@@jeffkelley3419 too expensive....I mean my rack works fine just needs seals as is the case 99% of the time....not worth spending $350 plus my old unit... they're making a killing ...eBay $140
@Mike Pevency It's not always 'just seals' like in the case of this PS rack. If you end up needing hard parts you just lost your shirt on the rebuild and you would have been better off replacing with new or reman.
I worked as a Rep for a rebuilding company that was one of the first rebuilders of racks. At a introduction to racks, TRW explained that the spool valve was made with Teflon seals that over time would cut into the aluminum housing, making the rack "non-rebuildable." Hogwash. Anything built can be rebuilt! They bored the housing, installed a steel sleeve, making the rebuilt unit better than the OEM unit!
You prolly dont care but does someone know a way to log back into an instagram account?? I stupidly lost my password. I appreciate any tips you can offer me
@Braylon Dominick I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm trying it out atm. Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
Fun fact: The main front suspension noise on the passenger side that gets us all crazy and after changing all suspension components is always still there, is from this bushing 11:48 it only needs a little wear for the pinion to move up and down inside the rack so slightly and create that rattle noise that nobody can find! When the rubber dust boots get torn the dust destroys that small bearing causing the valve assembly pinion to move causing the leaks, that is why from factory they install this small bearing without the rubber seals to guarantee premature failure 😀!
I don't understand how that bushing on the end of the rack at 11:48 has an effect on the movement of the pinion up and down. If it were a bushing on the top or bottom of the pinion, that would make sense, but on the end of the rack...? Or did you mean to say that the bushing (what Eric called an end cap) allows the rack (shaft) to move up and down? And what bearing are you referring to? I didn't see a bearing on the end of the rack? Sorry, I'm just a little confused by your description. Thanks
That was excellent, yes with the force of the hydraulic pressure, the lateral thrust on that bearing would be considerable. Never thought there was so much to a steering rack, the valving is incredible..
Magnificent! Your video actually sheds a light in mysterious thumps that i experienced with my actual Acura TLX and a previous Honda Accord. The major issue is caused by some kind of front collision with previous owners. Unfortunately not a lot of guys out here want to repair or have the knowledge to do so. Then, charge you for speculation over costumers ignorance of mechanical problems and wrong parts. Once more I am impressed with the machinery quality and craftsmanship of japanese automakers. Great job showing the guts of it! Keep up with the good job man! Thank you!
Your video has convinced me to change my power steering fluid regularly and if/when I need to replace the power steering rack to seriously consider buying a new vs. refurbished unit. Thanks for posting!
@EricTheCarGuy We rebuilt 100's of thousands of steering racks over the last 33 years. Interesting to watch you go through the teardown. Sad you didn't give the viewers the terminology of the components. As a builder and a troubleshooter I have been through so many calls and emails with people that didn't know what I was describing and they had been "doing this for blah blah many years" lol. BTW this rack is pretty simple parts wise than so many others. Also there is a reason why we leave the passenger side tie rod on when you take the pinion nut off! Love the mess!. Honda doesn't want the core back because it's a cheap POS of a rack often made by KOYO or SHOWA. They are so poorly and cheaply made like the rest of the vehicle that they are disposable. The rack piston is super soft steel so it bends easily and the chrome is thin.Yeah the lower pinion bearing is often a failure in the Odyssey just as in GM's especially Magnasteer. Too small of a bearing for too much load. And for those who buy the kits online and say "hey I'm going to rebuild my own!" Have fun! Unless you have all the specialty tools to properly remove, install, and seat the telfons, rubber seals, o-rings, packings, bearings etc for the more difficult racks I wish you well. One nick, burr, or ill-fitting packing with cause a fail at pressure. The one final tool is our trusty Branick RPA-700 tester. This is what simulates in-vehicle operation. If it's going to fail it will on the test machine. If you don't have this and you're rebuilding your own it sucks to put the unit back in and have it fail making a mess all over everything. Using the vehicle as your final test is a bad way to learn a lesson. For those who whine about rebuilt parts I can tell plenty of stories about the seasoned wrenchers that ruined many a rack and expect warranty replacement. Good video Eric.
Hi Jon Roberts, are you saying that any steering racks can be rebuilt/repaired and there is nothing called beyond repair ? Thanks in advance for your (expert) response !
@@ssudarso I never said ANY. I did mention some in that post aren't worth it. We've certainly seen beyond repair. No doubt. Collision victim where the entire housing is shattered or the rack shaft is too bent to straighten. Mounts broken. The famous LH platform Chrysler had in the 90's that was positioned in the vehicle so that the rack housing would fill with water and the polished rack shaft would be corroded and pitted beyond repair. First gen Tacoma 4WD would get water in the passenger end and ruin the entire shaft. Couldn't get them re-chromed when that damaged. Oh and Late 70's Volvos leaked like hell no matter what you did. Bad design. Same with early Audi 100, any old school Bentley or Rolls, Jags, leaked like hell. Most older UK racks made by "Pow A Rak" were horrible leakers even with genuine seals. We only rebuilt with OEM seals. Some parts are just made bad and rebuilding is either more challenging or pointless. Thanks for the reply!
@@jonroberts4422 many thanks for your elaborative responses and explanation. Understand that if major deformation happend (too bent, damage due to accident etc.) it is better to replace the whole unit but in general if it is about "noises" - it should be rebuilt-able.
The main front suspension noise on the passenger side that gets us all crazy and after changing all suspension components is always still there, is from this bushing 11:48 it only needs a little wear for the pinion to move up and down inside the rack and create that rattle noise that nobody can find!
