Steering Rattle Fix ---Tool Marks?

[56Nomad]

As I've written before, when I took my truck in to have the
steering rattle fixed they claimed they replaced the steering
gear. The first time I took it in they lubed it which worked
for a short time.

I question whether they actually replaced the steering gear as I
saw no tool marks on the steering box plug or retaining ring
area. Am I correct that these two areas should have shown
some tool marks by the dealer service person to indicate they
had replaced the steering gear?

They now claim it must be the splines on the steering shaft
and will be installing a new shaft on Wednesday.

Any suggestions......... http://members.cruzio.com/~quailman/Steering.jpg

[Paintdude]

The bearing goes into the top of the gearbox. They have to remove the box to install it and they have to remove one of your aftercooler blue hoses to access the box to remove it. I do not recall anything being done with the bottom plug or anything in the instructions showing it either.

[56Nomad]

Paintdude,

Thanks for clearing that up... this will be
three times in for this service item :(

Other than this....... this truck is the best
I've ever owned smile.gif

[Paintdude]

I seriously wish they would replace all the steering boxes with a updated heavier one for these trucks. It just seems like a poor design to me or a weak design. All Gm vehicles used to have steering boxes but now most of them have steering racks. I think they forgot some valuable past experiances along the way someplace. My old chevy trucks always had great steering feel to them from 64`s on up, all of them..

[oneton]

56Nomad, I went in for the steering wheel rattle myself. I printed out 9 pages of comments from this board on just doing the bearing fix that really doesn't work. I talk it over with the service manager and he agreed just to replace the whole gear box. They ordered the parts and call me when they came in. So far I'm please with the result. Mine came back without the broadcast code on the front like yours. So I'd say they didn't change your box out.

The best thing is I didn't have to argue my point. They just did it. Excellent service from the front office. I was disappointed that they didn't clean up the power steering fuild after they were done but other than than I'm satisfied.


Oneton

[Johnson]

I know what your talking about!!!!!!! I took my truck in to the dealer FRY CHEVROLET AUGUSTA KS. To have the rattle fixed and the dealer claimed to put a new steering gear on since I had already had the lube job and then WOW the steering was loose I could turn the wheel a 1/4 turn before it would respond then the rattle came back. Dealer said they would adjust the GEAR and so I took it back. This helped a little but it then had a PULL to the right the dealer drove it and said they couldn't feel anything and things were GOOD so I drove it home WITH THE PULL and called them back this time when I went to them the service manager says I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO!!! I told them I wanted the pull and looseness fixed, after a heated discusion I got him to drive it, HE told me that just because I take my hands off the steering wheel and the truck went right didn't mean anything was wrong!!! He said he couldn't tell me which way the truck would go (IF I took my hands off the wheel) I told him I could (RIGHT!!) the thing that saved me was I got him to drive it on a gravel road and as soon as HE let go of the wheel it would go right. EVERY TIME!!! then I got him to drive a truck on his lot, GUESS WHAT it went straight and the steering was nice and firm no play so MABY IT WILL BE FIXED!!!! SORRY FOR SUCH A LONG POST

[56Nomad]

I just got the truck back after they replaced the
steering shaft and also lubed the box. After the
short drive home it seems
the rattle is gone for now.

Hope this time it works.

[Paintdude]

Hope it works out for ya alright. Do you have the part numbers they installed on your invoice? could you post them here?

Thanks

[56Nomad]

Paintdude..... looking at my invoices and then
using gmpartsdirect.com, here are the parts and their costs


First Fix......

Lube Steering Shaft
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Second Fix

GM PART # 89020661
CATEGORY: Vehicle Care
PACK QTY: 12
CORE CHARGE: $0.00
GM LIST: $5.84
OUR PRICE: $3.50
DESCRIPTION: FLUID

GM PART # 26001594
CATEGORY: All
PACK QTY: 10
CORE CHARGE: $0.00
GM LIST: $2.90
OUR PRICE: $1.65
DESCRIPTION: SEAL

GM PART # 26099860
CATEGORY: All
PACK QTY: 1
CORE CHARGE: $0.00
GM LIST: $30.98
OUR PRICE: $17.66
DESCRIPTION: BEARING K
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Third Fix

GM PART # 26085548
CATEGORY: Steering Column Shaft
PACK QTY: 1
CORE CHARGE: $0.00
GM LIST: $127.86
OUR PRICE: $72.88
DESCRIPTION: SHAFT

GM PART # 26098419
CATEGORY: Vehicle Care
PACK QTY: 1
CORE CHARGE: $0.00
GM LIST: $14.91
OUR PRICE: $8.50
DESCRIPTION: LUBRICANT

[Paintdude]

The 26099860 is the bearing they put into my steering box. That was your second fix..then they installed the Upper shaft. Interesting.

Thanks again, hope it works and cures the problem.