Okay now I'm probably going to break a rule here since these appear to related.

I've discovered that one of the u-joints in my steering shaft is bad.
So I'm looking to see how difficult it is to replace this unit.

The rest of my statement includes the fact that I need to get my heater core replaced which I know involves removing the dash.
I'm thinking that this also has to happen in order to replace the steering shaft too.

So I'm under the impression that I should plan on having both things done at the same time, hoping to cut the overall price somewhat.

Any other ideas?

 

Depending on the year / model, the steering shaft may not be too involved. Some have a seperate intermediate shaft that is easily replaceable. Posting more specifics on your truck will help.

Heater core replacements suck. Period.

Edit: Sorry, just noticed the info in your tag, I missed that. Looks like the lower shaft is replaceable. Maybe someone with a 99 can jump in here and help?
Bob

 

Replacing the steering shaft, with the exception of actually separating the shaft from the steering box and column (they use locktite on the bolt threads) is pretty easy. I can do one in 15 minutes to half hour. All you need to do is remove the lower dash panel under the column, remove the 4 bolts holding the steering column up, remove the one bolt securing the intermediate shaft to the column, and remove the one bolt holding the intermediate shaft to the steering box. It should slip right out.

They recommend you re-apply some locktite on the threads at the steering box and column, I never do, though. 30k miles on my newest shaft and I have had no issues with them backing out.

Every time I see one in the local junkyard with a good shaft I buy it, because I plan on keeping my '99 for a LONG time, and I've already replaced the shaft once and they are $200+ new. If they were a PITA to pull I wouldn't be hoarding them!

Heater cores do suck pretty bad. Good half a day project.. Make sure you do the AC evaporator and blower motor at the same time!

 

logikfive,

What are you using visually to determine if the units being horded are good? Couldn't they already be bad just like the one being replaced? Where/what are you looking for?

TIA,

IndyD

 

I would guess he checks out the u joint.

 

Yup, a wiggle of the steering wheel and a visual inspection of the u-joints determines if they are good or bad.

However, sometimes the universal joints are seized, I have ran across one that had good joints (no play in the steering wheel) but had to toss it because the universal was seized one way. I tried to free it up but it never freed up.

On my truck, before I changed the shaft I had play from approx the 11 o-clock position, to approx 2 o-clock position. Heavily worn. Usually I won't bother with a shaft if it has more than 11 o-clock to 12 o-clock worth of play.

Completely a night and day difference.

 

With mine it's pretty obvious.
With the truck not running all I ended up doing was to grab the wheel and turn it and it clacked.
So then we went looking to see where the noise was coming from since this was the first time I had heard that happen.

It was at night and raining so it was difficult to determine just how wore the joint was.
I've looked at it in the daylight and it's not as bad as I thought it was in the dark but still it is causing more wander than I care for!!

As to the heater core, A/C and blower motor.
Well maybe the blower motor too but the A/C hasn't worked in a couple of years and it's not a priority.

I wasn't sure how much a new one was going to cost so thanks for the info.
I guess if I was spending a lot of time in an area with salvage yards maybe I would have a couple to set aside also but it's not the case.
I did happen to get into a self wrench place last spring but the only Durango they had at that moment had the entire front end stripped off plus everything else was gone already that I've been trying to find.