By any chance, do you know companies who sell this repair kits? I`m asking just to make a test with my old steering rack. Last time, makes some ugly noises when turning left/right just standing there..
to anyone interested- honda power steering fluid is 4 times thicker than normal PSfluid, it is also more gentle on seals- if you use alternative grades- they are thinner and may damage seals . using the honda fluid in normal power steering systems , makes the steering heavy as the orrifices are smaller, and increases pressure on the pump, if removed and flushed soon enough you may not have caused any damage to the pump. its like pumping oil thru a syringe vs water
I think most likely was the gap between the pinion and the gear was too big due wear and tear. Kinda like diff gears. Most steering racks probably just need some adjustment from that nut that had the spring. Thank you for the video. Very enlightening. My boss use to say, “if you how it works you can fix it”👍
@@fastinradfordable Yeah, Western Man. Europe and European diaspora nations have led the world in innovation. From 1400 to 1950 about 97% of scientific innovations have come from Europeans. You could say that everyone else is culturally, technologically, and in nearly every other sphere appropriating European ways 😄
I have a slight vibration in my steering wheel (2005 Accord) only between 60 and 70 mph. New rims, alignment, balance, hub centric rings, etc. No leaks off the pump or rack. I collected some of the fluid to inspect which was reddish black. Meaning someone had put ATF in a Honda power steering system and I guess it gunked it up to the point of wearing out the bearing in there like yours. I've done 2 full flushes and it's still pretty dirty. This video gave me a lot of insight, thanks!
I recall that after replacing your first rack and pump it is a good idea to install an inline filter. That way those little metal chips get caught before they can do more damage. I got interested in using a filter when the local Ford dealer quoted me $5,300.00 for a new power steering pump for my 2000 Ranger EV.
This is exactly the sort of thing I do: broken toasters, microwaves, derailleurs, fans, X-box, VCRs... Because it’s interesting to see how everyday things that we take for granted work.
My dad this morning was complaining about his car making a whining noise when turning. I explained to him its his power steering. He was like how does that work anyways? And this video came out today lol
@@wernerdanler2742 months later but youre probably wrong. PS pumps have several O rings that can go bad, allowing oil to leak or air to pull in. Whines are usually from air being pulled into the fluid or in worst cases, the bearing going out. But both things can be replaced. The vanes going out would mean it won't pump anymore.
Thanks for sharing,I just replaced the rack in my 2020 jeep compass for the same kind of noise you described. Had no idea of why but that bearing certainly makes the most sense. Dang shame to have to replace a $600 part for such a small bearing. At least this just gave me some peace of mind to know how it could have been making so much noise. This was great!!
Replacing my wife's power steering rack in a few days. I really wanted to autopsy her old rack, but need to return the core. Thanks to the tear down!!!
Thanks for taking the time to dissect the steering rack, it's definitely the bad bearing that was giving you the problem, a bearing not working properly will mess up your seal and then you have oil all-over..
I had to replace my tie rods, found the boot was ripped badly, then found the entire bottom of the rack covered in fluid. Looked at some "how to replace steering rack" videos, now I'm here learning a hell of a lot more about power steering components. Now, while I'm pissed about everything I've found wrong on my car, I'm glad I end up learning cool shit through it
I have tightened that nut with the spring and piece that holds tension against the shaft about 1/4 turn on my rack and solved a noise issue on some cars. On others it didn't work at all. If you get it too tight your steering will be too stiff, so go slow and check steering effort often.
Your my go to mechanic on youtube whenever I want to learn how to work on my own cars. I want to repair a leak in my '03 Mustangs rack and pinion and I want to familiarize myself with what is inside of one and this video really helped. I like to work on 3D printers and anything mechanical like you so I know the warm fuzzy feeling of taking something apart just to see how it was designed and how it works. Thanks a lot for continuing to make more content. It would be cool to see more videos like this one. I'd watch a whole series of these lol.
Hi Eric, love your videos. Precise and straight to the facts. Too much in a rack that is high precision. I'll pass and if it whines enough or fights me, the new rack should be nice and cheap and not worry about how it works. Good coverage !
@@sc0tte1-416 it shouldn't really. I meant my Honda is made in 02 and it still goes. I believe when these racks first started they had the electric motor close to the steering wheel and the sensors as well. And they had shitty steering feel. Now it looks just like this one in the video, they have the engine and sensors right next to the rack and it's one sealed thing. They don't seem to go wrong, they feel good, they don't create drag on the engine and they only need 2 wires to give them power.
@@SoulTouchMusic93 let me know when 30yrs old with over 500k miles. All my vehicles still have their original items, newest is a 94. Plus I get full feeling is steering.
Great video as usual. Now please rebuild it and throw it back in the vehicle! I'm not kidding.... we all need you to do this so that we can stop spending hundreds on full racks and just buy the seal kit for $20-$25. Thanks!
Hello Eric, I’ve seen a lot of guys changing out steering racks because of an oil leak from a bad seal. Is there any reason why those seals can’t be replaced?
Thanks for sharing! If we were in the old days, that's what a mechanic would do and repair or at least send to somebody for repair. Not only throwing stuff in our cars Keep it up!
Fascinating video. So much effort, engineering and high quality parts go into actually making something like that, only to have it end up as junk. It's a shame. But in many parts of the world this would be repaired and live again.
I tried rebuilding one of these once. About 5 minutes after I got of the car (1999 Honda Civic) I destroyed it. Stripped a big nut out while removing it. Wish I had rebuilt this style. Looks much easier.
Eric your videos are very good from a visual point of view and I am grateful for the effort you put into them on TH-cam. I would just suggest that when you take something apart, like the Honda power steering rack, you might at least show a manufacturer's diagram of the parts. You might even clean up and arrange your parts to correspond to the exploded view of the parts diagram. It would reduce the amount of guessing on your part and would be much more instructive. Thank you.
The older Odyssey racks didn't carry the pinion through the bottom of the rack. Instead of the wire clip arrangement the end cap screwed in with a bushing. Unfortunately on pinion side, the rod passes through the housing resting directly on the housing. You will find an indication of a slight flat spot on the rod where the adjustable plunger rests, as the rack moves across the alloy housing, you get a rattle which often people assume is the inner tierod, but is the excess clearance between the housing and rod. It actually makes alot more noise than you would expect, you can adjust some of the movement out, but you don't want it going tight on the less worn area. Incidentally the half round cap that rests against the shaft, is a plastic material on the older ones. Overall there is little provision for lubrication between the rod and housing. Should a boot tear, muck getting in will end up on the outer housing and cause rapid wear between it and the rackrod, especially on the pinion end which sees the steering effort applied. By the way, your rack is the wrong way round...
Im about to replace a 99 CR-V rack. This video was more interesting than the ones I'm watching for the actual replacement, even though Im doing nothing related to the rack itself and its components.😅 Great video!
