Just called my dealership about getting my ISS lubed again. He said they dont lube them anymore but will replace it for $300. Is this right? I cant believe there is not a TSB for this. I guess I will get an aftermarket one and do it myself.

Just called my dealership about getting my ISS lubed again. He said they dont lube them anymore but will replace it for $300. Is this right? I cant believe there is not a TSB for this. I guess I will get an aftermarket one and do it myself.


If you shop around you can find an OEM on the web for around $60 and some shipping
It takes about a 1/2 hour to install

I took my ISS out and installed a grease zerk.
After I installed the ISS back in, I pumped it full of grease.
My clunk is now completely gone!

Every oil change, I will just add a pump of grease in.

I tried the grease fitting also and it made mine worse. I think that is a good idea if you don't damage the teflon coating when you take it apart. The chisel marks on my shaft were deep and it damaged the teflon. If I were going to try this again I would not separate the shaft.

Anyway, I just called the local dealer and the parts guy told me he could sell me one for $66 but that I should check with the service manager to see if he would do it for free. He said he would have to check the vin and see if my truck was one of the ones covered. I guess since I drilled and tapped it, they won't replace it.

Yeah, I did not separate the shaft into two pieces.
I just took the "U" shaped stiffener out of the lower end when I drilled/tapped the hole.
Once I put that shaft back in the truck, I installed the zerk and pumped it full of grease!

Yeah, I did not separate the shaft into two pieces.
I just took the "U" shaped stiffener out of the lower end when I drilled/tapped the hole.
Once I put that shaft back in the truck, I installed the zerk and pumped it full of grease!

That's the way I would do it if i were going to do it again.
I am getting mine replaced today for free. I have 44,980 miles and they say they will repair them up to 50k.

good luck

nelsduramax,
Would you be kind enough to post a picture of the placement of the zerk?

Camara broke :(
I will try to explain the best I can.

The zerk is on the lower end of the ISS.
The lower end of the ISS is a larger diameter than about 2" from the lower end. It tapers down to a slightly smaller diameter about 1" from the lower end. Right where this transition starts is where I installed the zerk.

With the wheels facing forward, the zerk faces the driver side.
With my truck being lifted, I access the zerk through the gap in the driver side wheel well liner and the upper shock tower (there is about a 2" gap"). I just shove the grease gun line through this gap and click onto the zerk. Don't even have to open my hood to get to the zerk!

Sorry I can't post a pic. Hope this is clear enough. Questions?
NEL

nelsduramax,
Would you be kind enough to post a picture of the placement of the zerk?

try this

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1340769&postcount=120

try this

http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1340769&postcount=120

That's it exactly!

That's the way I would do it if i were going to do it again.
I am getting mine replaced today for free. I have 44,980 miles and they say they will repair them up to 50k.

good luck

I think my ISS is bad again. It has been replaced one time under warranty, but now I am out of the 36k mile warranty. I am just under 50k miles (somewhere in the 46k mile range). I have not seen the TSB on the ISS. Do you know what that covers? Maybe what year models? I have a 2004. Thanks.

Thanks for the quick 'how to' and picture.

My truck's ISS was replaced last year and it is making the clunking again already. The truck only has 25K miles on it!

One more question - it's been along time since I had to install a zerk. Do i need to use a NPT tap?

I was ready for an oil change anyway so I called me dealer at about 11AM this morning. I told them about the steering clunk. I dropped it off at about noon and it was ready at 3PM. Oil changed and another ISS. I have almost 47k miles on it and they covered it under warranty. This is the third ISS. Wonder how long this one will last?

Thanks for the quick 'how to' and picture.

My truck's ISS was replaced last year and it is making the clunking again already. The truck only has 25K miles on it!

One more question - it's been along time since I had to install a zerk. Do i need to use a NPT tap?

Zerks come in NPT or std fine thread.
I installed a std find thread.

It is good so far. I'll report back if the clunk returns.

good luck.

