You did a great job with all the details in this video. I really don't want to pay to get it done but even with all the proper instructions I feel like I'm definitely going to miss something up myself lol
Great video, thank you! Getting this done on my 2007 Element and wanted to see how in-depth it was. Could likely do it myself, but it's 30+F here in the NE at the moment, no thanks haha. Cheers!
Flush your rack and pinion every 35,000 miles. Our shop uses Lubegard Honda/Acura fluid with great results. It's the cheapest insurance you can have to extend the life of any rack and pinion.
100k miles.. geez my 03 E has 299k and this has yet to be replaced. My E would probably ride better than new if I replaced these. I was just looking at lift kits then mentioned needing an alignment following kit install so thought id see what an alignment looks like; Im guessing this is a step further? Im not mechanically inclined although i like to know what the shops “should be doing” and see relatively how much time and effort it takes to do the job.. thanks for the video. I greatly appreciate the details like DO ask them to replace the hose as well .. se eI wouldn’t have known to request this otherwise.. 😉👍
I know this is old but he didnt mention anything about replacing the bushing that is around the bracket on the passenger side mounting location. I didnt know that since i followed this video and took it to the alignment shop & wasnt able to get it done because the rack was still loose without the bushing. easy to replace but crucial information to know.
thanks for this one. the r&p on my 2011 element is getting weepy at all the fluid points so i'm going to have to collect everything to get this done. should be pretty much the same for the 2011
sean bush yes it is almost identical and the part is also the same, the same rack and pinion was used on 2003 thru 2011 Honda Element, also the same as 2002 thru 2006 Honda CRV
painting my wheels the other day I noticed the outer boot on my RnP was torn... upon further investigation ALL the boots are torn and the engine is wet in that area. I don't believe it's power steering fluid as my levels haven't dropped, maybe it's lube grease? Anyway, I don't believe there is a way to fix the middle and passenger side boot but doing research the RnP will fail eventually due to too much dirt getting through. Anyhoooo, I do not want to do this job but my outer tie rods are looking worn, I need an alignment and I don't want to pay a shop for this job. THANK YOU so much for the comprehensive video. *fingers crossed
If the boots are torn, the tie rods will fail. Tie rod failure is not pretty at road speed above 5 MPH. If you replace the outer tie rods, the shop can do a great alignment.
Last week I complained to my mechanic about a little free play in the steering wheel. He adjusted my steering rack, which raised it a little. The next day we discovered a broken tie rod. My concern now is maybe the rack didn't need adjustment at all since the tie rod is broke. Should I have e them put the rack back where it was ? This is a 1998 honda crv with 119,000 miles on it. Drives great
Olga Dinis adjusting the rack is very rare and most likely the worn tie rod did not go bad that quick, meaning it is very likely the toe rod was the main cause, however did the new tie rod fix the problem? It may be best to get a 2nd opinion, a professional and good technician’s eyes on your vehicle and then accompanied by a test drive with that tech can uncover the most info.
I've got an 03 Honda Element that I'm having a hard time getting those inner tie rods off, I've put a benzymatic torch to both the inner tie rod nut, and still can't break them loose, any suggestions, so I see where you remove the rack and pinion 2 make it a little easier to remove them, hopefully I can avoid going at route of removing the rack and pinion, overall great video on how to work with Honda Elements steering components.👍👍✌
Qunice Toole thanks for watching and commenting, yeah we had to replace the rack so it required removing it from the vehicle first, if you notice in the video, we also could not break them loose, we ended up using the weight of the vehicle to hold the rack in place and then lots of leverage to break them free. They were very tight and not wanting to come off under normal pressure.
My 2006 CRV has rotational movement where the inner tie rods mount to the rack. is this normal? if i shake the tire/wheel, that mount block where the rods attach will rotate upward/downward. i can also grab it and move it. no horizontal movement though. i can only guess that this is effectively changing the rod length and the toe settings continually while driving, possibly causing the slight vibration i have? is there any way you can see if your element has this same movement?
The inner tie rod mount should not rotate. There are two bolts that need to be tight. You could tighten the mounting bolts if they are loose. Alignment shop can help you if you dont have the tools.