My 1977 Civic Hatchback had a steering rattle. I made the rack pinion load adjustment once at abut 20,000 miles and it was sweet until I threw the car away at 120,000 miles. No power steering so the driver had good rack feel! Nne of my subsequent Hondas or Toyota needed it.
IMO you have provided a great service to the care repair community and owners when some tech says "It's going to be expensive.I have to replace the whole rack and pinion assembly" We now know exactly why its has to be a Honda OEM assembly and that rack and pinion repairability while possible, if you have the parts, it 'is time consuming and not worth it to the tech. Plus no one wants to give up their car for one more day then is absolutely necessary..
In my country mechanics almost repair every thing but they don't last that long . Recently I got steering rack of my 94 civic repaired but since they took the rack to some other workshop to repair so I wasn't able to see how a steering rack looks from inside luckily I searched TH-cam and surely enough Eric has already made a video on it .
I tried watching this after lunch and fell asleep. Finished it after my siesta. My knowledge of a power steering rack and what it looks like inside is complete. Thanks for another ETCG1 video and would you consider rebuilding this in the near future?
Thank you for your deep analysis video as always. Can you guess as to why so many competitive drifting cars have power steering problems? Specially the one with crazy angle kits installed. Their power steering fluid not only overheat but sometimes explode out the pipes or turn into air/gas. I suppose the sheer speed the piston moves through inside that thing causes problems but anyone can speculate that. I just don't know why it does.
Dude crazy...I was just thinking "i should look into how to rebuild my rack and pinion. I Have to find good video." BOOM!!! Like Fate. Your the fing man Eric
Wow. Never knew so much "stuff" was inside the power steering rack. If I end up replacing mine, I won't feel so bad about spending hundreds for a new one. Thanks Eric
Eric, I recommend saving those lines you removed at the beginning (if you haven't already thrown them out), just in case the new ones ever rust out and need to be replaced. I've had to replace those on 2 different cars ('11 Escalade and '04 CR-V). I found that, for many makes/models, no one makes replacement lines and you have to buy the whole rack and pinion to get new ones. I was able to buy replacement lines for the Escalade, but not for the CR-V. For that car, I ended up making my own lines out of 1/4" NiCopp brake line. Luckily the ends were bubble flare, so I was able to use my brake flaring tool to flare the ends. But that wouldn't work for those funky o-ring ends that your lines have.
Honestly I'm not concerned. I just installed a brand new Honda PS rack and I maintain my vehicles pretty well. This van is also garage kept. I don't think it'll be an issue. However, I'm not opposed to keeping old parts. th-cam.com/video/EdKH2NzzkNs/w-d-xo.html
My EK civic has a rattle when I go over bumps and the power steering rack is about last thing that I suspect. Just not sure If I can now be bothered to remove it and strip it down and then find the bearings are hard to obtain. Great video as always.
When the car was in the accident, there was a force on the wheel that pushed the rack in. The pinion didn't turn. It was forced into the bearing that it crushed.
This is a very interesting video, thanks for taking the time to do this and film it! It’s easy to see why so many vehicles are going over to electric power steering after watching this. I know a lot of people prefer the driving feel of hydraulic steering but for the sake of maintenance, electric seems to be the better option. Do you think you’d ever be able to take part an electric steering assembly? That would be really cool to see the comparison! Thanks again Eric
Very cool, thanks for sharing, never seen inside one. It appears that the fluid keeps even pressure on the stationary piston until you turn the wheel like a valve body inside a trans. Curious to know how when turning the wheel, how the fluid moves from the shaft to the piston since it needs to bleed off one side as it turns. Those 3 seals obviously direct the fluid, but the back and forth of the fluid direction is great engineering. Again, very cool.
the nut under the cap opposite the input shaft also sets bearing preload. Too loose and it rattles, too tight and it damages the bearings. I did a Ford Fox rack, there is a spec for rolling torque on the input shaft, basically the same idea as setting a crush collar on a diff. Tighten the nut until its at whatever in-lb of drag.
I find it surprising how few people know about wire locks. You'll see some people bash and groan on cylinders for hours trying to unscrew them and heck knows what other things. It must be not as common as i thought.
had to look up some videos on what all needs to be moved/removed to replace a rank in a 98 CR-V. Saw this video and thought why not give it a watch. So makes me want to pull the mine apart when I replace it.
Love videos like this - where we all learn new things together. The great picture quality means we see every nut and O ring. It's a real skill to make viewers feel so 'involved' in the project - bravo. But I have to say that the beard seems to be taking over. Be careful, as that's how Charles from HM started - and look what happened there! lol Long live Eric the Car Guy!
07:52. That 15/16 nut was loose on my 2012 G37, and fluid was leaking - had been for a while with the buildup on the outside. I tightened it up, now the steering is tighter which is weird as that appears to NOT be the part you could adjust for the pre-load tension, but merely a cap as you pointed out. Same time, I checked the fluid and it was down about 1/4 qt. Added fluid and the steering did get easier, albeit still tighter than before all of this and it's always seemed quite loose for a 3 turn L2L rack.
I think it would be a very long time before I would need a new PS rack for this van. Especially since I maintain it the way I do. In my view, that would be a waste of time and money. Thanks for the suggestion.
@mrphiscal I have other projects that are more pressing. Also, anyone that watches the video will see how it comes apart and hopefully be able to put one together. Also, I don't know if the parts are available. Lastly, I'd be happy to send it to someone if they wanted it.
@@ericthecarguy I hope you are able to send it to someone who can rebuild and make a video. Honestly, I tried to rebuild my Nissan rack a while back and ended up destroying it. I feel there is quite a lack of information on rebuilding racks on the interwebs. Someone really needs to be the hero Gotham needs.
have a 2011 kia sorento that is leaking ps fluid from passenger side seal at the tie rod boot, I have a replacement rack that I am petrified to attempt to replace myself. giving me a 'tour' of the rack system helps me to actually figure why it may be leaking. thank you for your videos. going after the change out video now
The rack on our '06 Pilot leaks somewhere near where pinion shaft meets rack. I was hoping an outside seal could be replaced while leaving the rack installed ... but now I understand why these things just get entirely replaced instead.
I've been having an issue with my 2006 Accord after tighteng the guide bolt about 1/4 of an inch and replacing the power steering pump last month. My steering intermittently stays light at high speeds. It's intermittent, it'll feel wiggly for a day or two then it will feel normal for a day or two. I found on your forum, you posted to a member saying that it usually is the variable assist valve in the rack failing. It sure seems like the steeting isn't "hunkering down" at driving speeds like it used to. It has it's good and bad days though.
