Steering Column Repair: 97 Bonneville steering column clunk, wheel bearing, intermediate shaft

Question
hello, I'm working on this bonny that has a steering column clunk on bumps and when you quickly shake the steering wheel.  I've seen some info on the net that says to replace the shaft between the rack and the column, but the noise and play seems to be coming from just a bit higher into the base of the column.  Is there also a bearing that goes bad, or is this part of the fix of changing the shaft?  Thanks for your input.

Answer
Hi,
Usually the intermediate shaft is the culprit. You can try greasing the shafts points and it may tighten it up a bit until the grease is displaced. It is a common problem on some GM model vehicles. I would also suggest a complete front-end check to make sure there all components are tight. It isn't unusual for noise to reverberate into the interior and sound as though it is coming from a different source. I've even heard a wheel bearing sounding exactly like a column problem but after careful inspection the culprit was diagnosed.
I hope that helps.
Have a great day!
-Jay