intermediate steering shaft replacement - Page 2

Ur7x · #16 (**permalink**) 08-20-07, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillac_tech

It extends and retracts to allow body to frame movement. When the grease is old, dried up or generally not doing what it should do, the shaft does not slide freely so you get a pop.

Exactly... Common Problem!

You can try the grease method... Originally GM recommended that this was the appropriate fix for this problem. However, the greasers will have to admit that this fix is temporary. The "pop" will return in as short as six months usually within a year or two.

GM redesigned the shaft and are now recommending that the shaft be replaced (or at least they did last time I looked.. this could have changed again).

Once the steering column is out the shaft is not hard to replace and while this is NOT what I would call an easy job, it can be done with a decent socket set.

BTW the new shaft is a lovely piece... (my 02 has one) it looks like it is machined out of polished chromium, and it is as slippery as a greased pig.

99esteees · #17 (**permalink**) 08-20-07, 06:41 PM

Ur7x, did you replace the shaft yourself? Was all the work done from under the steering column?

Ur7x · #18 (**permalink**) 08-20-07, 07:31 PM

No,

Mine was done by the dealer under warranty, but I did re&re my steering column when my steering sensor went bad. Once the column is out the shaft is basically one bolt away from being removed too...

Remove the steering column,
raise and support the car,
Remove driver's side wheel,
Remove pinch bolt
Remove intermediate shaft...

As I said, once the column is out it is not all that hard... And I got my column out with a basic socket set.

GeorgeJung · #19 (**permalink**) 08-25-07, 08:57 PM

Yea, me and my buddy did this ourselves, the colinskraft link posted earlier is what we used, quotes 2 hours or so, we did it in less time, the only hard thing was attatching the bottom back on after being lubed.... it worked very well but I only did it because I wouldve had to pay like $400 in parts alone because I cant order from GM parts direct and had to go to a dealer... I heard you can do this twice i beleive before it should be replaced....

99esteees · #20 (**permalink**) 08-25-07, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeJung

Yea, me and my buddy did this ourselves, the colinskraft link posted earlier is what we used, quotes 2 hours or so, we did it in less time, the only hard thing was attatching the bottom back on after being lubed.... it worked very well but I only did it because I wouldve had to pay like $400 in parts alone because I cant order from GM parts direct and had to go to a dealer... I heard you can do this twice i beleive before it should be replaced....

What did you lube it with? Motor Oil?

iametarq · #21 (**permalink**) 08-25-08, 01:25 PM

Ok, another question regarding this. I am getting a quote for the new part from gmotors.com and a labor quote from my local shop, not the dealer to do the work.

The TSB doesn't state that there is anything 'defective' on my 98 shaft. I took the car in last winter for a very annoying squeak when turning the steering wheel in the winter months, so they said the shaft had to be replaced. The noise has now gotten worse because in warm weather now I hear a rubbing noise if I just barely move the wheel left to right...

Does this indicate the shaft is bad and needs to be replaced or that it just needs to be lubed with the new grease?

iametarq · #22 (**permalink**) 09-20-08, 10:49 AM

Does anyone know if the "pinch bolts" are just regular hex headed bolts? If not I guess I'll find out later today if I can find this anti-rotation pin tool...

submariner409 · #23 (**permalink**) 09-20-08, 11:22 AM

From some of the pictures that have been posted in the shaft problems threads I think the pinch bolts are Grade 8 (5 bar star on the head) 11mm.

cooncat · #24 (**permalink**) 09-20-08, 12:14 PM

My does this thread bring back memories of my 2001 Monte Carlo. I had to have my intermediate shaft replaced on it I think 4 times under warranty. It kept on going bad on me.

iametarq · #25 (**permalink**) 09-20-08, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooncat

My does this thread bring back memories of my 2001 Monte Carlo. I had to have my intermediate shaft replaced on it I think 4 times under warranty. It kept on going bad on me.

Yes, I have a post I found on the web for a monte carlo, the owner stated the same thing...it was replaced numerous times. I am going to attempt to re-grease it myself per his instructions and see if it'll at least get through the winter months, I don't feel like replacing the entire shaft yet.

Sub - Thanks for the note about the sizes. I've got a small 5 star socket set that hopefully will work! I'll post pictures when I'm done, if I am successful.

iametarq · #26 (**permalink**) 09-20-08, 03:55 PM

damn it. i am giving up. i cannot for the life of me even get the rubber tube cover thing off the lower part of the shaft. It wont move up! I can't even lift up an edge enough to find the bolt i have to take out. the top one was easy enough!

i even have SMALL hands and figured i could fit and squirm but i cannot. there's gotta be more to do like disconnect the outer tie rod which I don't feel like doing. alas it looks like i'll be paying $500 parts and labor for this.

mikekilpatrick · #27 (**permalink**) 09-22-08, 08:42 AM

I would contact GM about this Intermediate shaft. There was a tsb on a TEMPORARY fix by injected grease into the shaft, BUT, GM made a NEW PART that was a full replacement for the previous one. When they made the intermediate shaft, the engineers missed by a couple mm's and that is what is causing the "clunk". They is a NEW design on this shaft, I had mine replaced out of warranty even! Contact GM and ask them specifically about the intermediate shaft replacement, you find yourself getting a new on put in for free!

altacarp · #28 (**permalink**) 10-24-08, 05:47 PM

"When they made the intermediate shaft, the engineers missed by a couple mm's and that is what is causing the "clunk". They is a NEW design on this shaft, I had mine replaced out of warranty even! Contact GM and ask them specifically about the intermediate shaft replacement, you find yourself getting a new on put in for free!"

Simply not the case here! I contacted "the legend of the chevy farm" Westgate Cheverolet and they are totally and utterly useless. The service adviser completely disavows any knowledge of a "free" replacement and maintains GM is not willing to stand behind the quality and safety of there own designed and engineered parts.

Which in a lot of ways makes me happy because I am waiting on a new Intermediate Shaft replacement which I ordered for $90.00 and already paid for. It is probably made in China by now anyway so at least I can blame them instead of
GM the next time my Caddy feels like it is going to fall apart.

I guess this is a do it yourself job since I have to recover the $100.00 spent on the replacement shaft. After reading over the two posted site links and subsequent member posts I still have to ask?

Once unbolted is the Intermediate Shaft removed from under the dash on the upper side or from outside the firewall on the lower side?

When reinstalled what are the common difficulties and solutions for installing the lower end of the shaft?

I will take pictures of the process and post once complete.

ryannel2003 · #29 (**permalink**) 10-24-08, 07:23 PM

I've got mine sitting a box in my bedroom right now along with the orange plastic bearing. The shaft cost me $60 GMPartsDirect and the Bearing $27. I'm having my dealer install it in a few weeks along with an ignition switch. Next I'll be ordering parts to fix my front end shimmy, which looks like its coming down to the bushings and/or sway bars. I'll have dealer take a look.

ryannel2003 · #30 (**permalink**) 10-24-08, 07:25 PM

That was my 666th post, and I'm superstitious about that number. So... yeah.