slowly my steering has been becoming loose.. when i drive the car follows the grooves at lights etc.. i have a 96 civic with a b18c1 turbo.. im trying to track this down.. when i get under the car and someone turns the wheel everything is turning just there is slop around the wheel.. for example i can get under there and wiggle the wheel left to right and feel the slop in the wheel but when i turn the steering wheel it seems to funcion correctly.. so ive narrowed it down to being something that connects the steering to the wheel... tie rod and bushings should they be my next step to fixing the problem... or should i try to adjust using the big adjustment nut?

 

wheel bearings, inner or outer tie rods. does it wiggle in other directions besides left to right? if so, it's your wheel bearings.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b18c1wes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">...should they be my next step to fixing the problem... or should i try to adjust using the big adjustment nut?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Your next step should be figuring out exactly where the play is coming from. Have a friend wiggle the tire left/right & up/down while you look around under the car. It's really gonna be easy to find if you do this. Then fix only the problems you find. A little bit of play in the steering makes a huge difference at the steering wheel...

If the play looks like it's coming from inside the steering gearbox on the drivers side, then you can try readjusting the large tension nut. If it's coming from the steering gearbox, it's most likely the rack end bushing inside the steering gearbox (much tougher to fix).

Now, go figure out what the problem is, and report back to us...

 

there is play left to right no play up and down.. the looseness is coming from where the cover is on the ball joint i think its called(need a manual) all of it is right where the tie rod connects to the rack.. there is no play in the rack only where the rod connects fromt he rack to the wheel.. had to pull the coiled cover off of it... tie rod replacent or bushings..? im going to go put my polyurethane shift bushings on now and ill come back and check in 30min or so... thanks

 

It also would help to know what car your working on (year, model, trim)...

Well, your terminology is very confusing. For example, nothing attaches directly to the wheel but the hub. The hub is attached to the knuckle. The knuckle is attached to the rest of the suspension via 3 points: the upper ball-joint, the lower ball-joint, and tie-rod ball-joint. The upper ball-joint is part of the upper control arm which then attaches to the chassis. The lower ball-joint is pressed into the knuckle, and connects it to the lower control arm. The lower control arm then connects to the chassis. The tie-rod ball-joint is part of the outer tie rod. The outer tie rod is connected to the inner tie rod. The inner tie rod is connected to the steering gearbox.

To simplify things, I suggest you use the number and picture labels in the following diagrams to describe exactly where the problem is coming from. Then we can tell you how to fix it:

94 Honda Civic parts for reference...
Picture 1 = Knuckle:


Picture 2 = Steering Gearbox:


Picture 3 = Front Lower Control Arm:

 

its a 96 hatchback cx.. on picture 2 on the diagram its the ball..part number 1.. there is play in the ball thats inside.. and im not certain how to get the tie rod that connects to the steering box off.. i can get the side that connects to the wheel off but not sure on the other side

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b18c1wes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">its a 96 hatchback cx.. on picture 2 on the diagram its the ball..part number 1.. there is play in the ball thats inside.. and im not certain how to get the tie rod that connects to the steering box off.. i can get the side that connects to the wheel off but not sure on the other side</TD></TR></TABLE>

At the bottom is a picture of your specific year car's steering components:

To replace inner tie rod #1:
- Put car on jack stands
- Remove front tire to make working room
- Break loose the jam-nut #32 from the outer tie rod #23/26
- Spin the inner tie rod #1 out from inside the outer tie rod #23/26 (disconnect them)
- Remove the jam nut #32 from the inner tie rod's threaded shaft
- Remove the gearbox boot #21 by removing it's two clamps #13 & #10 (#13 must be cut & replaced)
- Pry up the two bent tabs on the inner tie rod lock washer #20
- Use two large wrenches to break loose the inner tie rod #1 from the steering rack #8
- Install new inner tie rod w/ included lock washer #1
- Bend down tabs to lock inner lock washer #20
- Install boot #21 & clamps #13 & #10 (requires new #13 clamp)
- Thread lock nut #32 onto inner tie rod shaft #1
- Screw inner tie rod #1 into outer tie rod #23/26 until wheel is relatively straight (with steering wheel centered)
- Lock outer tie rod #23/26 in place by tightening jam nut #32 against it tightly
- Immediately drive to get an alignment (drive carefully)
- Enjoy

 

exactly what i needed.. but how do i get the end to come loose off the wheel.. i tried bigasshammer and nothing i even tried to put the jack under it and use the weight of the car to pop it out but nothing...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by b18c1wes &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">exactly what i needed.. but how do i get the end to come loose off the wheel.. i tried bigasshammer and nothing i even tried to put the jack under it and use the weight of the car to pop it out but nothing... </TD></TR></TABLE>

You don't need to separate the outer tie rod #23/26 from the "steering knuckle" (IT"S NOT ATTACHED TO THE WHEEL). The outer tie rod's ball-joint can just stay exactly where it is. The inner tie #1 rod is free to spin around once you break the lock-nut #32 loose.

This is why I didn't mention it. I hope you didn't mess up the threaded stud for the castle-nut or bend the tie rod. You shouldn't even be working on your car if you don't have the OEM shop manual. That book details everything about doing this project...

 

i used a mallet and its not bent but thanks for the info..