I have replaced my pump and I still have a whine after replacing all the o-rings, working the wheels back and forth up in the air, etc. Would a partially blocked pressure hose cause that? I have the same model year element as this one. I can't find any sort of leaks from the racks or otherwise and the whine is definitely coming from the ps unit.
so its possible the power steering pump is damaged, however going over the fluid again and trying to bleed out anymore air would be where I would start, A small amount of air can be trapped causing that,
Jeffery, In my experience, I flushed the power steering fluid several times (like 4 bottles of Honda fluid) and the noise went away. (Note to self: buy twice as much fluid as you could possibly need (like 8 bottles) and return whats not used). I found that the previous owner used generic fluid and maybe even some transmission fluid because the stuff came out redish pink. It's important to use only Honda power steering fluid (sounds like a lie that it's necessary but it's true. I also changed the O-rings going into and out of the powersteering pump. There are videos that show those leaking (sucking air) and causing the anoying powersteering pump noise. My origial plan was to flush the old fluid out, change the o-rings, and then change the suspected bad powersteering pump. I was very happy to find out that my noise and problems went away with flushing the fluid and changing both the o-rings (input & output). I was flushing the powersteering fluid first so that I wouldn't contaminate the new powersteering pump. Also, an important note (in my case) the fluid in the powersteering reservoir was the correct color but there was a non Honda bottle of fluid in the back that he was using to fill the reservoir with. After i started flushin the fluid, it started turning pink. I thought that was weird like the fluid was trapped somewhere and not visible. Hope this helps. Take away point: flushing the fluid and a couple 50 cent o-rings are way cheaper than a powersteering pump.
If the steering is not stiff, the pressure side is not likely blocked. What you are probably experiencing is air in the pump system or an inability to move the fluid. Flush the system with honda specific PS fluid, put an inline filter in the return hose (add a length of hose to the return, don't cut it), and replace the reservoir.
I've been working on my vehicle to reduce Shake when idling at a stop light under load. I've checked the intake and changed out the spark plugs on my Honda Element the drive is fine but it still won't stop shuddering while idling at a stoplight. Could this be attributed to the rack and pinion as I have had a parking lot accident with a big truck hitting me on the driver side. The car was pulling to the right afterwards so I changed out the lower control arms but it's still pulling to the right and shaking in idle at the stoplight. Is it the rack and pinion?
yeah I would hunt down the pulling to the right symptom and remove that from the equation first as it can certainly be an issue, otherwise do you have a check engine light on? If the engine is misfiring or knocking more then it is suppose tot, then it will turn on the check engine light and leave a trouble code. Otherwise a good through inspection of the motor and trans mounts, and of the steering would be next.
@@TheBluceRee I did not have the wobble, just tough to turn the wheel starting in cold weather, it took a while to loosen up. Seems to work fine the rest of the year.
So, I see you guys did a video on replacing a "Airbag Clock Spring" on a Honda Element of the same year and color a year after this video. th-cam.com/video/1ZqL04i27A8/w-d-xo.html I think it would be beneficial to know how a person breaks a clock spring and why taking off the steering wheel, airbag, and clockspring prevents it. I honestly have no idea. I think I need to change my rack and pinon on my 2006 Honda Element now. Great videos. Thank you. Mike
Hello Mike. This is my vehicle that is being worked on in the video. I'm not a mechanic myself, but from what I understand, when working on the rack and pinion it is best to lock the steering wheel first to prevent the clock spring from breaking. It's pretty simple to forget to do. Just turn the car off, remove the key, and rotate the steering wheel until you hear a click. That will prevent the clock spring from breaking while you are doing any work.
im too late for you but for someone else: 14mm (crows foot) for the high pressure line into the rack. (this one is usually really stuck in there so bring some vice grips just in case. that was the only way i could break the one i found in the junk yard and the one on my element). 17mm deep socket for the return line out. 19mm for the four bolts that hold the rack in place. a 10mm for the steering wheel to pinion universal joint. and the tie rod ends are 17mm I believe as well.
You did a great job with all the details in this video. I really don't want to pay to get it done but even with all the proper instructions I feel like I'm definitely going to miss something up myself lol
One of the best comprehensive videos for Element owners!
awesome, thanks for watching and commenting!!
Great video, thank you! Getting this done on my 2007 Element and wanted to see how in-depth it was. Could likely do it myself, but it's 30+F here in the NE at the moment, no thanks haha. Cheers!
Flush your rack and pinion every 35,000 miles. Our shop uses Lubegard Honda/Acura fluid with great results. It's the cheapest insurance you can have to extend the life of any rack and pinion.
