I'm getting tired of re-lubing or re-gooping the damn steering shaft, so before I go and pay for a different one that should be a recall IMO I'm going to weld the two pieces together. If that doesn't work out long-term, I'll bite it and order the new shaft.

Has anyone else tried this?

 

ya i gess it happens alot. conntact Torque_Wrench he might be able to get you a deal

 

I got the latest "new" shaft a day before my warranty expired. So far,so good but that was less than two months ago.

I don't know if welding it will work but there's at least one company that makes a replacement one. I have info on it at home and can post it later.

 

I work at a dealer. The newest greatest fix is a "re-designed" bearing that is in the intermediate steering shaft. The last fix was to take the bolt out the is next to the driver's side exhaust manifold and collapse the shaft all the way and then pull it out all the way. Do this 5 to 10 times was what the bulletin said. This "stroking" the shaft would move the displaced grease back into the bearings. I sh*t you not. That was seriously the fix for about 3 months! Now the bulletin has been changed back to replacing the shaft with a "re-designed" shaft.
IMO, welding the shaft is a really bad idea, and it probably wont fix the clunking because the problem is the bearing inside the shaft. It is a telescoping piece for a reason. It's actually a safety thing the government laid down way back when. It's so if you are in a bad enough wreck, the steering column has a collapsable point, rather than your head or your chest being what gets collapsed!

 

I just had the same problem it is the most annoying thing on the planet and i wanted to rip it out and ........ a whole lot more things you should never do to a chevy but then i got smart brought it to a dealer and the replaced free of charge and it works wonders now no more adjusting when cornering and no more drift in the steering wheel... contact your local dealer.

 

Yeha man...I work for Gm too...and I agree with cthotrodder72......DO NOT WELD THE STEERING SHAFT!!!. yOU'RE GETTING READY TO **** UP BIG TIME!
Right now the only fix is the new design steering shaft, part #19153614. Unless you call Flaming River and have them make you a custom shaft or there is a company called Shaft Team and they design the shafts for GM. You may look them up on the web and contatct them to see about a custom application.

If not...then PM me and I'll see if I can get you one. Okay?

 

The very faint "thunking" that I have felt was coming from the insert coupling that the bolt then passes through. I was simply removing the bolt, gooping it up with RTV gasket-maker, and putting it back. I did not stroke the shaft or exercise it in or out. My thunk went away with this treatment, but returned after acouple thousand miles or any amount of "spirited' cornering. This afternoon my buddy welded the coupling 360 and everthings tight. Time will tell. With two angled universals in the column, I'm not concerned with the safety aspect. The shaft can still retract on impact. Thank you for your replies, and let's hope that this annoying feature gets resolved!

 

wow lets just go and weld everything that rattles or makes lil annoying sounds on our trucks up!! wtf haha I'm glad your not in the stall next to me turning wrenches thats for damn sure.....I'd like to see how your goin to explain to the po-po what the cause of you loosing control of your truck was because the damn shaft broke and your steering wheel was as much use as a honda towing a rv is. BTW if you would have gone to the dealer like mentioned you would have more than likely gotten the NEW design shaft for FREE I see it done plenty of times

 

what if i dont have warranty?

 

if you've been in to have this repaired before they will usually help you get it repaired with no to little cost to you....unless you weld it up