Wonder if in the accident maybe the rack wobbled a little inside the housing causing the fixed piston/seal to smash into the walls instead of the O ring causing just enough metal to scrape off and make tiny places where the fluid could leak by and it would bounce back and forth like a bad strut or something, plus mooshing the bearing making it that much worse.
Thanks Eric! That was fun AND educational. So... given the metal shards on the power piston, and the "wait a minute" catch on the lower shaft bearing, you gotta suspect the metal may've come from elsewhere, e.g. a pump that ate itself at some point? If so, maybe the whole rack failure is a symptom & the root cause was a failed pump. Hopefully no other metal specks floating in the system!
Honestly IDK. That was the only place I found it. It could have also just been some coating material from the parts. Either way, I installed a new Honda rack in my van so I'm really not worried about it.
Ok from what I am getting from this in , cause the top of my pinion is leaking , that instead of removing the rack , I can just remove the two bolts and both pressure lines and remove the steering shaft , I can remove the pinion housing ? to just replace that seal ?
i happen to rebuild a similar rack and pinion for a montero 2005 and after some research the teeth MUST be at specefic tolerance or it wont engage with the pinion seamlessly and that lead to metal to metal contact and causes metal shaving in the seals that you saw it is rebuildable if you buy the seal and bearing kit
the seal on the outside of the rack gear rod does double duty. It serves as a place for the seal on the rod and the cylinder bore also the bearing block for the rod.
You speak well ... you teach well and you're obviously an excellent mechanic... thanks for the lesson. Are those things adjustable? I mean to say if your truck were drifting after an alignment and you just replaced both inner and outer tie rods, prior to the alignment, could the rack and pinion be adjusted to correct the drift?
The bearing in question may be 6001 one side rubber seal one side open, if u have a caliper might as well measure the inner, outer and width to get the exact size which will determine the bearing number.
There are sealkits available (inkl. new bearings) so you can reassembly the rack and use it oneday on one of your odysseys if you need one. I would save the power steering rack as a reseve...
Smashing teardown :-D It's simple but complex, the complex bit is that rotation sensing valve, well that's my view. The toothed rack and drive is a simple enough idea. Now put a new bearing in and re assemble it lol.
Given that I just installed a brand new Honda unit, I won't be rebuilding this rack. Lots of people want me to though. Personally, I don't recommend rebuilding PS racks given the effort in R&R and the high potential of failure. I think you're better off just installing a reman and being done with it. That's just my opinion. As always, thank you for your comment.
Thanks for the heads up on the 17mm that holds the bottom of the pinion. I would have done the exact same thing. But it would have been on the tailgate of my truck. And I know the guy put break fluid in the pump. That would have been catastrophic to my paint. Great work. And Happy Easter BTW
REBUILD IT PLEASE - a Power Steering Rack rebuild video by Eric will be super cool. All agreed - give thumps up here so Eric can make the video.
Well, you saw how it came apart. You could easily use this info to rebuild one of your own. Thanks for the comment.
@@ericthecarguy screw that...too many small parts ..I'll buy a cheap rebuilt on eBay 😀
@@bilbobaggins4710 Maybe, you'd get lucky and buy a new one - like Eric. Don't neglect your local auto parts stores. They sell rebuilt parts.
@@jeffkelley3419 too expensive....I mean my rack works fine just needs seals as is the case 99% of the time....not worth spending $350 plus my old unit... they're making a killing ...eBay $140
@Mike Pevency It's not always 'just seals' like in the case of this PS rack. If you end up needing hard parts you just lost your shirt on the rebuild and you would have been better off replacing with new or reman.
I worked as a Rep for a rebuilding company that was one of the first rebuilders of racks. At a introduction to racks, TRW explained that the spool valve was made with Teflon seals that over time would cut into the aluminum housing, making the rack "non-rebuildable."
Hogwash. Anything built can be rebuilt! They bored the housing, installed a steel sleeve, making the rebuilt unit better than the OEM unit!
I don't know that I ever wondered what the inside of a steering rack looked like, but I found this very interesting! Thank you!
You prolly dont care but does someone know a way to log back into an instagram account??
I stupidly lost my password. I appreciate any tips you can offer me
@Kieran Clyde instablaster :)
@Braylon Dominick I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm trying it out atm.
Takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
@Braylon Dominick it worked and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy:D
Thanks so much you really help me out!
@Kieran Clyde You are welcome =)
Fun fact: The main front suspension noise on the passenger side that gets us all crazy and after changing all suspension components is always still there, is from this bushing 11:48 it only needs a little wear for the pinion to move up and down inside the rack so slightly and create that rattle noise that nobody can find! When the rubber dust boots get torn the dust destroys that small bearing causing the valve assembly pinion to move causing the leaks, that is why from factory they install this small bearing without the rubber seals to guarantee premature failure 😀!
I don't understand how that bushing on the end of the rack at 11:48 has an effect on the movement of the pinion up and down. If it were a bushing on the top or bottom of the pinion, that would make sense, but on the end of the rack...? Or did you mean to say that the bushing (what Eric called an end cap) allows the rack (shaft) to move up and down? And what bearing are you referring to? I didn't see a bearing on the end of the rack? Sorry, I'm just a little confused by your description. Thanks
@@West-Windi had exactly the same question. I think his timestamp is off
That was excellent, yes with the force of the hydraulic pressure, the lateral thrust on that bearing would be considerable. Never thought there was so much to a steering rack, the valving is incredible..
Magnificent! Your video actually sheds a light in mysterious thumps that i experienced with my actual Acura TLX and a previous Honda Accord. The major issue is caused by some kind of front collision with previous owners. Unfortunately not a lot of guys out here want to repair or have the knowledge to do so.
Then, charge you for speculation over costumers ignorance of mechanical problems and wrong parts.
Once more I am impressed with the machinery quality and craftsmanship of japanese automakers.
Great job showing the guts of it!
Keep up with the good job man!
Thank you!
Your video has convinced me to change my power steering fluid regularly and if/when I need to replace the power steering rack to seriously consider buying a new vs. refurbished unit. Thanks for posting!
