late model chevrolets

[schwillybo]

anybody else have that loose feeling in the steering column on your newer z71

[rustypjr]

Get a Ford!

[oldduckman]

Yes

Everyone I know has had the problem. The
dealer will do a fix that amounts to disasembly and a packing with a very heavy grease. I have a 05 Z-71 and after a couple of dealer fixes I fixed for good. Replace the upper intermediate steering colum with a new improved design. Price from the dealer is about $ 100.00 with $ 45.00 for installation. Or order from GM parts direct for about $ 60.00 and replace it yourself. Be sure to go to your dealer with your vin number and have him give you the correct part number for the new shaft before ordering from anyone else. To install take one bolt out under the hood then one bolt from under the dash, put it out though the firewall under the dash then install the new one.

[dt]

Had the same problem with my 04. It also rattled. Took it to the dealer and they said they put a new "intermediate shaft". That was about a year ago, now it is starting again. Haven't done anything about it yet. I've just been dealing with it.

[oldduckman]

There is a new shaft design. The old design is a stamped universal joint housing. The newer design is a cast metal housing. I belive the stamped housing allowed too much flex in the shaft spline thus causing premature wear of the shaft. I replace with the newer shaft , we will have to wait a year to see if it remains fixed.

[schwillybo]

is there a recall?

[donia]

No, but there should be. I've fought with them since '99 about it('99 silverado, '01 yukon). Now they are saying it is a grease issue, that they finally found the right consistency (at least that is what the parts guy told me last time). BBBBSSSS!!!!! They just can't figure out how to make it work, cheaply and won't issue a recall 'cause that would be way too costly - think about how many gmc & chevys there are on the road (it would involve all from '99 to now).

[KRT]

Not a recall, and yes it's the intermediate shaft. The shaft is splined and designed to slip/slide. The grease runs dry and you feel/hear the friction between the two pieces as they slip. The "new" design still does it after time.

The ONLY fix is the grease kit GM offers and it's a bandade fix. You know squeaky wheels get lubed then after time they squeak again. Same thing with the intermediate shaft.

[donia]

"The ONLY fix is the grease kit GM offers and it's a bandade fix. You know squeaky wheels get lubed then after time they squeak again. Same thing with the intermediate shaft.[/quote]

Yep, keep buying that little bitty tube of white grease from their parts department for $16 every 10-12,000 miles and do it yourself, or double/triple that and get them to do it. It is really easy to do yourself, biggest thing to watch out for is letting the steering wheel spin while the shaft is off. I let mine spin a revolution or two and ended up pulling apart the connector for my air bag in the steering wheel after I spun it the wrong way before reattaching the shaft (haven't fixed it yet, but should be an easy fix as well). Find a way to lock the steering wheel in place while the shaft is off, I've done it a few times without a lock and didn't have any problems until this time. It isn't if, but when......

[cwink]

Took mine in and the Stoked the Shaft , But my the guy that runs my Auto Repair Shop says just get a new intermeidate shaft...

[cwink]

Get a Ford!

Yeah so your whole dash electronics can go out.. Got a buddy of mine just bought a ford the same time I bought my chevy. His tach is out and last night all the electronics went out on the dash..

Sorry Rusty, put the only thing I can say good about a ford is it got me thru college, and not cause I owned one, but because my Dad had an Auto Repair shop and he worked on them A LOT...

[hawkeye]

Get you an '07 new body style, they fixed the problem on them. I wouldn't own a ford even if my only other option was a schwinn.

[greenheadman1]

My 04' Z71 does the steering wheel bumping to, they just "fixed" it at 35,000 and by 37,000 it started back. Also My speedometer has gone out. They want $500 to fix that!!!

[Bruce]

You can put a grease fitting in it and use regular grease whenever it starts to bump. I've done four vehicles so far and they work fine. It takes about an hour to do it right.

Bruce

[woundedduck]

i got an 05'. it has been replaced and needs replacing again. The guy down at herrin gear told me to wait til march and they will have the correct parts in to fix them. drives me crazy.