Steering rack bush worn - options needed!

[BabyG]

Hi,

Getting my car serviced (at Letchworth Honda) they have found play in the nearside end of my steering rack. They've looked under the rubber boot, and say that as the bush is worn the rack needs to be replaced. Are there any alternatives - can the bush be replaced without changing the rack?

Alternatively, what are my options for a replacement rack?

Thanks everyone,
Rich

[goldnsx]

If you don't have EPS there is a solution to rebuild it. But the rack has to come out. Non-EPS racks are not available new from Honda AFAIK.
My friend sells the replacement bushing but he's located in Switzerland. But it's well worth it and works on my car.

[Kaz-kzukNA1]

Hi, Rich.
If the diagnosis was correct and if it was rattling due to the worn rack housing, ideally, you want to disassemble the rack, clean all of the remaining old grease, re-grease using high spec grease and then use the aftermarket bushing if it was tested long enough.

I think this is the same/similar product that the goldnsx was talking about above;
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/182475-Steering-Rack-Knock-Bush

The manual rack for RHD NSX was available in Japan recently so should be able to source it through one of the parts vendor here.

Kaz

[goldnsx]

I think this is the same/similar product that the goldnsx was talking about above;
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/182475-Steering-Rack-Knock-Bush

The linked brass part is a simpler solution of our sophisticated version.
Our version is double the length of the OEM teflon-coated part. It works in my car since 5 years and about 30k miles. This is for the right side of a LHD, so it may be for the left side of a RHD. My friend ask €160 plus shipping.

[nigel]

Kaz;

Beginning work for "Honda Aircraft Company" tomorrow, the 18th as a quality inspector on the new Honda-Jet.
First delivery due the end of the second quarter of this year.
Provisional Type Certificate awarded by the FAA and launch delivery aircraft sold to Wells Fargo bank.
Hoping to get into R&D programme ASAP.
Couldn't find your e-mail address but wanted to let you know.

Hope you see this.

Cheers
nigel

[Reply from Kaz: Hi, nigel. Good to hear from you again. As it's off topic, I'll temporarily enable the PM and reply back to you together with my email address. You can also find my contact detail at the right side window of any blog posts embedded in the QR code.]

[BabyG]

Thanks all. The rack was stripped and repacked fairly recently. I'll check that this is solving the right problem and hopefully save a couple of grand!
Thanks all :-)

[NSXGB]

I bought a knock bush from Les in Australia, but to be honest any engineering shop could turn one up for a lot less.
Not fitted it yet but well received on Prime by others.

[darock]

The linked brass part is a simpler solution of our sophisticated version.
Our version is double the length of the OEM teflon-coated part. It works in my car since 5 years and about 30k miles. This is for the right side of a LHD, so it may be for the left side of a RHD. My friend ask €160 plus shipping.

What material is used for your bushing? I assume its the right one due to the length?
This version needs full disassembling of the rack because its internal, right?

The simpler australian version is easy to install without removing the rack.

I have a lathe so I can make my own bushing but I am happy to support great products and their engineers behind it.
Do you have contact details where I can purchase it?

Bernhard

[goldnsx]

What material is used for your bushing? I assume its the right one due to the length?
This version needs full disassembling of the rack because its internal, right?

The simpler australian version is easy to install without removing the rack.

I have a lathe so I can make my own bushing but I am happy to support great products and their engineers behind it.
Do you have contact details where I can purchase it?

Bernhard
I don't know the material chosen for the bushing but it has been built to military standard. The material was tested to go with the material of the steering rack shaft. The test laboratory was EMPA Switzerland. It has been produced by a Swiss company to very tight tolerances to fit and work perfectly. It's slighty larger than the bore diameter. You need to heat the rack and freeze the bushing to mount it.
We had to do three rials as the first two failed over the long term. The resulting one keeps on working well.
It's
- well designed
- produced from a Swiss firm
- self-lubricating
- specially treated (don't know the details)
- offers double the contact area of the OEM bushing
- but for manual steering gearbox only

I respect the other parts but deylo's version is by far the best out there, I'd call it the heavy-duty-version. I don't know how long the simpler versions last. We can say from our part to last since 5 years and more than 30k miles so far, still no play at all From time to time I open the boot to check it and all is fine so far. Special grease is needed.
Yes, you have to take the manual rack apart. Time to give it a full revision. If you do this revision you like to install the best solution you can get and this is the part to choose. €160 is about 5-6x of a new rack (while looking at the US, not the HUK price) Unfortunately, LHD racks are discontinued.
€160 is also about two workshop hours or two hours alternative costs of your time. Doing it yourself also contains the risk of going through the trouble we had.
I know it's not attractive to ship each part individually as people fear shipping costs and customs. But maybe someone like Kaz is willing to do this service to you as the steering is a safety part and working on the gearbox needs special tools. The rest is described in the SM. And I think we have an instruction too but only for installing the part into the dismounted gearbox.

I don't earn from this part (if you don't want to support me:)), I only got the test versions for free and invested my testing time. It's deylo's business, I'm only the advertiser.

[darock]

Thanks for all the information!

I tried searching for deylo but couldn't find him on here. Do you have his username or an email address?

Bernhard

[goldnsx]

deylo is on prime, I guess he's not on here. I'll send you his address by PM.