Steering gear box going/gone bad??

[tmf6902]

ok, so here's my truck....2500HD, 6 inch fabtech lift, and 316/75r16 goodyear MT's

 

About a month ago I got this sound when I back up, a grinding clicking noise....I think I may have posted about it but I don't remember.....anyway took it to the stealer since I thought it was a CV, and it had already been replaced, and I had a warrenty on the part.......stealer couldn't reproduce the problem....give it back to me, and it was quite for about 2 weeks.....

 

NOW.....it still makes the noise when I back up and have the wheels cut, and it makes the noise(quieter) when I brake coming to a stop. Took it to the stelaer, and they checked it out....CV's OK.....they found that just about every bolt on my lift was loose....so they tightened them up....and they put a stethescope(sp) up to the steering gear box, and said that it was the problem....

 

THEM- we won't cover it under warrenty since you have aftermarket tires.....

ME-Will I lose steering completley one day driving down the road and crash....

THEM-no...you probably have a while before it fails completley, and it won't be a catastophic failure

ME-what do you think caused the steering box to fail?

THEM-you have 12 inch wide tires

ME-and that's why you won't cover it under warrenty

THEM-yes

ME-don't you find it odd that 1. they're the same size tires that come stock on an H2(h2's come with 315/70r17's) and 2. I have a 3/4 ton truck with 35K miles and it breaks. 3. it breaks when those tires have only been on for 10K miles 4. I have an 86 1/2 ton k5 blazer with 36x14.50 that has 180K miles on and has been beat to sh*t off road, and I have never had a problem with it.

THEM-yes it's weird that failed like that....and we weren't aware that those tires are the same size that come on the H2...are you sure?

ME-yes I have the website in front of me right now

THEM-let me talk to my boss, we'll call you right back....what kind of lift is it

blah..blah...blah....

 

So they call back and tell me if I can get steering specs from fabtech, and I fax it to them, they may cover it, if the specs are close enough to stock....mmmmmm ok????

 

I guess my thing is they originally said that they weren't gonna cover it because of the width of my tires...then they change their story...

 

My question is, I don't know a whole lot about steering gear boxes....is it something that I have to worry about driving down the road at 75mph, and suddenly lose my steering..they told me it wasn't, and all it would do was make noise till it got to obnoxious to stand. Is it something I should look into getting replaced now....or just drive till it's broken for sure.

 

On top of that I found out I'm getting screwed on my GMPP warrenty...they talked to GMPP to see if they would cover it, and since the truck is still in the factory warrenty(I can't even make a claim until I am over 36K miles)....but my GMPP book says that my 54K mile warrenty ends at 88K and change....let's see 54 + 36 = 90.....someone isn't doing their math right.

 

sorry for my long post....but I had to vent and get some advice....If I had known lifting this truck would have been such a PITA I wouldn't have....I mean I have had 0 issues with the blazer, and it has 180K miles, and is almost 20 years old...this thing has had noises/bumps/clunks/ and a bad CV with 23K miles on it...but thats another story. I swear I'm gonna sell it for a cadillac.

[tmf6902]

Well since I got no replies I'll reply to myself...talked to the tech manager at fabtech today, and he said that he has never heard of a steering box going bad like that with just 36K miles. And he said he knows for a fact it's the same box that goes in all the GM trucks and H2's, and that the only way my tires would have broken it is if it was broken already.

 

The stealership is basically with me that the box shouldn't have gone bad like that, but they said it got denied for a warrenty claim and their hands are tied. So they suggested I call GM myself, and the tech at Fabtech said that he would be happy to talk to them and explain their steering system and all the specs. So we'll see what happens.

[GMCTech]

Enlighten me on what a Fabtech lift involves if you could.

 

If any suspension components have been replaced with unlike components then GM is going to fight you every step of the way regarding any warranty claims involving suspension or steering.

 

Did you have to crank up the torsion bars? and if you did, is the front suspension still set to "Z" height?

 

The argument about the H2 is moot as it is not a K truck chassis. The suspension geometry is quite different, therefore there are different stresses on different areas of the vehicle and it's front end components.

 

I would be very surprised if your tires, or even your suspension has caused any problem with your steering box, but that doesn't change the fact that GM will use it against you, as they feel you no longer have a factory vehicle.

 

I have seen many vehicles with all manners of aftermarket accessories be denied for warranty work. And I have seen things get paid that were completely caused by aftermarket accessories. It all depends on the warranty claims writer at the dealership, and whether or not he can create a story that is plausible to GM warranty. Maybe you can find another dealer that will be able to cover it.

 

Hope this helps, and update us as things progress.