2002 Z71 Front End Rattle

keelklan · February 26, 2009

2002 Chevrolet Z71 Silverado 130000, 4x4

I have a rattle noise that you can feel through the Steering wheel, brake and gas pedals and Rattles when turning, When you hit a bump it feels like the drivers side is going to fall apart?

Replaced Shocks but did not fix? Brakes have been looked at and are fine!

Any suggestions?

VR021302 · February 26, 2009

Outer cv joint?

2000DV4.8 · February 27, 2009

Sounds like the intermediate steering shaft. Do a search, you'll have more to read than you could ever imagine.

Stevens03 · February 27, 2009

Yeah, I'm going to second the intermediate steering shaft, very common and an easy fix.

Steven

keelklan · February 27, 2009

Yes that was the problem the intermediate steering shaft was bad $175 to have it replaced! No more Rattle!1

Thanks

Bigunn · February 28, 2009

Saw this a little too late.

The intermediate shaft problem has a relatively easy fix without buying a new one , There is also a GM service bulletin on this also , but not very well known for some reason.

We have performed this numerous times at my shop and on my own vehicle when it starts "rattling".

To my knowledge the years affected are 1999 - and up !!

The fix :

1st --- locate the 15mm head bolt about halfway between firewall & steering gear coupler , remove bolt, being careful not to drop clipnut on other side.

2nd--- Slide the joint apart , Being very careful not to let the steering wheel side of shaft rotate at all (good idea to have the steering wheel in the "locked" position ), when you get the shaft apart , grasp the steering wheel side of shaft and push up towards the firewall GENTLY , DO NOT FORCEFULLY SLAM IT UP !!!! (possible air-bag deployment on some vehicles with column sensors)-- then pull back down until about 1/2 inch past the connecting bolt joint , you will need to do this betwwen 6 - 10 times in a row.

3rd --- re-connect the shaft joint and install bolt to tight. Voila !! You are done !!!

The reason the " rattle " comes about is the slip joint at the firewall on the intermediate shaft is put together with a grease compound that over time works the grease back into the top of the coupler and creates a gap between the two surfaces inside the joint , working the shaft up & down "squishes " the grease back into place to tighten up the joint (engineers kinda dropped the ball on that one !! LOL !! ).

REMEMBER----DO NOT LET THE STEERING WHEEL SIDE ROTATE , OR YOU COULD DAMAGE THE AIR-BAG CLOCKSPRING MECHANISM AND DO NOT FORCE THE SHAFT COMPRESSED , JUST GO UNTIL IT STOPS SOLID !!!!

Hope this tip keeps a few more bucks in the pockets of all us GM truck owners !!!