, did not fix. Ended up replacing the steering rack, dealer discovered the level kit and immediately blamed it on me and the kit. Fixed it for 20k more miles and last week I started noticing a clunking and steering noise. Took the level kit off and poof noise is gone. Problem is that I HATE the raked look of the truck. I mean I despise it lol. I was looking to go with a bigger tire but I want the raked look gone and I don’t know what else I can do. This is the only issue I have had with the truck. Dealer said they only seen a couple with the level kit issues but after browsing here it’s a little more evident I’m not the only one having an issue. Just looking for advice on what to do and what size tire I can run on no mods with a lift or is there an alternative. Thanks In advance

Blair

My offroad installation guys here wint even touch my truck, based off this issue. Extremely frustrating, and I absolutely despise how my truck is taking a nosedive.

Stella Silverado · April 29, 2022

One year ago in April I bought a 2014 Silverado that was maintained fantastically by the first owner. June of 2021 I add a RC 5” lift with the loaded struts etc, mid level price point and mid level quality, obviously not a McGaughys lift kit (problems persist within these just as well) but definitely not the cheapest and actually quite nice for the price. Also have 35” tires. After about 8k miles with the lift kit on it I’m experiencing okay in the steering wheel and the dreaded steering rack clunk when turning at low speeds, back into a parking space etc.. my understanding is that it’s about $2700 to get it replaced and there’s no guarantee this will mitigate the noise or even fix the problem overall, let alone the new rack failing in another 10-15k miles. I’ve had a full front end rebuild with MOOG control arms, ball joints the whole deal. Still experiencing the clunk and at this point I’m thinking it’s better to just deal with it until it gets worse or the power steering fails. It would have been easier to trade it in and put the ≈10k I have/would have spent on repairs as a down payment on a new truck.

For now I will just be keeping it as is and dealing with the clunk, but apparently the best/only way to deal with this is have the dealership install and warranty your lift kit as this would be the cheapest and most reliable option if/when this happens again. Apparently after my doing my fair share of research, these later model 1500 GM trucks are notorious for these issues. (obviously GM and steering/tie rod problems have been their specialty issues since forever)

just wanted to post a more recent comment to update this thread since it’s been awhile.

daven8844x · March 8, 2023

On 4/28/2022 at 9:37 PM, Stella Silverado said:

One year ago in April I bought a 2014 Silverado that was maintained fantastically by the first owner. June of 2021 I add a RC 5” lift with the loaded struts etc, mid level price point and mid level quality, obviously not a McGaughys lift kit (problems persist within these just as well) but definitely not the cheapest and actually quite nice for the price. Also have 35” tires. After about 8k miles with the lift kit on it I’m experiencing okay in the steering wheel and the dreaded steering rack clunk when turning at low speeds, back into a parking space etc.. my understanding is that it’s about $2700 to get it replaced and there’s no guarantee this will mitigate the noise or even fix the problem overall, let alone the new rack failing in another 10-15k miles. I’ve had a full front end rebuild with MOOG control arms, ball joints the whole deal. Still experiencing the clunk and at this point I’m thinking it’s better to just deal with it until it gets worse or the power steering fails. It would have been easier to trade it in and put the ≈10k I have/would have spent on repairs as a down payment on a new truck.

For now I will just be keeping it as is and dealing with the clunk, but apparently the best/only way to deal with this is have the dealership install and warranty your lift kit as this would be the cheapest and most reliable option if/when this happens again. Apparently after my doing my fair share of research, these later model 1500 GM trucks are notorious for these issues. (obviously GM and steering/tie rod problems have been their specialty issues since forever)

just wanted to post a more recent comment to update this thread since it’s been awhile.

Any update on this? Are you still living with the issue?

Michael Sawyer · March 6, 2025

hey guys, anyone still following this thread and or coming to it in the future.... im going to give some advice on these trucks. If it doesnt work for you stock, dont buy it. They are complete pieces of ******. I traded my 05 f350 dump for a 2013 chevy 1500 z-71 LT. Still have my 99 F350 5spd v10 cab and chasis with a 9' knaphede service body. The truck has 175k on it and i did a front axle swap and never put the sway bar back on and in doing so got death wobble so badly it was insane. It smoked the tires in front pretty quick and i drove it like that for about 5 weeks before parking it and driving the chevy. Ill take my 99 f350 witrhout a sway bar anyday over one of these chevys...theyre complete trash. The truck was so low I could not tow my 19' enclosed trailer without modifying the height...i like big trucks and i can not lie- who doesnt want a lifted truck? for the last year it has been non stop f'in around with this damned chevy because like all of you- i went the leveling route. The truck had 40k miles on it when i traded it, and it has 65 maybe now and theyve been **** soft miles i got the truck from my dad-dealer serviced, parked 9 months of the year...mint condition may as well be brand new it was well cared for. So, I bought some of those dubby dubs in black off fb marketplace and ended up trading em for some chrome skinned gmc dubbies with some 33" terra grapplers a few weeks later to do the leveling kit...btw it didnt level it at all. i got a 3" puck spacer and it lifted the front 6" and i got the frickin san fransico squat thing going because the leaf springs on these chevys are weak as Stevie Hawkings bench press. I had a couple 2500 hds and have been doing my own mechanical work since my first 6.0 powerstroke ruined me financially back in 2015 (another story in itself-$152k invested in that truck over 4.5 years)... the rack and pinion steering is weak as **** it cant handle the excessive loads and forces the levling creates. I put the pucks in first time messin around with coil overs and for some reason the driver side took 30 mins the pass side took 5 hours. I had to take apart the pass side 9-10 times since to **** around with ******. Ive had to do brakes 3 times, tie rods im up for #3, the steering rack is pissin fluid now and its been one year. i threw on new rubber in september and the fronts are smoked already. I did the UCAs a month or two ago cant beliueve i got 11 months out of stocks after that much lift but they were causing a white knuckled ride. I did everything again a month or two ago when i did ucas and already need new tie rods and have been ****ing around with something near every day. The UCAs were ksp aluminum and the ****in wheels rubbed so im like what the **** guy- you tubed it and the video says...ya just take a grinder to them if wheels rub...ya **** that spent $400 on them aint happening. So, 1.5" spacers may not clear lugs i got the 2" to be safe. red locktite in box wtf? you kidding me? nope... so had to pull tires a bunch of times to check torque on em over last several weeks gotta check em again tonight. I feel bad for you assholes who bought these ****** half ton trucks that just came out for 100k plus you got ****ed harder than a meth addicted truck stop prostitute aka lot lizard. Everything on the trucks 07+ is built to fail. it has a honda civic rack and pinion steering system, IFS sucks anyway ill take that dana 50 anyday over IFS... the 2500hd trucks have steering box and pitman/ idler arms and they are a much much more resilient set up that can handle the lift kits, otherwise just leave it stock because you'll be on these stupid forums people get so off topic so fast from your post topic its ridiculous. the trucks are scrap value on trade, and too many little tiny cute parts its not worth the bs to build one of them out, get a 2500hd either way... stock or to jack up- dont waste your time on the half tons. if you screw with it then you will feel it in the ride and suprisingly when i originally put leveling kit in with no alignment it felt better immediately until the ball joints were so bad it felt like the ford missing the front sway bar when driving it. its not in your head, the trucks are touchy little princesses you can feel the vibrations and road movement so much- its just how it is