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing is much appreciated
100k miles.. geez my 03 E has 299k and this has yet to be replaced. My E would probably ride better than new if I replaced these. I was just looking at lift kits then mentioned needing an alignment following kit install so thought id see what an alignment looks like; Im guessing this is a step further? Im not mechanically inclined although i like to know what the shops “should be doing” and see relatively how much time and effort it takes to do the job.. thanks for the video. I greatly appreciate the details like DO ask them to replace the hose as well .. se eI wouldn’t have known to request this otherwise.. 😉👍
Really liked this video but did the horn work!
I know this is old but he didnt mention anything about replacing the bushing that is around the bracket on the passenger side mounting location. I didnt know that since i followed this video and took it to the alignment shop & wasnt able to get it done because the rack was still loose without the bushing. easy to replace but crucial information to know.
thanks for this one. the r&p on my 2011 element is getting weepy at all the fluid points so i'm going to have to collect everything to get this done. should be pretty much the same for the 2011
sean bush yes it is almost identical and the part is also the same, the same rack and pinion was used on 2003 thru 2011 Honda Element, also the same as 2002 thru 2006 Honda CRV
Thanks for this excellent video!
especially appreciate the dry humor
"...just going to give it one whack here..."
"... and by one I mean five.."
Can you list a link to the pressure hoses used for the rack and pinion?
can you post the website where you buy the inner tie rod end tool to removal it out . Thanks
Do you need that special crow foot tool thing to remove the inner tie rods
Is there no plastic or rubber splash shield covering the ends of the RnP , keeping slush and salt out from behind the engine?
not on the element ...
painting my wheels the other day I noticed the outer boot on my RnP was torn... upon further investigation ALL the boots are torn and the engine is wet in that area. I don't believe it's power steering fluid as my levels haven't dropped, maybe it's lube grease? Anyway, I don't believe there is a way to fix the middle and passenger side boot but doing research the RnP will fail eventually due to too much dirt getting through. Anyhoooo, I do not want to do this job but my outer tie rods are looking worn, I need an alignment and I don't want to pay a shop for this job. THANK YOU so much for the comprehensive video. *fingers crossed
If the boots are torn, the tie rods will fail. Tie rod failure is not pretty at road speed above 5 MPH. If you replace the outer tie rods, the shop can do a great alignment.
Very informative.
Last week I complained to my mechanic about a little free play in the steering wheel. He adjusted my steering rack, which raised it a little. The next day we discovered a broken tie rod. My concern now is maybe the rack didn't need adjustment at all since the tie rod is broke. Should I have e them put the rack back where it was ? This is a 1998 honda crv with 119,000 miles on it. Drives great
Olga Dinis adjusting the rack is very rare and most likely the worn tie rod did not go bad that quick, meaning it is very likely the toe rod was the main cause, however did the new tie rod fix the problem? It may be best to get a 2nd opinion, a professional and good technician’s eyes on your vehicle and then accompanied by a test drive with that tech can uncover the most info.
The fitting that the return line goes on , on the rack, does it have/ need a seal? Did you reuse the old one?
So you don’t have to remove the steering wheel?
What tool did you use to take the inner tie rod off?
The fluid tank has a little filter built in
I've got an 03 Honda Element that I'm having a hard time getting those inner tie rods off, I've put a benzymatic torch to both the inner tie rod nut, and still can't break them loose, any suggestions, so I see where you remove the rack and pinion 2 make it a little easier to remove them, hopefully I can avoid going at route of removing the rack and pinion, overall great video on how to work with Honda Elements steering components.👍👍✌
Qunice Toole thanks for watching and commenting, yeah we had to replace the rack so it required removing it from the vehicle first, if you notice in the video, we also could not break them loose, we ended up using the weight of the vehicle to hold the rack in place and then lots of leverage to break them free. They were very tight and not wanting to come off under normal pressure.
My 2006 CRV has rotational movement where the inner tie rods mount to the rack. is this normal? if i shake the tire/wheel, that mount block where the rods attach will rotate upward/downward. i can also grab it and move it. no horizontal movement though. i can only guess that this is effectively changing the rod length and the toe settings continually while driving, possibly causing the slight vibration i have? is there any way you can see if your element has this same movement?
The inner tie rod mount should not rotate. There are two bolts that need to be tight. You could tighten the mounting bolts if they are loose. Alignment shop can help you if you dont have the tools.
