My son's 98 Dakota has a clunk you can feel in the steering wheel. It has all new ball joints, tie rod ends etc, when we had it looked at they told us the intermediate shaft of the steering column is worn out. If someone grabs the shaft and wiggles it up and down you can feel it in the sterring wheel.

There is a TSB out from Dodge on this (191297) but it is not a recall.

Apparently this is a common problem on many Dodge trucks and Borgeson makes new shafts for Dodge Rams but they do not list a shaft for the Dakotas.

Anyone had this problem and have any advice?

 

I have the same issue on my 99' dakota, talked with dodge and they said the same TSB, but that it doesn't pose any problems except the feeling of the knock, soI saidscrew it and have been driving with it for awhile now. So I cant help in fixing it, but can relate to the problem.

Cute though how the dealer ship replaced my steering box, tie rod ends, and pitman arm before telling me about the TSB. Screw Jack Powell dodge in escondido, CA!!

 

what about a new shaft? If it's just worn out there should be no problem with putting a new or used one in
check local junkyards, but inspect the part very thoroughly

and by the way twiztid, it's called dealer protocal to replace whatever you don't need and bill you for it
or as they did to me, know what parts they need to put in and NOT order them until you already took time off work, and make you do it again

 

Yah, I wouldn't bother putting on a used one and a new one is almost $400 Cdn.
I thought maybe someone here might know of a good alternative.

If it was my truck I'd change it, clunks, squeaks and rattles drive me crazy but I'm betting he will live with it.
Thanks
Will

 

1998 Durango:Wow thought I was the only one out here who had a problem with my Dodge. I to had replaced uper and lower ball joints tie rod ends pitman arm idler arm and still had this darn knock in my steering . I had my wife turn the steering one day while I checked some things under the hood and bingo..there it was loose as a goose. knock knock here I am "Intermediate shaft" I called and got pricing $200+ bucks. Well Chrysler enginers why wasn't there a recall posted on this one.

 

is it the u joint in the steering shaft, mabie thats what your talking about, no experence w. this prob..

 

No, there's like a slip joint built into the shaft, that's what's clunking.
It's my son's truck, he's just living with it, would drive me nuts though personally!

He's away guiding now anyhow, truck won't be driven for a few months now...

 

Try this 1st , Take the shaft off and put in on a vise or a bench, with a punch hit the coupler were it slides. Put the shaft back on , and see if the noise is gone. If it is then can order one or not.

 

Now there's a good idea!
I'll try it one day (putting my Pac Brake on this weekend) [sm=happy046.gif]

 

I have a 00 pontiac bonneville and they are notorious for this same problem. The fix with those is to buy a lube kit (like a syringe filled with grease and a rubber cork) and you simply lube the inside of the shaft. I am beginning to feel this clunk as well. Does anyone know if this will work on these vehicles??