DIY: Steering Slack Fix

[sam o nela]

Originally Posted by 1stGen5sp


I FIGURED IT OUT can i get a DIY or sticky maybe!??!

the steering slack is due to a bolt in the lower most steering knuckle in the column that strips. on mine, the knuckle is still good, but the bolt itself stipped. i had to hammer the bolt out. but more on that later.

remember, this is MY personal experience, yours may be bad tie rods, always check those first, mine where good, but check them first and foremost! but chances are, yours are probably bad!!

1. what you need to do is remove the lower knee bolster by removing the screws on each corner of the panel, and the two inside the fuse panel cubby. lower this, and remove the four plugs to the switches bolted to the back and set it aside.

2. then remove the column panels by removing the scews holding the two pieces on.

3. pull the carpet back, it is held on with velcro.

4. there is a black panel behind it that the column goes into, remove this by unscrewing the three plastic bolts on it, they are only finger tight.

5. you will see two knuckles going into the rack itself. the lower one, if you move the steering wheel back and fourth will be loose.

6. next step is to unbolt the upper one, and remove the bolt from it. do not lose the lock washer, you might want it later

7. then unbolt the steering column by removing first all the electrical plugs so you can set it aside.

8. unbolt the column by first removing the gold clamp with the 12mm bolts, set this aside

9. unbolt the two nuts and remember to HOLD UP THE COLON SO IT DOESN'T FALL ON YOUR HEAD!!!

10. pull the column from the upper knuckle and set it to the side

now this next part is going to be quite interesting. i had a hard time doing this, and i fount i needed the steering column a couple of times..

11. move the knuckle to where the bolt is facing you

12. pry up on the knuckle being careful not to damage anything. if found the best way to do this is to is to move side to side pulling up on the knuckle till it comes off.

13. with the knuckle removed set it on its side on the edge of something so you can hammer it out from the back. DO NOT DRILL THIS OUT, YOU WILL DAMAGE THE THREADS IN THE KNUCKLE.

BE CAREFUL doing this, hammer on it a couple times, then attempt to unbolt it, it will just spin, but it will help in removing it. do this, take your time, until it comes out


14. take your new bolt and attempt to screw it in. thread it slowly, it will not go in smoothly. bolt in till it gets tight, the wait just a few seconds, then unbolt and check the threads. do this over and over, going SLOWLY until the bolt goes all the way through. then unbolt it, and thread it in from the other side. do this a couple times to get the threads inside the knuckle.

15. put it all back together in reverse order, and put some thread lock on the bolts to help prevent future stripping and losening.. should all be good

it is part number 028 in the image below, and is $0.98 from http://estore.honda.com/epc/asp/rjane007.asp#






Good Luck and have fun fixing your steering!!



will edit with pics tomorrow when its daylight out