@EricTheCarGuy We rebuilt 100's of thousands of steering racks over the last 33 years. Interesting to watch you go through the teardown. Sad you didn't give the viewers the terminology of the components. As a builder and a troubleshooter I have been through so many calls and emails with people that didn't know what I was describing and they had been "doing this for blah blah many years" lol. BTW this rack is pretty simple parts wise than so many others. Also there is a reason why we leave the passenger side tie rod on when you take the pinion nut off! Love the mess!. Honda doesn't want the core back because it's a cheap POS of a rack often made by KOYO or SHOWA. They are so poorly and cheaply made like the rest of the vehicle that they are disposable. The rack piston is super soft steel so it bends easily and the chrome is thin.Yeah the lower pinion bearing is often a failure in the Odyssey just as in GM's especially Magnasteer. Too small of a bearing for too much load. And for those who buy the kits online and say "hey I'm going to rebuild my own!" Have fun! Unless you have all the specialty tools to properly remove, install, and seat the telfons, rubber seals, o-rings, packings, bearings etc for the more difficult racks I wish you well. One nick, burr, or ill-fitting packing with cause a fail at pressure. The one final tool is our trusty Branick RPA-700 tester. This is what simulates in-vehicle operation. If it's going to fail it will on the test machine. If you don't have this and you're rebuilding your own it sucks to put the unit back in and have it fail making a mess all over everything. Using the vehicle as your final test is a bad way to learn a lesson. For those who whine about rebuilt parts I can tell plenty of stories about the seasoned wrenchers that ruined many a rack and expect warranty replacement. Good video Eric.
Hi Jon Roberts, are you saying that any steering racks can be rebuilt/repaired and there is nothing called beyond repair ? Thanks in advance for your (expert) response !
@@ssudarso I never said ANY. I did mention some in that post aren't worth it. We've certainly seen beyond repair. No doubt. Collision victim where the entire housing is shattered or the rack shaft is too bent to straighten. Mounts broken. The famous LH platform Chrysler had in the 90's that was positioned in the vehicle so that the rack housing would fill with water and the polished rack shaft would be corroded and pitted beyond repair. First gen Tacoma 4WD would get water in the passenger end and ruin the entire shaft. Couldn't get them re-chromed when that damaged. Oh and Late 70's Volvos leaked like hell no matter what you did. Bad design. Same with early Audi 100, any old school Bentley or Rolls, Jags, leaked like hell. Most older UK racks made by "Pow A Rak" were horrible leakers even with genuine seals. We only rebuilt with OEM seals. Some parts are just made bad and rebuilding is either more challenging or pointless. Thanks for the reply!
@@jonroberts4422 many thanks for your elaborative responses and explanation. Understand that if major deformation happend (too bent, damage due to accident etc.) it is better to replace the whole unit but in general if it is about "noises" - it should be rebuilt-able.
The main front suspension noise on the passenger side that gets us all crazy and after changing all suspension components is always still there, is from this bushing 11:48 it only needs a little wear for the pinion to move up and down inside the rack and create that rattle noise that nobody can find!
By any chance, do you know companies who sell this repair kits? I`m asking just to make a test with my old steering rack. Last time, makes some ugly noises when turning left/right just standing there..
to anyone interested- honda power steering fluid is 4 times thicker than normal PSfluid, it is also more gentle on seals- if you use alternative grades- they are thinner and may damage seals . using the honda fluid in normal power steering systems , makes the steering heavy as the orrifices are smaller, and increases pressure on the pump, if removed and flushed soon enough you may not have caused any damage to the pump. its like pumping oil thru a syringe vs water
I think most likely was the gap between the pinion and the gear was too big due wear and tear. Kinda like diff gears. Most steering racks probably just need some adjustment from that nut that had the spring. Thank you for the video. Very enlightening. My boss use to say, “if you how it works you can fix it”👍
I’ve been watching your videos for years and I just wanna say thank you for taking the time to film and entertain us.
Thank you!
The engineering that goes into this to get the fluid where it needs to go.
The heights that Western man reached with his engineering and technology in the 20th century is staggering completely taken for granted.
I wanna know the wizardry behind the valve body in an automatic transmission...just breathtaking
OilBaron
“Western man?”
You know China has had natural gas piped into people’s homes for thousands of years?
@@fastinradfordable Yeah, Western Man. Europe and European diaspora nations have led the world in innovation. From 1400 to 1950 about 97% of scientific innovations have come from Europeans. You could say that everyone else is culturally, technologically, and in nearly every other sphere appropriating European ways 😄
Then the bean counters got involved and said how can we make it as cheap as possible and last till just after the warranty expires.
I have a slight vibration in my steering wheel (2005 Accord) only between 60 and 70 mph. New rims, alignment, balance, hub centric rings, etc. No leaks off the pump or rack.
I collected some of the fluid to inspect which was reddish black. Meaning someone had put ATF in a Honda power steering system and I guess it gunked it up to the point of wearing out the bearing in there like yours. I've done 2 full flushes and it's still pretty dirty. This video gave me a lot of insight, thanks!
I recall that after replacing your first rack and pump it is a good idea to install an inline filter. That way those little metal chips get caught before they can do more damage. I got interested in using a filter when the local Ford dealer quoted me $5,300.00 for a new power steering pump for my 2000 Ranger EV.
This is exactly the sort of thing I do: broken toasters, microwaves, derailleurs, fans, X-box, VCRs...
Because it’s interesting to see how everyday things that we take for granted work.
My dad this morning was complaining about his car making a whining noise when turning. I explained to him its his power steering. He was like how does that work anyways? And this video came out today lol
Probably the pump. Either just low on fluid or getting worn out.
@@wernerdanler2742 months later but youre probably wrong. PS pumps have several O rings that can go bad, allowing oil to leak or air to pull in. Whines are usually from air being pulled into the fluid or in worst cases, the bearing going out. But both things can be replaced. The vanes going out would mean it won't pump anymore.
Thanks for sharing,I just replaced the rack in my 2020 jeep compass for the same kind of noise you described. Had no idea of why but that bearing certainly makes the most sense. Dang shame to have to replace a $600 part for such a small bearing. At least this just gave me some peace of mind to know how it could have been making so much noise. This was great!!
