Taking out steering shaft?

mitty26 · September 12, 2005

Hi i have read all the topics on taking out the i shaft , and i still can't get mine out. Here is the trouble first of all i got an 02 sierra extended cab 4x4 1500 , i can get the bolt under the hood but cannot get the bolt under the dash i got a piece of plastic that prevents me from getting a wrench on the nut. I tried for 2 hours on that one bolt , am i missing something?

mcreyaufmiller · September 12, 2005

Can you take the plastic off?

mitty26 · September 13, 2005

I can move the plastic down the shaft a bit , towards the firewall but it only covers the nut even more. It seems like that plastic piece is some kind of spacer.

mitty26 · September 14, 2005

Anyone have any insight to this bolt under the dash?

pjmmoore · September 14, 2005

http://gm-trucks.com/home/content/view/232/25/

Here is the link that shows how to do this. Your steering shaft shouldn't be any different than this. I have an '02 Silverado and have performed the removal. If the link doesn't work go to the home page of gm-trucks.com to the Tech Corner and download the "Intermediate Steering Shaft Lube" article. Hope this helps.

pjmmoore · September 14, 2005

Can you take a digital picture of the plastic piece and post it here so we can see it?

mitty26 · September 14, 2005

Thanks for the link , i read everything on this site for the removal of this shaft . I called a journeyman mechanic friend of mine and asked him if there was a special wrench for this bolt and he said not to his knowledge. So i might try taking a 15mm wrench and making a sharp 90 degree bend in it and trying that. Or breaking the plastic piece, taking the shaft out , doing the repair and putting a new plastic piece back in. I will try taking a picture tonight , but am having trouble uploading pictures to the computer.

BCSierra · September 14, 2005

Thanks for the link , i read everything on this site for the removal of this shaft . I called a journeyman mechanic friend of mine and asked him if there was a special wrench for this bolt and he said not to his knowledge. So i might try taking a 15mm wrench and making a sharp 90 degree bend in it and trying that. Or breaking the plastic piece, taking the shaft out , doing the repair and putting a new plastic piece back in. I will try taking a picture tonight , but am having trouble uploading pictures to the computer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a 2001 Sierra and there was no plastic in the way at all. I did have to turn the wheel slightly to be able to position the wrench. As my year doesn't have locking steering anyways, this was done easily but carefully so as to not blast off the airbag.

Any way you can just turn the wheel a bit to make access easier?

mitty26 · September 15, 2005

I tried turning the wheel a bit to get the wrench on but no go. How about leaving the truck running and turning the wheel ?

mitty26 · September 15, 2005

okay i just looked at the link above and on picture number 6 you can see the plastic piece that is in my way. It is the grey round piece of plastic. In my truck that piece of plastic is totally over top of the bolt and all i can do is get the open end on the bolt and the wrench is at about 80 degree angle. I snapped one 15 mm wrench open end trying to twist the nut loose.

BCSierra · September 15, 2005

okay i just looked at the link above and on picture number 6 you can see the plastic piece that is in my way. It is the grey round piece of plastic. In my truck that piece of plastic is totally over top of the bolt and all i can do is get the open end on the bolt and the wrench is at about 80 degree angle. I snapped one 15 mm wrench open end trying to twist the nut loose.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's been a little while since I did this but I seem to remember that the bolted connection was misleading as the nut actually has a wing welded onto it and there's no way to rotate it. You have to rotate the bolt. Do the underhood one first so you can see what's going on then the underdash one is easier to understand which end you have to turn. If you're snapping wrenches, you're probably trying to undo the welded nut.

Taaaaaaahoe? · September 15, 2005

okay i just looked at the link above and on picture number 6 you can see the plastic piece that is in my way. It is the grey round piece of plastic. In my truck that piece of plastic is totally over top of the bolt and all i can do is get the open end on the bolt and the wrench is at about 80 degree angle. I snapped one 15 mm wrench open end trying to twist the nut loose.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's been a little while since I did this but I seem to remember that the bolted connection was misleading as the nut actually has a wing welded onto it and there's no way to rotate it. You have to rotate the bolt. Do the underhood one first so you can see what's going on then the underdash one is easier to understand which end you have to turn. If you're snapping wrenches, you're probably trying to undo the welded nut.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

this is what I am thinking as well... Only need one socket, the nut is welded to that retainer 'clip' and will rotate until it hits the shaft. At that point it will hold against there while you remove the bolt out of the shaft.

Also... DO NOT! DO NOT!!! rotate wheel once the shaft is out. Even if you rotate it one direction, and dont get it back to where it was the next time you do a full lock turn one way or the other.. you will have ripped the airbag wire right out of the coil... and thats MUCH more fun to replace... Learn from me!

Keep wheel as straight as you can when you take the shaft off.

MIke

mitty26 · September 16, 2005

okay i just looked at a 2500 sierra at work and the piece of plastic that is my way is totally out of the way on the 2500. With the 2500 that bolt under the dash looks very easy to get out.

mitty26 · September 22, 2005

Well i finally got around to greasing my steering shaft. Had to break a little piece of plastic off of that spacer but after that there was no problems.