Just brought my 03 LB7 in for an oil/filter/gas filter change. While there I decided to have the dealer deal with the steering rattle of wihch there has been so much discussion. He claimed that the latest from GM is that they no longer replace the intermediate steering shaft, but are back to greasing it up again. Also according to him, the replacement they were doing was with essentially the exact same shaft. They went back to the greasing because with the replacement, it was starting to happen again anyway. Anyone know anything about this?

The one bright note (well maybe at least not dark) is that he said that if your injectors do puke, they now seem to never have to wait longer than about 2 weeks for replacements. The bad old days of 6 months are gone. Also according to him, GM and Bosch still have no idea what the root cause of the failures might be. Sadly, they may not care - he said they seem to feel that with the injectors out of the interior in the LLY they won;t have so many problems, so for the future they may just be willing to keep replacing the old design with the old design.

I've been posting that steering shaft replacement is a bad fix since the shafts come out. They are coming back just as noisy. A properly done greasing will fix it.

I, to, have noticed wait time on injectors is way down. Usually just a few days

I went through the replacement of this and that three times on my steering shaft. After the lube job all has been good for over a year now. Probably shouldn't of said that........

OK, thanks guys - this dealer was recommended by people on this board, and it is good to see that the service dept seems to knwo what it is doing.

Why couldn't you install a grease fitting on the shaft and just lube it when needed?

Do you have any idea what a grease fitting COST ?:eek:

Why couldn't you install a grease fitting on the shaft and just lube it when needed? That is exactly what I'm going to do when the time comes. I can't believe GM is still screwing around tearing these shafts in and out to grease them. If they are that stinking dumb that they can't build a shaft that will be trouble free then we will have to improvise. I can't believe they don't have one engineer that can design a shaft that works. They worked just fine the last 40 years and some genius had to come along and improve it.

Talked to a salesman at my dealer and he was complaining about them. He said he just has them replace his every 5-6 months. Hell if they don't want to build them right and keep replacing them go for it. Just had mine done last week and will have it done again in September when the warranty is up.

Kurt, I thnk what I was being told is the replacement really does absolutely nothing at all - maybe it doesn't rattle for a few months because it is tight, but it will rattle again. A good lube job does even better. Clearly the lubing will need to be done again, but people say they are getting at least a year out of it. I think getting the intermediate steering shaft replaced will only disappoint you.

What else is supposed to get replaced? I thought I was getting the full package, but maybe not. No wonder it only took 3-4 days for it to come in. :mad:

It's only a matter of time before there is a new option code available for trucks:

GRS - 6 pack of steering shaft lube kits $159 (1)

Footnotes:

1. Applicable only to trucks equipped with steering wheels

I've been posting that steering shaft replacement is a bad fix since the shafts come out. They are coming back just as noisy. A properly done greasing will fix it.


Eric- If this is the case then why are you selling the replacement part on your web site saying that it finally is a fix?

When they replace it, they replace it with essentially the exact same part according to the service manager - the better fix is a very good lube job. Apparently the rattle is in no way dangerous - just annoying. I am not too up on this, but from some searches, apparently GM "improved" it's steering linkage design and that's when the rattle started. Again, many other people know more than I. If it is rattling again, I would take it back and have them lube it.

Good luck,

Steve

Am I confused, can't this shaft problem be fixed with a tack weld? I have been looking at doing it for some time to mine. Its been clunking for 55K but i'm just lazy. Anyone else think of just tacking the two shafts together, it would only take minutes because its accssable at the firewall and the joint can be seen. You never have to take these things apart and if you did they unbolt at the other end. Plus you could just grind off the spot weld.:confused:

Thoughts?

It may need slight movement ability for when the body shifts on the cab mounts relative to the chassis. Also they are supposed to be able to fold for safety so you don't get the steering wheel to the face if you get hit hard on the steering box... Although if you got hit hard enough to get near the steering box you'd probably be dead anyway...

Are the '01's affected by this steering rattle? I don't seem to have it in mine.

Are the '01's affected by this steering rattle? I don't seem to have it in mine.
You will now :)

I think the problem has existed since GM made the first pickup.

Are the '01's affected by this steering rattle? I don't seem to have it in mine.
Its kinda strage, A buddy of mine with a 02 and about 50,000 and my brother with a 03 have no probs at all. And mine (a 02 with 20,000) was terrible. Go figure.

The 2000 I traded at 60k didn't rattle, neither did dad's 2000 at 80k... Hope our new trucks don't start. I had never heard one rattle until I rode with the combiner from texas this year, he has an 03 with 80k on it...

My 03 rattled at 17K ... lubed it myself.

My '03 at 12K rattles, just haven't had the time to get to it yet.

My 01 had the steering shaft problem and it was lubed several times. I traded it for an 03 3500 that had 24,000 miles on it and the steering shaft rattled. I took it to the dealer and they ordered a new shaft. They said they are not lubing them and that the new shaft was a "new design" that was suppose to fix the problem. It took about 2 weeks to get the shaft because of back orders. They did get it and replaced it. It will be a while before I know if it truly is a fix.


Tom

GM kit for the Intermediate Steering Shaft #26098419 its bout $20 if you dont know anyone in parts. its the lube for the shaft. takes bout 10-15 min to do

what part of the shaft has to be lubed up?

Mine has less than 12k and I have the steering rattle. Took it to the dealer to have it fixed, and they told me it wasn't the rattle, it was the tires rubbing (BS) That will be the last trip to that dealer. I will get the lube kit and do it myself.

Bill

I will bring it to the dealer and they will fix the ******ing thing

I just got my shaft replaced on Monday. Doesn't rattle so far. :rolleyes:

I got my shaft lubed(sounds like ....) at 25k when it was in for new injectors. With just a little over 38k it's starting to come back a little but very infrequently still. My 2000 had the same issue. On the upside though my injectors are still quite healthy.

I got my shaft lubed(sounds like ....) at 25k when it was in for new injectors. With just a little over 38k it's starting to come back a little but very infrequently still. My 2000 had the same issue. On the upside though my injectors are still quite healthy.
Is this issue mainly just the first few years, or are the '05s going to have an issue also?