93civicsedan

iTrader: (1)

nice writeup do you know if the eg steering racks have that bushing that can be replaced?

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

It is almost identical...

b16_madman

When I brake, my car sounds like what is described also, also when I hit the rough pavement like you said. With about 200k estimated on the frame, it could be anything worn out, but this would be a cheaper replacement.

Glad to see it's a common old crappy civic problem.

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

Driving Impressions:

Well somehow I magically got the steering wheel connected back dead center, and my new "eye-balled" toe settings are completely drivable (drifts slightly right) until I get an alignment this weekend. The car feels like brand new now. So far I've replace:

Front LCA bushings (with new OEM rubber)
rebuilt front cross-member (new OEM rubber & new washers)
New front engine mount
One tie rod end & one tie rod ball-joint boot
New inner rack bushing
New steering gearbox boots & fresh lube throughout
All new front swaybar bushings
All new gearbox mounting bushings

Everything was completely doable alone except for re-installing the steering gearbox (not possible with one person). Hooking it back up to the steering column was a bitch. But with some patience & perseverance, It all worked out. It required a friend to lift & twist the gearbox as you hooked it up to the steering column's U joint (#13). When you disconnect the gearbox from the steering column, only undo the pinch bolt that is connected to the gearbox pinion. If you remove the U joint (#13) completely, you will have a fun time figuring out which way it goes back on...

hahagasdcrx

I loved it when i rebuilt my steering rack. Good job.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fast88std &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


btw, wasn't that the family where they were all cars, the dad was a cab and the son wanted to be a race car and he built himself with race parts or somethin like that??? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Nice to have someone notice what my avatar is.....

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hahagasdcrx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Nice to have someone notice what my avatar is..... </TD></TR></TABLE>

Doesn't he get owned by a train...

civicflow

I hatchback does the same clunking/vibration when braking. Good info.

hahagasdcrx

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 94eg! &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Doesn't he get owned by a train...</TD></TR></TABLE>

His dad does trying to save him if i can remember.......

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

No he gets hit saving his dad (who gets stuck on the tracks). When the mechanics rebuild him, he decides to be rebuilt as a taxi just like his dad (He keeps the hot rod motor though )...

Los.

damn looks like im gonna have to go through this kind of adventure soon well atleast it will be all worth it when everythings all new again

88civicsi

i need to do this same thing so i am wondering, where might i purchase one of these bushings? btw: great write up

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

Best thing to do is put together a list of OEM parts that you need/want (get your frinends too), and order them all together from HondaAutomotiveParts.com. They have the best prices I've seen, but they charge a $5.00 handleing fee on every order (so combining orders saves money).

Just look up your car in the "Honda Parts Catalog" section, and go to "steering gearbox" to find the inner rack bushing (this part doesn't apply to Power Steering cars)...

*Boostwerks*

I keep seeing people mentioning that they have the "same vibrations when braking".

First take into account that your rotors might be warped. however, If your brakes have been recently replaced, then this is most likely the problem.

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bryson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I keep seeing people mentioning that they have the "same vibrations when braking".

First take into account that your rotors might be warped. however, If your brakes have been recently replaced, then this is most likely the problem. </TD></TR></TABLE>

When I described this problem, people would always comment that it's most likely "warped rotors". This is a different sort of vibration however. When you experience warped rotors (actually uneven pad deposits), it will clearly shake the steering wheel left & right in your hands under braking. A bad "inner rack bushing", however, doesn't feel anything like that. You can clearly hear the right front tire wobbling around, but there is no movement of the steering wheel. The rattleing from the wheel can be flet through the steering wheel (barely), but it doesn't move...

Also, you can hear the noise if you jack up the car & wiggle the passenger side front tire around. I didn't notice it at first, but when I wiggled really hard, I could hear/feel the exact noise very clearly. Then I got under the car & started yanking the tie rods & steering rack around (helps if you turn the steering wheel all the way to the left). This is how I found the exact problem...

88civicsi

well like you stated earlier "More recently I've noticed a lot of noise/vibration coming from my right front tire under braking & harsh pavement." like my car for instance, on rough roads mine makes a noise/rattling. i thought it was ball joints, so i replaced them, along with a complete energy suspension poly kit, and i also replaced my tie rod ends(car has 230,000 miles so couln't hurt). anyway you don't even use the brakes during these instances wich eliminates rotors.

btw: thanks for the info on the replacement bushing

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

***edit: reading ownz me ***

Tyson

i just replaced the bushing today again, first time since owning my current crx. to help clear up the warped rotors vs steering rack bushing play discussion, a loose rack end bushing GREATLY accentuates the vibration due to warped or uneven rotors. my car had the signs of a worn rack end bushing: noisy suspension over bumps, rattles and vibrations. i got HUGE amounts of vibrations when braking at highway speeds. now that i changed it, of course a lot of the bad suspension noises and clunks went away (feels great!), but now the braking vibrations have not entirely gone away, but were dramatically reduced. so i still got warped rotors, but its much more bearable now.

so its quite the chicken or the egg. did my warped rotors cause my rack end bushing to go bad? or did my worn rack end bushing cause my brakes to go bad??? i think its a combination of the two. i do know that when i first bought the car exactly a year ago, the brakes were solid. and had i just replaced the rotors now instead of the bushing, im pretty confident my braking vibrations would occur again very soon and ruin another set of rotors.

im going to get my rotors turned....

Twilight

Aw man. 12hrs of work behind, thank god.

Replaced the rack end bushing today aswell, took me 2h.

First the outer tie rod was so stuck to the wheelhub, have to hit the hub for 40mins. Then it popped off. Nothing really hard at the removal. For my suprise, the locknut werent so hard to streighten. Inner ball joint removed nicely.

But taking the bushing out was real pain in the ***. Very hard to get off. Thank god i did have lifter and good tools. (I work at Volvo ) Have to drop the steering rack a little, and use some screwdriver and tons of diffrent tools to get it out. This was the hardest part. But one time it just popped off, and i was happy... :D

Getting it back in werent so hard after you find the correct style to get it in

All back together, and the clunking sound is just a memory. (From the bushing )

Tyson

yeah, i really think by now, 14-18 years since new, every crx needs this changed if it hasnt already. i tihnk a lot of ppls complaints of "bad handling" would be slightly altered if they realized the difference this little bushing makes.

Rainville

yeehaa good thread

rexerk

anyone else think this should be added to faqs? awesome write and great info

Twilight

I think there should be "DIY Repair FAQ".

All info and help topics. Who else votes for this?

Tyson

so i just adjusted my gear box and i must say, this also is a MUST do.

as much of a HUGE improvment that replacing the rack end bushing was ($10 in parts), adjusting the gear box COMPLETED the job. its fairly easy to do as well. dont be intimidated by the big jamnut. just use an adjustable channel lock wrench. then just use a 14mm to turn the plate.

dont over tighten, but youll probably end up having to readjust it a few times to get the right feeling.

http://www.honda.co.uk/owner/C...4.pdf

whole9

Ive been really thinking about this... Alot... Anyone know where to get this:

"I rebuilt the steering rack with a Quaif quick ratio gear for the EF manual rack and replaced wear items from Honda"


Thats alot of work but is that worth it? I think this could be a definite must do.

Mr. B in Az

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by whole9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Ive been really thinking about this... Alot... Anyone know where to get this:

"I rebuilt the steering rack with a Quaif quick ratio gear for the EF manual rack and replaced wear items from Honda"


Thats alot of work but is that worth it? I think this could be a definite must do. </TD></TR></TABLE>

what are you asking for?........the quaife rack?
check here http://www.inlinefour.com/quaifquicrac.html