Would intermediate steering shaft cause choppy tread wear?

[Jeremy_K]

I've done some searching about the steering shaft being an issue since mine is starting to clunk while turning on rough terrain. I just had my tires rotated the other day and the fronts had some cupping or choppy tread wear on them (usually due to bad suspension parts). My yukon only has 41K on it so I would think the suspension components would still be good. It's never seen snow or salt up until this winter.On a side note, My tranny started acting up on me the other day. Just a light clunk and hesitation going into second under normal driving. I checked the fluid and it was almost a quart low! It wasn't a quart low last time I checked it which was within the last month. I topped it off and now i'll have intermittent problems with it shifting during city driving. My poor baby didn't like being moved from NM to PA in the winter!

 

[Fortune50]

I doubt the steering shaft is the cause of your problem with tire wear. The "bad" shafts were due to an improper length of the shafts which can cause clunkiness, not to do with any looseness in the steering. You may just need a plain old alignment, has it ever been checked? Also, whenever the truck is in for regular servicing, the tires should have the tread depth checked and then rotated if need be so that tire wear will stay even on all 4. Are you on the original tires yet?
So far as your tranny goes, it may read low due to cold ambient temps, the fluid contracts and will take up less volume in frigid temps. You may have to remove some of the fluid once it gets warm out this spring, just keep an eye on it. If it reads over full in warmer weather, siphon some out. So far as your intermittent shifting problems while driving it around town, does it do it only when it's cold, or even so after it's warmed up. What are the symptoms you're experiencing with the trans' shifting? Harshness? Long shift times? Holding gears?

 

[Jeremy_K]

Thanks for the info. when the fluid was low 1st was long and then it clunked into second whether it was hot or cold. After I topped it off, the clunking went away but it was holding gears longer while it was hot. I had it on the highway for a 4.5 hour drive last night and it was fine the whole way. passing gear had no problem and rapid acceleration from on ramps had no issues.

 

[Fortune50]

If it's out of warranty, call up some local tranny shops and see if they'll do a free diagnosis for you where they will drive the vehicle w/ you in the truck w/ him/her, most will. A competant shop will know if there's a problem or not w/ the tranny. May want more than one shop to look at it if the tranny is blamed...