I recently took my 03 Sierra in for warranty service after noticing a steering wheel shudder. Anyway the service guy said that there was a repair bulletin said the fix involved a simple greasing of a bushing.

They performed this service but said that my AS&M headers, which are close to the steering shaft, are creating heat that is causing this shutter and that it will happen again. I think they even said something about an eventual destruction of my steering bushing.

What do you all think of this? Im thinking of just putting some thermal wrap on the shaft.

Also could anyone please point me towards any past posts on this steering issue? I couldnt find the info using search.

thanks

 

i have always had it. i am guessing you are toalking about the stearing wheel shaking when going down a non smooth road?

i think they are blowing air up your a$$.

i personaly want to think it is a side effect of dropping the truck. i feel that it might have to do with the tierods being at an upward angle instead of horizontal like when stock. this is just a theory and i was going to tryo some stuff to test it out but have not. the dealer would not even touch my truck. did yours do it before lowering and if so was it not as bad?

 

I have seen a bulletin about noise(usually sqeeking) or excessive steering effort when turning (not shudder in the steering wheel while driving), caused by that bushing getting dry. Did the "shudder" go away after they lubed the bushing?

I can definetely see the high heat given off by the headers destroying that bushing... think about it - if that bushing is usually 200 degrees and with the headers on, it is 400 degrees - that little piece of rubber isnt going to like all that extra heat drying it out - it will probably get hard and brittle over time. Bushings and high temperatures dont get along. I like your idea of wrapping the shaft with heatwrap - just wrap it tight and secure it well - you dont want that wrap getting all caught up in the linkage and messing up your steering - it could be dangerous.

 

Sleeper-

You are on the right track about the angles of the steering/ suspension changing when you lower your vehicle. With most vehicles, when you lower your car, it affects ALL the angles that have to do with the alignment - the big boy is camber. When you lower a vehicle, your camber decreases a couple of degrees(looks like the tops of your tires are leaning inward) and one of the side affects is increasing your "feel" of the road. The ride becomes a little stiffer, you 'feel' the road better, and the insides of your tires wear alot faster than the outsides.

 

My truck had a clunk in the wheel. It only happened when turning, most noticeable going around a highway ramp. The dealer put a grease/bushing kit on the intermediate shaft, and it went away for about a year, then it was back, then they replaced the intermediate shaft with an updated part. The dealer has to try greasing first.

My truck is 4wd with a steering box, so I don't know if 2wds with the rack and pinion have the same problem.

 

well the dealer said they just greased it. Now it does not have the shudder. This shudder seemed to appear after i lowered it but I dont think thats why it started. My truck only has a 2/4 drop and the camber isnt to drastic. Anyway if the dealer lube/grease fixed the problem that it couldnt be a result of my lowering.

 

well i have controll arms on my truck so the camber is minimal-within specs. what i was doind to try was bear breaks has a aftermarket tierod end were you can sdjust the height of the tie rod. i was hopping the ball joint was pionting up (threads at top) on the spindle so i could use this and try it. if the it was i was going to get them and try them. it would drop the tierods about a half an inch. this is not the case as i looked at it after i typed my first reply so it is pointless.

now to explain my theory. when the tierods are horizontal and you hit a bump say on the left side it just uses your suspension and the wheel does not put much stress on the pulling the tie rod. when you have a lowered truck the tierods slant upward. there fore when you hit a bump it has a tendency to not only use the suspension but also pull on the tie rod more and cause the shutter.

but i dont know.. i just live with it..