I recently removed my power steering rack and installed a manual one and didn't realize until last min that the joint doesn' fit. Help

 

Be more specific:
Year?
Model?
OEM rack or aftermarket?
Which joint are you referring to?

 

96 Honda del sol si that had oem power steering. I got into an accident recently and bought a manual rack and pinion. The rack bolted on perfect but it doesn' connect to steering wheel column joint cause it' thinner then the power steering.

 

If I'm understanding correctly..The steering column joint/coupler will slide over the new rack's pinion gear shaft but won't tighten down correctly because the diameter of the new pinion gear's shaft circumference is smaller than the previous rack?

Both the pinion gear shaft and the column's coupler have splines. These splines serve a safety purpose as well as a funtional purpose.as they ensure a solid connection even if the coupler bolt were to loosen.

Are you sure you ordered the correct rack? Is it an aftermarket or Honda genuine rebuilt rack? Call the company you ordered it from and tell them the issue...maybe the have splined shims or will send you a better fitment rack.

 

Correct. Is there any u joint that' universal that can fit any size rack out there ?

 

Highly doubt it. Call the manufacturer of the rack..they can provide the most information.
Possibly, a 5th gen Civic's coupler might work?

IIRC manual racks were only used until 1992 (5th gen civics) this may explain the difference in pinion shaft circumference.

I fully de-powered my car's ('95 Civic EX coupe) steering rack a few months ago. Completely de-powering requires removing the rack internals and cut off a metal seal to eliminate air pressure. I contemplated purchasing an aftermarket manual rack but I was concerned with fitment issues and it only cost me $10 to replace a worn out needle-bearing the pinion gear rotates on. I ended up purchasing new inner and outer tie rods and boots as well.

 

You will have to get the manual rack u-joint from a salvage yard.

Manual and power steering had two different size yokes.

 

Thanks for clarifying that TC.

 

It's been stated in a few manual to power or power to manual write ups that you need the u-jount/yoke for the rack you are installing. If it weren't for that, I would never had known.

Or maybe it was in a adding tilt steering column write up.

Don't really remember but do remember reading about it so I kept the 95 tilt power rack u-joint/yoke with the column when I pulled it.

Here we go, a couple of posts from others who noted and had response as such:
https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-...joint-3272161/

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-...olumn-2137012/

 

Manual racks were used in the low models (CX and DX) up through 1995.