Replacing my wife's power steering rack in a few days. I really wanted to autopsy her old rack, but need to return the core. Thanks to the tear down!!!
Thanks for taking the time to dissect the steering rack, it's definitely the bad bearing that was giving you the problem, a bearing not working properly will mess up your seal and then you have oil all-over..
I had to replace my tie rods, found the boot was ripped badly, then found the entire bottom of the rack covered in fluid. Looked at some "how to replace steering rack" videos, now I'm here learning a hell of a lot more about power steering components. Now, while I'm pissed about everything I've found wrong on my car, I'm glad I end up learning cool shit through it
Hey man, thanks for being on the internet for so long. Over the years, you've always been solid in your advice, you rock. Keep it up, brother!
I have tightened that nut with the spring and piece that holds tension against the shaft about 1/4 turn on my rack and solved a noise issue on some cars. On others it didn't work at all. If you get it too tight your steering will be too stiff, so go slow and check steering effort often.
THANK YOU ERICK FOR SHOW US HOW IS BUILDING INSIDE A POWER STEERING RACK AND TO SHOW WHERE IT WAS THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU ONE MORE TIME !
Your my go to mechanic on youtube whenever I want to learn how to work on my own cars. I want to repair a leak in my '03 Mustangs rack and pinion and I want to familiarize myself with what is inside of one and this video really helped. I like to work on 3D printers and anything mechanical like you so I know the warm fuzzy feeling of taking something apart just to see how it was designed and how it works. Thanks a lot for continuing to make more content. It would be cool to see more videos like this one. I'd watch a whole series of these lol.
Very interesting reengineering video! People around here use that shaft to make homemade bench drill machines.
Hi Eric, love your videos. Precise and straight to the facts. Too much in a rack that is high precision. I'll pass and if it whines enough or fights me, the new rack should be nice and cheap and not worry about how it works. Good coverage !
That is some pretty precise machining that goes into that
Yeah, electric rack and pinion seems like a much better ideea. I got it i my 02 shit box civic. I don't see why the hate.
@@SoulTouchMusic93 I hear ya on that but is it more reliable? And if it F's up does it cost like a grand to fix?
@@sc0tte1-416 it shouldn't really. I meant my Honda is made in 02 and it still goes. I believe when these racks first started they had the electric motor close to the steering wheel and the sensors as well. And they had shitty steering feel. Now it looks just like this one in the video, they have the engine and sensors right next to the rack and it's one sealed thing. They don't seem to go wrong, they feel good, they don't create drag on the engine and they only need 2 wires to give them power.
@@SoulTouchMusic93 let me know when 30yrs old with over 500k miles. All my vehicles still have their original items, newest is a 94. Plus I get full feeling is steering.
Great video as usual. Now please rebuild it and throw it back in the vehicle! I'm not kidding.... we all need you to do this so that we can stop spending hundreds on full racks and just buy the seal kit for $20-$25. Thanks!
Hello Eric, I’ve seen a lot of guys changing out steering racks because of an oil leak from a bad seal. Is there any reason why those seals can’t be replaced?
Thanks for sharing! If we were in the old days, that's what a mechanic would do and repair or at least send to somebody for repair. Not only throwing stuff in our cars
Keep it up!
You have a point there... but you'd be without a car for a couple of days. That won't fly with most modern day customers.
Fascinating video. So much effort, engineering and high quality parts go into actually making something like that, only to have it end up as junk. It's a shame. But in many parts of the world this would be repaired and live again.
yep. slap two bearings in and a set of o-rings and i bet he could resell it
Thanks (again) Eric! You've really helped me work out what might be causing the fluid leak in my LR Discovery 3 rack.
Thank you for the look inside of a power steering rack. My car has a rack problem and this is very helpful in tracing the problem. Well done Sir!
I tried rebuilding one of these once. About 5 minutes after I got of the car (1999 Honda Civic) I destroyed it. Stripped a big nut out while removing it. Wish I had rebuilt this style. Looks much easier.
Eric your videos are very good from a visual point of view and I am grateful for the effort you put into them on TH-cam. I would just suggest that when you take something apart, like the Honda power steering rack, you might at least show a manufacturer's diagram of the parts. You might even clean up and arrange your parts to correspond to the exploded view of the parts diagram. It would reduce the amount of guessing on your part and would be much more instructive. Thank you.
This guy has the most soothing voice, like Alex Trebek. I'm going to watch this again next time I'm feeling anxiety.
Most Soothing Voice ever, anywhere on the internet is Bob Ross, Joy of painting... If you can't sleep, try and stay awake listening to him... :)
Thank you for my therapy session Eric!
Haha right? 👍
The older Odyssey racks didn't carry the pinion through the bottom of the rack. Instead of the wire clip arrangement the end cap screwed in with a bushing. Unfortunately on pinion side, the rod passes through the housing resting directly on the housing. You will find an indication of a slight flat spot on the rod where the adjustable plunger rests, as the rack moves across the alloy housing, you get a rattle which often people assume is the inner tierod, but is the excess clearance between the housing and rod. It actually makes alot more noise than you would expect, you can adjust some of the movement out, but you don't want it going tight on the less worn area. Incidentally the half round cap that rests against the shaft, is a plastic material on the older ones.
Overall there is little provision for lubrication between the rod and housing. Should a boot tear, muck getting in will end up on the outer housing and cause rapid wear between it and the rackrod, especially on the pinion end which sees the steering effort applied.
By the way, your rack is the wrong way round...
Im about to replace a 99 CR-V rack. This video was more interesting than the ones I'm watching for the actual replacement, even though Im doing nothing related to the rack itself and its components.😅
Great video!
My 1977 Civic Hatchback had a steering rattle. I made the rack pinion load adjustment once at abut 20,000 miles and it was sweet until I threw the car away at 120,000 miles. No power steering so the driver had good rack feel!
Nne of my subsequent Hondas or Toyota needed it.
IMO you have provided a great service to the care repair community and owners when some tech says "It's going to be expensive.I have to replace the whole rack and pinion assembly" We now know exactly why its has to be a Honda OEM assembly and that rack and pinion repairability while possible, if you have the parts, it 'is time consuming and not worth it to the tech. Plus no one wants to give up their car for one more day then is absolutely necessary..
Watching your videos is so much satisfying than watching Netflix.
