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I've got the dreaded steering wheel issue I think

OFF-RD

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OFF-RD Enthusiast

OFF-RD

Posted
Posted

So at 9,000 miles my steering wheel is getting some vibration and knocking feeling coming through it. Especially when in a curve, you can feel some looseness or motion through the wheel. It's hard to explain, but you can tell that something just isn't right. I guess it's the dreaded steering shaft issue everyone has. Would that be correct?

 

So is this a huge problem? Should I have it serviced right away? Is it something I can lube up in the driveway to prevent a trip to the dealership?

olson03 Enthusiast

olson03

Posted
Posted

So is this a huge problem? Should I have it serviced right away? Is it something I can lube up in the driveway to prevent a trip to the dealership?

 

Yes, buy the grease kit, follow the instructions, takes about 20 min.

J45p3r Enthusiast

J45p3r

Posted
Posted

It isn't a safety issue, in that it isn't going fall apart or anything. If you're in Warranty, which you must be, go to the dealer and they will lube the shaft for you.

OFF-RD Enthusiast

OFF-RD

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks. I will keep an eye on it and probably have it serviced after the holiday season is past. I just didn't want to wait if it was something dangerous.

Norseman Senior Enthusiast

Norseman

Posted
Posted
Mine was done at 34,000 miles and it's doing it again at 38,000! :lurk:

:D

 

 

 

 

It wasn't done right then. I did mine, 90,000 miles later and all is still good. If it's done right the grease works great.

jamram Enthusiast

jamram

Posted
Posted

True. Some vehicles actually require two lube kits depending on how little lube was in it to start with. On such a vehicle, the problem will come back soon if only one kit is installed. I have done a few that required two. If the tech reads the instructions with the kit, it tells him how to determine if there is enough lube in the shaft when you are done.

 

Mine was done at 34,000 miles and it's doing it again at 38,000! :lurk:

:D

 

 

 

 

It wasn't done right then. I did mine, 90,000 miles later and all is still good. If it's done right the grease works great.

 

 

 

 

pm26 Senior Enthusiast

pm26

Posted
Posted
I have asked before but have not had time to investigate myself.... But can a grease zerk be taped into the shaft so that grease can be added while it is in the vehicle?

 

 

 

 

I was hoping there would be a zerk fitting already installed on there if GM relies on grease volume and pressure to take up the slop in poor tolerance parts. I guess I was being too optimistic.

 

I think the answer is yes - you could drill a small hole in appropriate location, tap the threads and install a grease fitting, but it better be done after basic warranty expiration. GM could use this as an excuse to deny the warranty coverage, as it would be considered "unauthorized modification". I have 5k miles on my truck, no problems in this area yet, but it certainly is not encouraging to see the same truck with 9k miles develop this problem alrady.

 

So to grease the intermediate shaft, you need tto remove the shaft first, right? And all of this takes only 20 minutes? Of course, this assumes you know exactly how to do it.l what is the part # for the grease kit?

 

i am hoping that GM has redesigned this shaft for the new style '07 model trucks. Is this part interchangeable with the one installed in our trucks? Will it solve the problem for good?

koffey Enthusiast

koffey

Posted
Posted
I have asked before but have not had time to investigate myself.... But can a grease zerk be taped into the shaft so that grease can be added while it is in the vehicle?

 

 

 

 

what is the part # for the grease kit?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you clicked on the link I provided and read the doc, you will see this::

 

Steering Column Intermediate Shaft Lube Kit GM p/n 26098419

 

Hope that helps. :lurk:

Deep Blue Enthusiast

Deep Blue

Posted
Posted
Mine was done at 34,000 miles and it's doing it again at 38,000! :chevy:

:)

 

 

 

 

It wasn't done right then. I did mine, 90,000 miles later and all is still good. If it's done right the grease works great.

 

 

 

 

 

While I'm glad it's worked out in your case, we would need more examples to say that this is true in general. A number of owners have had multiple shafts replaced in addition to lubrications and the concern keeps coming back. I know an independent tech who checked mine out said that there is noticeable play in the steeing shaft as well. Additionally it may depend on the type of driving one does and the surfaces one travels over. If you are in an urban situation where the roads are rough and you do a lot of stop and go driving-the tech who lubed mine was able to reproduce the problem simply by taking off or backing up from a stop-you may experience it sooner. I'm thinking because those conditions are likely to result in more movement of the shaft and the lubricant is warn away more rapidly.

