Intermediate Steering Shaft

[tismy55]

The boot is torn on the upper part of the intermediate shaft. My question is does this boot hold grease for that knuckle ? also can it be replaced? Would a driveline service be able to fix it. One last question would that torn boot if all the grease is gone cause loose steering? Thanks My Truck is a 89 c2500

[c10sport]

Originally Posted by tismy55

The boot is torn on the upper part of the intermediate shaft. My question is does this boot hold grease for that knuckle ? also can it be replaced? Would a driveline service be able to fix it. One last question would that torn boot if all the grease is gone cause loose steering? Thanks My Truck is a 89 c2500

Yes, loose steering is one of the biggest symptoms of a bad lower steering shaft.

I'd just replace it. Here's what I did, used a shaft from a 1988-96 Jeep Cherokee I got for $5 at a junkyard. It took longer to take it out of the Jeep than it did to modify it to be put in the truck.



All you have to do is heat up the middle where the two halves meet to get the plastic bushings out so it will collapse. It bolts in place of the original shaft and uses U-joints rather than fabric joints.

[tismy55]

Are you talking about heating the 2 halves of the Jeep shaft or the silverado halves. Thanks

[c10sport]

The Jeep shaft. There's two bushings inside that keep it from collapsing by hand. Once they are out, you can put some RTV in their place and the shaft will collapse and can be installed in the Silverado. The Silverado shaft collapses easily to come out.

To get one out of a Jeep, you can either get lucky and find one that has already had the column or box removed or you can take the three bolts out and drop the box. There's two bolts holding the Jeep shaft in place, one at the column and one at the box.

[c10sport]

You can see in the picture where mine is slightly discoloured where I heated it up.

[tismy55]

Oh yes i see it now .I'm going tomorrow and get a jeep shaft. I appreciate your help. Thanks

[tismy55]

Jay, heating and collapsing the bushings on the Jeep is that so you can adjust the shaft to the correct length to fit the silverado? It doesn't make the shaft a loose does it. Thanks

[c10sport]

No, it doesn't. You can put some RTV in place of the bushings if it seems loose. I never did on my S10 when I put the Jeep shaft in and it wasn't loose at all.

[Metal]

I drilled and tapped a hole.. Then just used a bolt to keep it tight....

[tismy55]

Metal, did you use a jeep shaft as well .

[Metal]

yes sorry... After I melted out the plastic it was a little loose ..

[tismy55]

where on the shaft did you drill the hole ? Thanks

[Metal]

bout a 1 inch up from the end of the female half of the shaft.. Then I slid the male end in and tightened the bolt..

[jammer3096]

Will the jeep shaft fit a DD fitting at steering column. Or is it a spline? Also are the spline counts the same at gearbox?

[tismy55]

Got mine installed works great . just heated it up and it collasped and fit perfect no holes to drill on mine.Thanks guys.

[jammer3096]

What year of truck have got?

[tismy55]

89 silverado c2500

[jammer3096]

does anyone know how to tell if your column needs rebuilt