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Altima Nissan Altima Sedan Discussion Forum

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  #1  
Old 09-06-2014, 03:28 PM
DFFECHSWU DFFECHSWU is offline
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2004 Altima
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5
Default Steering Column Joint Assembly

Hello. I have a question that I hope one of you can answer. I have an '04 Altima 2.5S and since day 1 I had play in the steering wheel. The play is such that nothing moves on the wheels, but I could hear a slight tick as I turned the wheel. Nissan did nothing to help (another story) other than to tell me the steering column was broken and that I'd need to spend $600 to fix it. Nope, not happening.

60K miles later, I'm doing some maintenance on the car and opt to change the intermediate steering link (P/N 48080). I used the Dorman part, and while things tightened up a bit, there was still the usual tick. I took the front panel off and got a better look at the unit. At the end of the column there is a universal joint, and one end of the intermediate link rests into it and it held in place by a bolt. The other end is attached to the column itself. The end attached to the column is where the tick is coming from, and I can see play as I turn the wheel.

In looking at part details on the Nissan sites, part number 48080N seems to be only the piece into which the intermediate link rests. This is my question, for $130, do I get the entire universal joint, and I can disconnect at the column end by undoing the bolt, and the same goes for the end that attaches to the intermediate link. Or do I have to purchase the column to get that piece?

Any help would be appreciated. It seems like a simple fix, but you never know with cars. I've attached images, too. They were taken by me on my back looking up at the steering column. I tried to get in there as well as I could but it's a tight fit. The bolt with the green ink is the one that removes the link from the column, as the column is splined at its end.
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Steering Column Joint Assembly-steering-column-01-jpg   Steering Column Joint Assembly-steering-column-03-jpg  
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  #2  
Old 09-07-2014, 02:47 PM
bennyb53's Avatar
bennyb53 bennyb53 is offline
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2019 Sentra
2002 Altima
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 2,105
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you can research that Dorman part at rockauto.com. you can see that part image with much clarity with what you're getting.
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Old 09-10-2014, 06:29 PM
DFFECHSWU DFFECHSWU is offline
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2004 Altima
 
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Thank you for your reply. I've already purchased and installed the Dorman part from Rock Auto, which is the 'intermediate link', thinking it would help ... and it did. It connects from the lower end of the steering column to the rack. The column is connected to the intermeidate link vis another u-joint. The intermediate link's end rests into a u-shaped channel at the lower end of the u-joint. What I need is that u-joint at the end of the column, and I've not been able to locate it. It's attached to the upper end with a clamp, as the end of the column is splined.
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Old 09-18-2014, 10:06 AM
DFFECHSWU DFFECHSWU is offline
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2004 Altima
 
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Thank you for viewing this thread, but I was able to find my answer. I located a u-joint at a junkyard and was able to remove it without issue, so it is separate from the steering column itself. I can't speak for how Nissan sells the part, but if you ever need one, go to the junkyard and find one that doen't have excessive free play or binding.
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  #5  
Old 05-13-2016, 12:42 PM
DFFECHSWU DFFECHSWU is offline
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2004 Altima
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5
Default Steering Column Part Number Inquiry

The issue with the free play in my steering wheel continues. I've replaced the lower shaft and knuckle, and since the issue is still there, the next thing is the steering column. That's what the Nissan dealer told me years ago, but stubborn me wanted to make sure myself. I located one on E-Bay for a nice price and can also get one from a junkyard.

My question concerns part numbers. The part number for my '04 is 48810-8J060. A Nissan dealer site shows that part production dates were between 09/03 and 01/04. The part number changes slightly in the subsequent years. The question is does that matter? Can I get a steering column from another Gen 3 (or even later) model provided the same base number '48810' is there?

Thanks in advance for any advice.
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