Originally Posted by rexdout45

...all I asked was a simple question and I always get smart allic remarks back.

Originally Posted by 94eg!

Here is an update:

I was originally wanting to do the work with the steering gearbox still in the car. After some careful though, I decided it would infinitely easier to just remove the thing. It came out pretty easy...

Disconnect Tie rod ends from steering knuckles
Disconnect Steering column from Gearbox
Disconnect Exhaust pipe from header down-pipe
Disconnect Shift linkage (one bar at the transmission one bar at the shifter)
Disconnect the gearbox from the chassis
Slide gearbox to the right till tie rod end clears chassis
Slide gearbox left & out

Next I cleaned the gearbox with a full can of brake cleaner & washed it with orange blast (looks new). I proceeded to remove the tie rod ends, & they just wrenched right off. The jam nuts, however, were pretty rusted to the inner tie rods. An hour soaking in PB Blaster did the trick & they came right off. I proceeded to cut off the old torn boots. On the CRX, the inner boot clamps are the screw down type, so I took those off & saved them. The outer clamps are a coil that pops off with a screwdriver (saved them also). Next I had to remove the inner tie rod end on the passenger side of the rack so I could get the "inner rack bushing out". The lock washer turned out to be a bitch, but hammering a screwdriver bent the tabs enough to get ahold of them with some pliers. Next, two adjustable wrenches made quick work of the inner tie rod. I would have tired just wrenching them if I had standard cresent wrenches.

Now on to the inner rack bushing. The two tabs on the inner bushing are clearly visible through two holes in the side of the steering gearbox. Using a flat head screw driver & began prying at those nubs to get the bushing to move out. It took a ton of patience (& some random micro screw drivers, Allen wrenches & a custom bent cotter pin & hammer) to get that damn bushing out of the housing. Once it came out, I was the happiest guy in a 10 mile radius!

I followed up pushing the rack in on the drivers side until it was sticking out on the passenger side as far as it would go. Then I cleaned the rack with a towel & gave it a LIGHT coat of suspension lube. I lightly lubed the inside of the new inner bushing & slid it onto the steering rack (to much lube won't let air flow back & forth as you steer). After a little squeezing I got the thing partially into the gearbox. Next I pushed the rack all the way into the gearbox so it was sticking all the way out the drivers side. Using some needle nose pliers I squeezed & pushed the tabs of the inner bushing until the cleared the gearbox housing & started to go in (be sure the tabs are perfectly lined with the gearbox holes. Next I set the whole gearbox on end & pressed the bushing into the housing (pressed it down onto my work bench). Then I used the old bushing, a washer, and a hammer to tap the new bushing into its final resting place.

Then I removed the boot from the other side of the steering gearbox, cleaned & re lubed everything. Reinstalled the inner tie rod that I took off (with new lock washer). Bent the tabs of the new lock washer down (I used a hammer & flat head to get them started). Slid the new boots on. Put all the old clamps onto the new boots. Put the jam nuts & tie rods back on & the whole thing feels good as new. No more play in the shaft!!!

I originally marked the tie rods & steering column so I could put everything back how it goes, but all my markings washed off . I have a feeling I'm gonna be limping to the alignment place. And I'm also gonna be re-centering the steering wheel after my alignment.