Deep Blue Enthusiast

Deep Blue

Posted
Posted
I have asked before but have not had time to investigate myself.... But can a grease zerk be taped into the shaft so that grease can be added while it is in the vehicle?

 

 

 

 

I was hoping there would be a zerk fitting already installed on there if GM relies on grease volume and pressure to take up the slop in poor tolerance parts. I guess I was being too optimistic.

 

I think the answer is yes - you could drill a small hole in appropriate location, tap the threads and install a grease fitting, but it better be done after basic warranty expiration. GM could use this as an excuse to deny the warranty coverage, as it would be considered "unauthorized modification". I have 5k miles on my truck, no problems in this area yet, but it certainly is not encouraging to see the same truck with 9k miles develop this problem alrady.

 

So to grease the intermediate shaft, you need tto remove the shaft first, right? And all of this takes only 20 minutes? Of course, this assumes you know exactly how to do it.l what is the part # for the grease kit?

 

i am hoping that GM has redesigned this shaft for the new style '07 model trucks. Is this part interchangeable with the one installed in our trucks? Will it solve the problem for good?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I noticed the problem prior to 6000 miles. :chevy:

jamram Enthusiast

jamram

Posted
Posted

20 minutes may be overly optimistic for a novice that has never done this before, but it really is easy. Easily less than an hour for a DIY'er. All you need to do is disconnect the 15mm bolt that connects the upper intermediate shaft to the lower intermediate shaft. This bolt is easily visible next to the exhaust manifold. On a Duramax I have found it easier to access this bolt through the wheel well, between the liner and the frame. Then disconnect the 15mm bolt that connects the upper intermediate shaft to the steering column. Then remove it.

 

I have found it easier to remove the shaft if you spend 2 extra minutes and remove the throttle pedal assy from the firewall, which is secure by two 10mm bolts.

 

Make sure you do not let the steering wheel spin freely once you disconnect the intermediate shaft. If it spins 360 degrees and you put it back together like that, or if it spins 180 degrees and you don't know which way it went, you will have a problem. Once you put it all back together the airbag clockspring will get "sprung". It is clocked to the column and will not like being turned one revolution farther than it is intended to go. Usually I remove the first bolt in the engine compartment. I turn the steering wheel 90 degrees from center to make the bolt face up for access. Then I turn the steering wheel back the OPPOSITE direction 180 degrees (90 degrees from center the other way). This will make the bolt under the dash face down for easy access. Then before I pull the intermediate shaft loose from the lower shaft and the column I turn the wheel to center again and run the seat belt through it and buckle it. There is actually a special tool to prevent the wheel from turning, but odds are you don't have it and the seat belt is easier anyway.

 

Once the shaft is out you just removed a clip from the end of the shaft, inject the grease using the provided syringe and place a rubber plug, also provided, into the shaft. Then you compress the shaft to disperse the grease throughout. Remove the plug, instert the aforementioned clip and re-install. This actual lubrication procedure will be shown on the instructions that come with the kit.

 

Reinstall the shaft, being careful to keep track of the steering wheel position.

 

 

 

I have asked before but have not had time to investigate myself.... But can a grease zerk be taped into the shaft so that grease can be added while it is in the vehicle?

 

 

 

 

I was hoping there would be a zerk fitting already installed on there if GM relies on grease volume and pressure to take up the slop in poor tolerance parts. I guess I was being too optimistic.

 

I think the answer is yes - you could drill a small hole in appropriate location, tap the threads and install a grease fitting, but it better be done after basic warranty expiration. GM could use this as an excuse to deny the warranty coverage, as it would be considered "unauthorized modification". I have 5k miles on my truck, no problems in this area yet, but it certainly is not encouraging to see the same truck with 9k miles develop this problem alrady.

 

So to grease the intermediate shaft, you need tto remove the shaft first, right? And all of this takes only 20 minutes? Of course, this assumes you know exactly how to do it.l what is the part # for the grease kit?

 

i am hoping that GM has redesigned this shaft for the new style '07 model trucks. Is this part interchangeable with the one installed in our trucks? Will it solve the problem for good?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I noticed the problem prior to 6000 miles. :chevy:

 

 

 

 

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