Thank you ETCG!
Thank you!
In my country mechanics almost repair every thing but they don't last that long . Recently I got steering rack of my 94 civic repaired but since they took the rack to some other workshop to repair so I wasn't able to see how a steering rack looks from inside luckily I searched TH-cam and surely enough Eric has already made a video on it .
The seals could leaking or the valves were sticking/bypassing. It could also be the bearings like you pointed out. Most likely a combination.
I tried watching this after lunch and fell asleep. Finished it after my siesta. My knowledge of a power steering rack and what it looks like inside is complete. Thanks for another ETCG1 video and would you consider rebuilding this in the near future?
Thank you! No, I have a brand new Honda unit installed in the Odyssey. I don't see any need to rebuild this one.
Thank you for your deep analysis video as always.
Can you guess as to why so many competitive drifting cars have power steering problems? Specially the one with crazy angle kits installed. Their power steering fluid not only overheat but sometimes explode out the pipes or turn into air/gas. I suppose the sheer speed the piston moves through inside that thing causes problems but anyone can speculate that. I just don't know why it does.
PS temperatures are no joke. th-cam.com/video/lnKi-H3yqf8/w-d-xo.html
Dude crazy...I was just thinking "i should look into how to rebuild my rack and pinion. I Have to find good video." BOOM!!! Like Fate. Your the fing man Eric
You "only" need 3 things, the chilton, the repair kit and big magnifier glasses. If the internal metal parts are scrachted, you lose time & money.
@@leocarvajal6967 thanks for that info. Ill look into that. Nice to hear from someone whose done it.
Wow. Never knew so much "stuff" was inside the power steering rack. If I end up replacing mine, I won't feel so bad about spending hundreds for a new one. Thanks Eric
Eric, I recommend saving those lines you removed at the beginning (if you haven't already thrown them out), just in case the new ones ever rust out and need to be replaced. I've had to replace those on 2 different cars ('11 Escalade and '04 CR-V). I found that, for many makes/models, no one makes replacement lines and you have to buy the whole rack and pinion to get new ones. I was able to buy replacement lines for the Escalade, but not for the CR-V. For that car, I ended up making my own lines out of 1/4" NiCopp brake line. Luckily the ends were bubble flare, so I was able to use my brake flaring tool to flare the ends. But that wouldn't work for those funky o-ring ends that your lines have.
Honestly I'm not concerned. I just installed a brand new Honda PS rack and I maintain my vehicles pretty well. This van is also garage kept. I don't think it'll be an issue. However, I'm not opposed to keeping old parts. th-cam.com/video/EdKH2NzzkNs/w-d-xo.html
My EK civic has a rattle when I go over bumps and the power steering rack is about last thing that I suspect. Just not sure If I can now be bothered to remove it and strip it down and then find the bearings are hard to obtain. Great video as always.
When the car was in the accident, there was a force on the wheel that pushed the rack in. The pinion didn't turn. It was forced into the bearing that it crushed.
This is a very interesting video, thanks for taking the time to do this and film it! It’s easy to see why so many vehicles are going over to electric power steering after watching this. I know a lot of people prefer the driving feel of hydraulic steering but for the sake of maintenance, electric seems to be the better option.
Do you think you’d ever be able to take part an electric steering assembly? That would be really cool to see the comparison!
Thanks again Eric
I would confess I will not take one apart but the engineering is very interesting . Thanks a lot for the video .
Very cool, thanks for sharing, never seen inside one. It appears that the fluid keeps even pressure on the stationary piston until you turn the wheel like a valve body inside a trans. Curious to know how when turning the wheel, how the fluid moves from the shaft to the piston since it needs to bleed off one side as it turns. Those 3 seals obviously direct the fluid, but the back and forth of the fluid direction is great engineering. Again, very cool.
the nut under the cap opposite the input shaft also sets bearing preload. Too loose and it rattles, too tight and it damages the bearings. I did a Ford Fox rack, there is a spec for rolling torque on the input shaft, basically the same idea as setting a crush collar on a diff. Tighten the nut until its at whatever in-lb of drag.
I find it surprising how few people know about wire locks. You'll see some people bash and groan on cylinders for hours trying to unscrew them and heck knows what other things. It must be not as common as i thought.
Everything has a purpose, even if it's just for looks.
Definitely do more videos like this. I don't own a Honda vehicle but I learned a lot!
Cool. I love taking stuff apart and seeing how it works.
had to look up some videos on what all needs to be moved/removed to replace a rank in a 98 CR-V. Saw this video and thought why not give it a watch. So makes me want to pull the mine apart when I replace it.
All that, over a single bearing. So important, yet weak in it's way. Cool video! Thank you for sharing!
Love videos like this - where we all learn new things together. The great picture quality means we see every nut and O ring. It's a real skill to make viewers feel so 'involved' in the project - bravo. But I have to say that the beard seems to be taking over. Be careful, as that's how Charles from HM started - and look what happened there! lol Long live Eric the Car Guy!
Thank you again for your comments. They are always appreciated. As for the beard, my wife is in charge of that.
I agree. His beard looked much better two years ago.
@@ericthecarguy You are most welcome as always, Eric. Still the best on TH-cam... even with the beard.
Thank you Eric I always enjoy watching your videos and thank you for your comments I am from South Africa
Thanks!! I love taking stuff apart to see how they work.
I _may_ have to do this on my 96 Tacoma. Bookmarked this for reference. Thanks, Eric.
Great video, I love the disassembly type videos to see what makes it tic.
07:52. That 15/16 nut was loose on my 2012 G37, and fluid was leaking - had been for a while with the buildup on the outside. I tightened it up, now the steering is tighter which is weird as that appears to NOT be the part you could adjust for the pre-load tension, but merely a cap as you pointed out. Same time, I checked the fluid and it was down about 1/4 qt. Added fluid and the steering did get easier, albeit still tighter than before all of this and it's always seemed quite loose for a 3 turn L2L rack.
Eric the automotive boltr guy. Sadly this will be on the healing bench in heaven.
I like these videos to see underneath the peatycoats.
now you know the issue i would rebuild it and keep as spare so maybe when the current one you just put in dose it you got one ready to put in
I'd do the same, if not just to keep that beautiful machining work on display
I think it would be a very long time before I would need a new PS rack for this van. Especially since I maintain it the way I do. In my view, that would be a waste of time and money. Thanks for the suggestion.
