Hey guys!

I own a '92 Civic Si for 1.5 years now and don't know the complete history of the car i.e. if any parts have been swapped for any other Honda model.

Today, I tried replacing the steering rack boots with OEM ones and the parts won't fit. The inside diameter of the boot that fits on the rack is too small: about 1/8'' radially or 1/4'' diametrically smaller than the old ones I'm replacing and won't fit over the lip on the rack body to properly sit on the flange. I have tried for about 2 hours with force, with grease, by heating them and even enlarging the inside diameter of the boot with a knife.

PIcture for reference : https://www.google.ca/search?q=honda...gg6ia7beQaSXM:

My question is : Is it possible that the steering rack I currently have in the car has been changed for another Honda model one such as an Integra or other? Basically, anyone knows which model has bigger rack body flange so I can order the right boots?

Or are the boots a real tight fit and the old ones I've removed have ''enlarged'' after many years on this rack body?

Thanks!

 

These boots are indeed a tight fit

I also had this problem with my 93 Del Sol Si. After some heat and grease and removing the intake piping i got the passenger side boot on. The drivers side on the other hand is a much tighter fit and there is really no way to get to it from the top with the engine in place. In my frustration I ended up cutting a slice down the boot and then once over the flange. Tightened it down with a ziptie in a way which pulled the cut closed. There is still an small open slice at the base of the boot. I just make sure water cant collect inside of it ( cut facing down) and apply marine grease into the hole every now and again as a preventative.

Integra racks only came in power steering, and would have at least 4 ports for lines. The 92-95 power racks only have 3 ports

92-95 power rack

 

I ended up doing pretty much the same. I cut some notches in the boot to get it over the flange and tightened it down with a ziptie too, but I doubt this will hold long term. I want to do this right but damn there's is no room to properly force (driver side) from underneath the car...

I will check if my P/S has 3 or more ports. Do you happen to know if Integra's rack have bigger boot flanges? Or where could I get this information?

 

My boot has been like that for close too 2 years in PA winters. I just pulled the boot back the other day for re-grease and found no damage inside. That being said i would much prefer this to be fixed right aswell.... i feel for my new moog components.

Im not sure of the boot size differences on the racks. If your rack isnt looped its unlikely you have an integra rack. People rarely transfer over the whole integra system

Note the hard-lines running down the integra rack

 

Do you know if the steering rack for your '93 Del Sol is the same used on '92 Civic (Si)? All '92 to '95 power racks are the same?

Obviously, you switched yours to manual steering, but I have 3 oil lines placed exactly as yours. Will post pictures later.

 

I went back to the Honda dealer to sort this out.

Seems like the driver's side and passenger side aren't the same part number.

Driver side : 53534-SR2-N52

Passenger side : 53534-SR2-A52

And, the 53534-SR2-N52 hole that fits on the rack is BIGGER than the one of the 53534-SR2-A52. I would say about 1/8'' bigger.

My guess is, last time I tried to installed the passenger's side on the driver's side...

 

Doh...

Also for future reference, keep in mind the Del Sol VTEC uses the Integra's ST7 steering gearbox and the Del Sol Si uses the Civic's SR3 steering gearbox. Both of these power-steering racks use different boots.

 

Thanks for the help, but what's an SR3 Civic? Did different '92 to '95 Civic models have different racks?

 

So, I ordered aftermarket boots and was also worried about the "different part number" issue. Aftermarket ones do not distinguish between left and right. Alas, I had no such trouble. Vehicle is a 93 Si Hatchback.

I went with these from RockAuto: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=5674611&cc=1168657&jsn=6&jsn=6

Happily, design is identical to OEM. I reused the original attachment pieces (the ring and the clamp) since these are a superior design to the **** they give you in the box. Other than that, bob's your uncle.

 

SR3 is just a Honda part code specific to the 5G Civic. You'll notice parts for a 5G Civic on a Honda parts site will often have SR3 or SR4 or SR8 as the three-digit component to the part number. It's just shorthand for saying it's for a 5G Civic.