What should a job like this should cost?
I have replaced my pump and I still have a whine after replacing all the o-rings, working the wheels back and forth up in the air, etc. Would a partially blocked pressure hose cause that? I have the same model year element as this one. I can't find any sort of leaks from the racks or otherwise and the whine is definitely coming from the ps unit.
so its possible the power steering pump is damaged, however going over the fluid again and trying to bleed out anymore air would be where I would start, A small amount of air can be trapped causing that,
Jeffery, In my experience, I flushed the power steering fluid several times (like 4 bottles of Honda fluid) and the noise went away. (Note to self: buy twice as much fluid as you could possibly need (like 8 bottles) and return whats not used). I found that the previous owner used generic fluid and maybe even some transmission fluid because the stuff came out redish pink. It's important to use only Honda power steering fluid (sounds like a lie that it's necessary but it's true. I also changed the O-rings going into and out of the powersteering pump. There are videos that show those leaking (sucking air) and causing the anoying powersteering pump noise. My origial plan was to flush the old fluid out, change the o-rings, and then change the suspected bad powersteering pump. I was very happy to find out that my noise and problems went away with flushing the fluid and changing both the o-rings (input & output). I was flushing the powersteering fluid first so that I wouldn't contaminate the new powersteering pump. Also, an important note (in my case) the fluid in the powersteering reservoir was the correct color but there was a non Honda bottle of fluid in the back that he was using to fill the reservoir with. After i started flushin the fluid, it started turning pink. I thought that was weird like the fluid was trapped somewhere and not visible. Hope this helps. Take away point: flushing the fluid and a couple 50 cent o-rings are way cheaper than a powersteering pump.
If the steering is not stiff, the pressure side is not likely blocked. What you are probably experiencing is air in the pump system or an inability to move the fluid. Flush the system with honda specific PS fluid, put an inline filter in the return hose (add a length of hose to the return, don't cut it), and replace the reservoir.
Just finished mine. But outer rods offset from previous owner it wobbles
I've been working on my vehicle to reduce Shake when idling at a stop light under load. I've checked the intake and changed out the spark plugs on my Honda Element the drive is fine but it still won't stop shuddering while idling at a stoplight. Could this be attributed to the rack and pinion as I have had a parking lot accident with a big truck hitting me on the driver side. The car was pulling to the right afterwards so I changed out the lower control arms but it's still pulling to the right and shaking in idle at the stoplight. Is it the rack and pinion?
yeah I would hunt down the pulling to the right symptom and remove that from the equation first as it can certainly be an issue, otherwise do you have a check engine light on? If the engine is misfiring or knocking more then it is suppose tot, then it will turn on the check engine light and leave a trouble code. Otherwise a good through inspection of the motor and trans mounts, and of the steering would be next.
Excellent
I have to put one on a 2005 Element with 215K miles on it.....guess I shouldn't complain.....
did you have a death wobble? If so did it fix the problem?
@@TheBluceRee I did not have the wobble, just tough to turn the wheel starting in cold weather, it took a while to loosen up. Seems to work fine the rest of the year.
So, I see you guys did a video on replacing a "Airbag Clock Spring" on a Honda Element of the same year and color a year after this video.
th-cam.com/video/1ZqL04i27A8/w-d-xo.html
I think it would be beneficial to know how a person breaks a clock spring and why taking off the steering wheel, airbag, and clockspring prevents it. I honestly have no idea. I think I need to change my rack and pinon on my 2006 Honda Element now. Great videos. Thank you. Mike
Hello Mike. This is my vehicle that is being worked on in the video. I'm not a mechanic myself, but from what I understand, when working on the rack and pinion it is best to lock the steering wheel first to prevent the clock spring from breaking. It's pretty simple to forget to do. Just turn the car off, remove the key, and rotate the steering wheel until you hear a click. That will prevent the clock spring from breaking while you are doing any work.
@@APDTY This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much!
Size of all bolts going to a junkyard tomorrow
im too late for you but for someone else: 14mm (crows foot) for the high pressure line into the rack. (this one is usually really stuck in there so bring some vice grips just in case. that was the only way i could break the one i found in the junk yard and the one on my element). 17mm deep socket for the return line out. 19mm for the four bolts that hold the rack in place. a 10mm for the steering wheel to pinion universal joint. and the tie rod ends are 17mm I believe as well.