Steering rack or intermediate shaft problem?
 

So, I've hunted around and read a bunch of posts, and I think ive found what the other phantom noise is on my car.


Car has pulled to the left randomly for awhile now, and whenever you turn you hear a clunking noise. Steering response also just doesn't seem right. Its not horrible, its just.. varied i guess would be the best way to describe it.

Reading others posts it sounds like it might be the intermediate shaft going bad, but im wondering, since I have 172,000 miles on the car, if i swap that out, should i replace the steering rack as well?

Or has anyone else had these issues and found it to be something else?

Same problem here, in for updates.

Intermediate shaft! Mine does the same thing. I work at a service station and we get cobalts all the time that have a "clunking when turning" we replace the rack and they're back in a week because the noise is still there

Good deal. Everything is leaning towards the shaft, didnt wanna replace the rack unless i had to. Time to call the shop, haha.

The shaft is pretty easy to do yourself too.

Yeah.. I see it on rock auto... getting a quote from my buddy tho, since he has a lift and more free time than I do, heh.

Turns out the rack came loose. Again. -__- taking a good look at it on the list thursday. the 2 bolts keep backing out

Hmm... Maybe I should check mine.

Maybe some mild thread locker or a locking/retentionwasher would prevent them from backing out again

bolts are tight. rack is moving side to side..... going up on the lift in the AM,.

Yea. Standing still, or at low speeds you would turn the wheel and hear a clunking noise. I also noticed my steering didnt always come back center. The nut in the subframe wasnt keeping torque (The bolts have been tightened 4 times since March) So we ran a larger bolt thru the rack, and the subframe and put a washer and locknut under the subframe to see if that solves it.

Yes. I dont have the spec's off hand. but i would make sure your rack is torqued down properly first before going on to look at other things.