@@ericthecarguy eric you doing it wrong!!!!!! rebuilt the rack for us youtube folk ( TH-cam folk lets start a collection to get the content )
@mrphiscal I have other projects that are more pressing. Also, anyone that watches the video will see how it comes apart and hopefully be able to put one together. Also, I don't know if the parts are available. Lastly, I'd be happy to send it to someone if they wanted it.
@@ericthecarguy I hope you are able to send it to someone who can rebuild and make a video. Honestly, I tried to rebuild my Nissan rack a while back and ended up destroying it. I feel there is quite a lack of information on rebuilding racks on the interwebs. Someone really needs to be the hero Gotham needs.
This video is interesting. Never seen one apart. Very cool!
have a 2011 kia sorento that is leaking ps fluid from passenger side seal at the tie rod boot, I have a replacement rack that I am petrified to attempt to replace myself. giving me a 'tour' of the rack system helps me to actually figure why it may be leaking. thank you for your videos. going after the change out video now
The rack on our '06 Pilot leaks somewhere near where pinion shaft meets rack. I was hoping an outside seal could be replaced while leaving the rack installed ... but now I understand why these things just get entirely replaced instead.
That was pretty nice. I guess that's all they change when they "rebuild" them as long as they're not bent. New bearings and seals. Who knew.
I've been having an issue with my 2006 Accord after tighteng the guide bolt about 1/4 of an inch and replacing the power steering pump last month. My steering intermittently stays light at high speeds. It's intermittent, it'll feel wiggly for a day or two then it will feel normal for a day or two. I found on your forum, you posted to a member saying that it usually is the variable assist valve in the rack failing. It sure seems like the steeting isn't "hunkering down" at driving speeds like it used to. It has it's good and bad days though.
Me: curious to see if i can rebuild a power steering rack myself. Eric: already posted a video 11 months ago. Lol good to see you around still bro
Wonder if in the accident maybe the rack wobbled a little inside the housing causing the fixed piston/seal to smash into the walls instead of the O ring causing just enough metal to scrape off and make tiny places where the fluid could leak by and it would bounce back and forth like a bad strut or something, plus mooshing the bearing making it that much worse.
I'm amazed at how bad bearings with only a little bit of play get amplified to huge shaking issues in the driver's seat.
Great video for us that would never get to see what makes R.& Pinion work. Wonder what "Electric" R.&Pinion is about
Very similar minus the hydraulics. Most EPS put the assist on the steering shaft instead of inside the rack.
Nice video Eric, I could like to add onto that. Those steering rack mounting bushes can contribute to that rattling sound.
Brilliant video, great ! I think I’ll be changing the rack on my RX7!
We both said “cool!” at 4:25. Cool!
10:57 I said "interesting" right before he did.
What would happen if one were to put the hard lines off the spool valve on backward? Or got them crossed accidentally. Thank you
Thanks Eric! That was fun AND educational.
So... given the metal shards on the power piston, and the "wait a minute" catch on the lower shaft bearing, you gotta suspect the metal may've come from elsewhere, e.g. a pump that ate itself at some point? If so, maybe the whole rack failure is a symptom & the root cause was a failed pump. Hopefully no other metal specks floating in the system!
Honestly IDK. That was the only place I found it. It could have also just been some coating material from the parts. Either way, I installed a new Honda rack in my van so I'm really not worried about it.
Ok from what I am getting from this in , cause the top of my pinion is leaking , that instead of removing the rack , I can just remove the two bolts and both pressure lines and remove the steering shaft , I can remove the pinion housing ? to just replace that seal ?
Rebuild with new bearings and seals and it's new again... you got to do it now!
i happen to rebuild a similar rack and pinion for a montero 2005 and after some research the teeth MUST be at specefic tolerance or it wont engage with the pinion seamlessly and that lead to metal to metal contact and causes metal shaving in the seals that you saw
it is rebuildable if you buy the seal and bearing kit
Very helpful my very old Fiesta is making crunching noises when turning. probably also bearings. Re-con rack needed.
Take care of your hands there. You only get the two you've got.
Use that dead blow hammer if you need to hit your wrench.
lol
Enjoyed the video, from watching other similar videos, there is also an oil seal inside the tube, FYI
the seal on the outside of the rack gear rod does double duty. It serves as a place for the seal on the rod and the cylinder bore also the bearing block for the rod.
Yup thats me too. I like to know what things are made out of, and how they're put together...LOL . Nice demolition EricTCG😀
You speak well ... you teach well and you're obviously an excellent mechanic... thanks for the lesson. Are those things adjustable? I mean to say if your truck were drifting after an alignment and you just replaced both inner and outer tie rods, prior to the alignment, could the rack and pinion be adjusted to correct the drift?
Woow, very detailed hands-on presentation.. you're the man..
Yes I enjoyed watching you handle that rack so well and explain all that to us
I think Eric has handled a few racks 😂
The bearing in question may be 6001 one side rubber seal one side open, if u have a caliper might as well measure the inner, outer and width to get the exact size which will determine the bearing number.
There are sealkits available (inkl. new bearings) so you can reassembly the rack and use it oneday on one of your odysseys if you need one.
I would save the power steering rack as a reseve...
Man youre good at guessing! Its like... if you were... a... mechanic for vehicular vehicles...
Great video Eric! Thoughts about replacing the bearings and seals and rebuilding it for your parts inventory?
Smashing teardown :-D
It's simple but complex, the complex bit is that rotation sensing valve, well that's my view.
The toothed rack and drive is a simple enough idea.
Now put a new bearing in and re assemble it lol.
Given that I just installed a brand new Honda unit, I won't be rebuilding this rack. Lots of people want me to though. Personally, I don't recommend rebuilding PS racks given the effort in R&R and the high potential of failure. I think you're better off just installing a reman and being done with it. That's just my opinion. As always, thank you for your comment.
Great video. You reminded me of the actor George Clooney. Voice sound exactly like him.
Thanks for the heads up on the 17mm that holds the bottom of the pinion. I would have done the exact same thing. But it would have been on the tailgate of my truck. And I know the guy put break fluid in the pump. That would have been catastrophic to my paint. Great work. And Happy Easter BTW