I once and for all got rid of that steering clunk that all 99-07 Chevy trucks have. If yours doesn't do it now it will. Dealer will grease it that works for about 5000 miles and the clunk returns. It's the shaft that connects the wheel to the steering shaft. First I replaced it with a NAPA shaft that worked for 5000 miles then clunk returned. This shaft is guaranteed not to ever return, many off-rode guys have these shafts and swear by them. Well I just past the 12000 mile mark on new shaft and no more clunk. Happy days.
Got rid of steering clunk
Mcgee10
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I once and for all got rid of that steering clunk that all 99-07 Chevy trucks have. If yours doesn't do it now it will. Dealer will grease it that works for about 5000 miles and the clunk returns. It's the shaft that connects the wheel to the steering shaft. First I replaced it with a NAPA shaft that worked for 5000 miles then clunk returned. This shaft is guaranteed not to ever return, many off-rode guys have these shafts and swear by them. Well I just past the 12000 mile mark on new shaft and no more clunk. Happy days.
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20,933 Posts
They make nice steering shafts & u-joints for sure...
I read on a 4x4 forum I'm a member of ,that a 90's Jeep Cherokee steering shaft will bolt in place of the OEM GM one used on 73-87's that had the "hunk of tire" rag joint at the steering box end and a pot joint at the colum end,the Jeep ones had 2 u-joints instead,and the splines supposedly match up to the box and colum,all you need to do is shear the plastic pin in the shaft and collapse it slightly, to install it in place of the original..
I'm tempted to grab a few at the junkyard,I have two trucks of that vintage and never liked the rag joint setup--mine are getting old and could rip apart soon..I know GM used a few different spline sizes on the colums and steering boxes though,the thread did not mention that,so I hope the ones I have is what the Jeep shafts will fit on..
I read on a 4x4 forum I'm a member of ,that a 90's Jeep Cherokee steering shaft will bolt in place of the OEM GM one used on 73-87's that had the "hunk of tire" rag joint at the steering box end and a pot joint at the colum end,the Jeep ones had 2 u-joints instead,and the splines supposedly match up to the box and colum,all you need to do is shear the plastic pin in the shaft and collapse it slightly, to install it in place of the original..
I'm tempted to grab a few at the junkyard,I have two trucks of that vintage and never liked the rag joint setup--mine are getting old and could rip apart soon..I know GM used a few different spline sizes on the colums and steering boxes though,the thread did not mention that,so I hope the ones I have is what the Jeep shafts will fit on..
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507 Posts
My 04 truck had 125,000 miles on it and had that clunk problem. I complained to the chevy factory and they had the dealer where I bought it install a new Borgeson shaft in it at no cost to me. (If I hadn't found out they were replacing them under warentee with the Borgeson shaft I am sure they wouldn't have volenteered).
I am at 225,000 with no problems.
I am at 225,000 with no problems.
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20,933 Posts
My friend has had 2 Dodge Dakota's come in his shop within the past week,both have u-joints at the steering colum on the shaft that are completely trashed,and ready to separate at any moment!..no replacement u-joints are available from dealer or aftermarket either,they dont have needle bearings,the "cups" are staked in place on the shaft,and no PTO joint or anything listed in catalogs is close enough to work!..only solution is to buy a complete shaft from a dealer to the tune of 285 bucks!..
I googled this dilema and found a place called www.autopartsdirecttoyou that sells a complete "updated" shaft new that supposedly will not wear out ,for the sum of 165 bucks (not including shipping of course)...
I think if they were my truck I'd go to tractor supply and buy a yoke and a PTO joint and chop saw the original one off and weld the new yoke on,and have one you CAN replace and buy cheap at any parts store..why do manufacturers skimp on parts like this SO critical to personal safety??..
Now when I see a Dakota or Durango coming towards me,I give them plently of leeway--after seeing how many in junkyards had the same steering shaft dilema (as in ready to fall apart) while searching for a used replacement,plus all the ones with JUNK ball joints my friend has fixed with very low milage in many cases,I assume the ones coming my way are weaving and wandering all over the place,and could lose the steering or a wheel anytime!..
..other than that they are a pretty decent truck though--except for their trannys,they seem to be weak also..
I googled this dilema and found a place called www.autopartsdirecttoyou that sells a complete "updated" shaft new that supposedly will not wear out ,for the sum of 165 bucks (not including shipping of course)...
I think if they were my truck I'd go to tractor supply and buy a yoke and a PTO joint and chop saw the original one off and weld the new yoke on,and have one you CAN replace and buy cheap at any parts store..why do manufacturers skimp on parts like this SO critical to personal safety??..
Now when I see a Dakota or Durango coming towards me,I give them plently of leeway--after seeing how many in junkyards had the same steering shaft dilema (as in ready to fall apart) while searching for a used replacement,plus all the ones with JUNK ball joints my friend has fixed with very low milage in many cases,I assume the ones coming my way are weaving and wandering all over the place,and could lose the steering or a wheel anytime!..
..other than that they are a pretty decent truck though--except for their trannys,they seem to be weak also..
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2,765 Posts
2008 Ram 2500 4x4's have the steering clunk right from the factory, just one of the many poor quality things I have found on our 2008 2500 Megacab. It is the steering shaft from the steering wheel to the coupling at the firewall, I have even shown it to the service manager but then he took me out and showed me 4 or 5 trucks in the yard that do the same thing. The have replaced the entire frontend of our truck minus the steering box because it likes to wander around on the highway to no avail and they are still trying to get it to drive properly.
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507 Posts
I am at 230,000 miles my steering shaft was replaced with the borgeson shaft at 120,000 no problems yet.
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507 Posts
update
I have 252,000 miles on it with no trouble
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683 Posts
glad to know theres a long term solution to this! im just hoping my '99 dosent start clunking
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507 Posts
Sir if your steering did clunk you would notice, beleve me.
Mine felt like the steering wheel was trying to wring its self loose from the box. Like it had a U-joint trying to come apart. It was kind of unnerving.
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507 Posts
They might have fixed the problem by 06
mine is an 04
mine is an 04
I don't know that it was that severe in the HDs, but like I said I have never noticed it in any GM I have drove. They still have the same shaft I think they had a updated one for 07, but it wasn't much better. At least for the HDs I'm not as fimilar with the 1500s. A friend of mine had my exact truck just Black and the clunk was one of the things that drove him to Ford, but I never drove his truck.
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507 Posts
300,000 miles clunk still gone
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