I have a question or rather I would like to know if you have any experience with 4WS. I would like to know about 4WS and its moving tolerance within itself. I think that mine has more tolerance then it should have. I’ll try to explain…

For example – if I lift car on rear left side, left rear wheel is in the air while right rear wheel is on the ground. I grab tire where red circles are. And then I try to move it to the left or right.



As far as I know, there shouldn’t be any tolerance. In my case, I can move it approximately 0.5 inch in both directions. In the meantime tire on the other side doesn’t move at all. Same happens if I switch sides and right rear wheel is in the air and left rear wheel is on the ground.

It feels like there is something “loosed” inside 4WS so each axe can move freely. I guess that wheels should move simultaneously? But because one is on the ground, the other shouldn’t move at all?

 

Bad Tie rod ends?

 

when i had my 4ws, i never experienced or did any testing like you did in the explanation above. the only issue i ever had with my 4ws was with the 4ws ecu, which was faulty. but i hope you can get a solution to your question. A little more info about the car would be nice. Has it been in accident before? Which owner are you? Have you asked the previous owners.

 

How did this 4ws ecu faulty effect on driving?

As far as I know, car hasn’t been in any accident. I think that I’m third owner. Yes I did, but it came out, that his answers are not something to believe in (long story).

 

It is normal, don`t worry. I also own an EDM BB1 with 4WS, and it`s the same.

 

there are no axles in the rear of the car. its not 4wd.
it could be bad inner or outer tie rods or a bad 4ws motor.
try to move each tire the same way you did above, but grab at the bottom of the tire and the top of the tire. if you have play in the up and down direction, it can also be a wheel bearing or both wheel bearings.

it can also be any combination of the above.

 

u have to really put some strength so that u can make the tire turn in n out.If that's the case.U're good.

if it move like what you describe by light pushing n pulling,then that's not normal.Something must be already busted.

somehow i'm curious what get you to check on this thing?

 

There should be no movement in the 4ws system when the key is off, if there is a 'loose' feeling when shaking the wheel back and forth, you need to first find the source. Have a friend, neighbor, or your mom shake the tire back and forth while you grab the different joints. Feel for a difference in movement between the upper control arm and knuckle (upper ball joint), lower control arm and knuckle (lower ball joint), tie rod end to knuckle, and rear trailing arm mount. If there is no movement in any of those joints check the wheel bearing for play (use the knuckle for reference) and then check the outer tie rod to steering box for play. I'm 90% sure it is going to be something other than the 4ws rack.

Btw Im ase certified in steering and suspension and have owned a 4ws 4th gen lude.

 

Is the 4WS light on in the dash? If so, pull the codes.
Even if the motor is bad (you didn't say anything about other problems, so I assume it's fine), the unit has heavy springs that act as a fail-safe to keep the wheels straight.

 

@ apexi_bb6:
Car is at shop at the moment and they’ll try everything you listed, so I assume that I’ll get info soon. I really hope, that isn’t 4WS rack, because these are really rare in EU (used ones)


@ PreludeMatt:
No, the 4WS light is on only when I give contact, but when I start engine it goes off. So light is working and there are no codes to pull.
I don’t know about motor – as I said, car is at the shop now, so I assume that I’ll get info soon.

I read about those springs and fail-safe mode. That's the reason why I don't understand this loosed felling in rear end…?

 

i have a 92 prelude that (was) a 4ws model but i found a 92 prelude Si that had been wrecked in the front and i took the rear suspension off of it and replaced mine with it. the reason is that i didnt feel the 4ws was all that safe or and sometimes when driving in a straight line you could feel the back of the car traveling left or right randomly. Does anyone know where i could find out much info about the whole 4ws system??

 

there is no way of locking the rear steering so even with the key out there will be movement its only held static by springs which is why a non functioning 4ws is dangerous

 

Hi guys,

I (we) solved everything

Problem was bad right (rear) tie rod and together with bad (front) left drive shaft so driving experience was disaster (as I wrote here https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-prelude-4/rear-end-bouncing-goes-itself-3007897/ ) We also changed suspension – now there are AGX with Eibach springs. So we changed everything! After that I did wheel alignment...

...and now driving is like ****

Thank you guys for all your suggestions! It helped a lot!