Steering Racks on GM W-Body

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

vince - 30 Aug 2005 05:42 GMT

Has anybody had their steering rack replaced with less than 30K miles?
GM seems to have steering issues that can only be resolved with the ISS
being lubricated and then the rack fails for good.

Reply to this Message

KjunRaven - 30 Aug 2005 13:15 GMT

"vince" <vmark(nospam)99@telus.net> wrote in news:PsRQe.219043$HI.19004
@edtnps84:

> Has anybody had their steering rack replaced with less than 30K miles?
> GM seems to have steering issues that can only be resolved with the ISS
> being lubricated and then the rack fails for good.

ive been 'lubing' the interm. shaft on many different GM platforms for
years now.. i dont know if GM bought 20zillion of these poorly built shafts
and are just using them up or its a little joke on us consumers. GM seems
to have quite a sense of humor it seems. between the piston slap issue and
the popping steering shafts you have to turn your radio WAY up to get over
the noises. maybe they should just install higher wattage sound systems to
'fix' there probs......BTW. ive never had a rack failure in the later
models that wasnt due to collision damage......................kjun, former
loyal GM customer. choices seem clear, Titan or Tundra.

Reply to this Message

Capt. Tundra - 30 Aug 2005 15:34 GMT

Absolutely right !!!

Companies will build and sell crap as long as people will buy it.

(Love my 04 Double Cab Tundra by the way)

> "vince" <vmark(nospam)99@telus.net> wrote in news:PsRQe.219043$HI.19004
> @edtnps84:
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> former
> loyal GM customer. choices seem clear, Titan or Tundra.

Reply to this Message

shiden_kai - 30 Aug 2005 23:04 GMT

> Has anybody had their steering rack replaced with less than 30K miles?
> GM seems to have steering issues that can only be resolved with the
> ISS being lubricated and then the rack fails for good.

The intermediate steering shaft noise has nothing to do
with a steering rack failure. GM has now released new
steering shafts that are supposed to fix the problem without
having to lube them. I guess we'll see.

Ian

Reply to this Message

vince - 31 Aug 2005 02:47 GMT

Hi Ian. I too thought that the steering shaft noise had nothing to do with
the steering rack failure but my service advisor was telling me that the
rack on my 01 Impala needs replacing. It only has 27K miles and the
mechanic at the dealership lubed it twice (took him 2 hours) on the second
lubing and he then told the service advisor that I will experience steering
fluid loss in a year or two. I have no other symptoms but front end
clunking when turning at low speeds and braking.
Is it not true that GM was initially replacing steering racks for the front
end clunking?
Vince

>> Has anybody had their steering rack replaced with less than 30K miles?
>> GM seems to have steering issues that can only be resolved with the
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Ian

Reply to this Message

KjunRaven - 31 Aug 2005 12:47 GMT

> Hi Ian. I too thought that the steering shaft noise had nothing to do
> with the steering rack failure but my service advisor was telling me
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>>
>> Ian

not to argue. BUT, i had many dozen shafts replaced under warranty b4 GM
came out with there 'lube kit' (a cork and syringe of lube). i found
there 'lube kit' rather time consuming as they were going out of warranty
and we had over 80 impalas that had proven that the noise would be back.
i started my own program to quite them...remove hush panel, flood bottom
section of u-joint with CRC lube (WD-40 would work), rotate steering
wheel several times from stop to stop, re-flood same spot with white
lithium grease spray, rotate wheel several times again. my 'repair' took
10 mins., replacing shaft takes me bout 45 mins. and $68 bucks for
shaft.long arms help........kjun

Reply to this Message

KjunRaven - 31 Aug 2005 12:53 GMT

> Hi Ian. I too thought that the steering shaft noise had nothing to do
> with the steering rack failure but my service advisor was telling me
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>>
>> Ian

OOPS! i misread what part you said they werent replacing...i have not had
them replace any racks either. dealer did replace left control arm once
looking for the noise but that was b4 they were aware of the magnitude of
problems that were to come. .......kjun

Reply to this Message

Brad Clarke - 31 Aug 2005 01:42 GMT

>>Has anybody had their steering rack replaced with less than 30K miles?
>>GM seems to have steering issues that can only be resolved with the ISS
>>being lubricated and then the rack fails for good.

Not a W body, but I've had the rack on my Malibu replaced with less than
40,000 kms.

Reply to this Message