Remember, that it is the service manager's deision to repair the ISS after the warranty has expired. The manager at the GMC dealer told me he would do GMC trucks to 75k. THe Chevy dealer said they were doing them to 50K

It is good so far. I'll report back if the clunk returns.

good luck.

Remember, that it is the service manager's deision to repair the ISS after the warranty has expired. The manager at the GMC dealer told me he would do GMC trucks to 75k. THe Chevy dealer said they were doing them to 50K


Just replaced mine with one I bought on Ebay for $59.95 including shipping. Clunk is gone for now. I will drill and tap the old one so that I can have a spare. When this one goes I'll put the old one in with a zerk and then fix this one with a zerk...

I was ready for an oil change anyway so I called me dealer at about 11AM this morning. I told them about the steering clunk. I dropped it off at about noon and it was ready at 3PM. Oil changed and another ISS. I have almost 47k miles on it and they covered it under warranty. This is the third ISS. Wonder how long this one will last?

I need to go to your dealer. My local dealer said too bad so sad for ya. Unless I wanted to pay $300. Has anybody heard anything about these http://ww2.borgeson.com/

I need to go to your dealer. My local dealer said too bad so sad for ya. Unless I wanted to pay $300. Has anybody heard anything about these http://ww2.borgeson.com/

The replacements from GM are a different ISS. These have seals on the ends that hold the grease in place. They are supposed to be much better...we'll see. I can get the part number for you if you want it, but there are other threads going around talking about it and the part number is in those threads.

Yeah i had the same problem in my 05 drove me up the the f*%*ing wall!! I found a solution that tighted up the steering like new and i think will work for eveyone else. There is a bearing under the dash usaly in a white houseing sometime in a green one for the "newer version" still sucks. Anyways i had to buy a new ISS because mine was past the point of just re-lubing it but the back to the bearing, grab the u joint under the dash and pull back and forth on it. It will most likely move back and forth. this is what makes for slopy steering, cheap plastic housing that wears out. I used the ball bearings and inner race out of the old bearing to go aorund the steering shaft. then i took a 1.75 heavy wall tubing i had for my racecar and cut it to about 2.5 inches long and hoged it out untill the bearing just was able to slide into it. then i welded 3 lines around the tubeing and ground them so they fit into the steering tube tight. and there you have it a steel homemade bearing that won't ever wear out.

I think I'm just going to pick up one of the new ones from Gmpartsdirect. The whole situation sucks.

I think I'm just going to pick up one of the new ones from Gmpartsdirect. The whole situation sucks.

I think they are 60 bucks. Two bolts and you are done. They are fairly easy to change. Just don't let the steering wheel turn while you have the shaft out. I used the seat belt to hold mine in place.

i called all local dealerships and they wont do anything because i have 37,000 mi. how do you guys get them to replace up to 50,000

I didn't have a problem. They said they were replacing thtm up to 50k (chevy dealership) good luck

the service adviser told me "if there is no recall its only covered under your 3yr 36000 mi warr."
has anyone had this fixed in vegas yet? if so what dealership?

the service adviser told me "if there is no recall its only covered under your 3yr 36000 mi warr."
has anyone had this fixed in vegas yet? if so what dealership?

Tell the service manager you want to talk to the GM regional representative. Your service manager is a putz.

i called all local dealerships and they wont do anything because i have 37,000 mi. how do you guys get them to replace up to 50,000

FWIW, I called the dealership where I bought my truck (about an hour drive) and they said since I had the ISS worked on under warranty that GM will replace it with the updated shaft for free. Took my truck over there this morning and they upgraded the shaft. It's jam up right now, no rattles. I just hope it stays that way.

I took delivery of my truck 2/04 and it has about 46k on it now. My dealer just replaced my ISS today for free. I pointed out to them that I have had the lube kit done twice under warranty and showed them the ISS starts to rattle about every 13k-16k miles.