Steering rack creak...

[Domo-kun]

Hello guys,

I'm curious, is there a definitive answer to the steering rack creak? I found this thread: http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25598
But after 16 pages, it didn't seem to ever say what the problem was for sure, or the fix. Maybe I missed it.

As you can guess, my car's got the creak pretty bad, and it annoys me so much since I spend so much time in stop-and-go traffic.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Domo

[Soprano21]

Hello guys,

I'm curious, is there a definitive answer to the steering rack creak? I found this thread: http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25598
But after 16 pages, it didn't seem to ever say what the problem was for sure, or the fix. Maybe I missed it.

As you can guess, my car's got the creak pretty bad, and it annoys me so much since I spend so much time in stop-and-go traffic.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Domo

do you have lowerin springs on the car???

[Domo-kun]

Hi there...

No, it's stock. (Well, an intake, which doesn't really apply here )

Domo

[benkieboy]

this is a VERY common problem on EP3s!! there was a very long thread on this before the crash. i had this problem before.

right now, what you can do is lubricate your steering rack. behind the engine near the air intake, you'd see a rubber seal that looks like a cv boot. poke it with a cutter just enough to insert a straw. use white lithium grease and spray half bottle inside. drive the car for a mile and see if the noise goes away. if the noise is still there, finish the whole bottle.

now this procedure is just a 'first aid" and i dont guarantee that it would work. it worked for me and i hope it would work on you. i am not responsible for what happens to your car. i am just sharing what i did.

so far, i dont hear the creak. it's been a few months now.

[Soprano21]

this is a VERY common problem on EP3s!! there was a very long thread on this before the crash. i had this problem before.

right now, what you can do is lubricate your steering rack. behind the engine near the air intake, you'd see a rubber seal that looks like a cv boot. poke it with a cutter just enough to insert a straw. use white lithium grease and spray half bottle inside. drive the car for a mile and see if the noise goes away. if the noise is still there, finish the whole bottle.

now this procedure is just a 'first aid" and i dont guarantee that it would work. it worked for me and i hope it would work on you. i am not responsible for what happens to your car. i am just sharing what i did.

so far, i dont hear the creak. it's been a few months now.

^^^^^^yea that..... also check and see if there is any play in the arms going into the rack itself if theres no play in the arms your fine

[proudtobeawesom]

isnt the reverse tie-rod ends are supposed to help this?

or what about those j's racing bushing things?

~kevin

[rburdios]

theres a couple of "fixes" out there.

the one that ive been waiting a review on is the steering rack bracket that moves the steering rack up so that it decreases the angle of the tie rods. in my case, i had the steering rack replaced from honda under warranty. its been only about 5000 miles. only time will tell if my creak will come back :scared:

[.colin]

i had taken my 04 (which should have had this problem fixed from factory) to the dealer and they replaced it under warranty even though i was 20,000 miles out. i was stock at the time however, if i had lowering springs they probably would have said i caused the problem. honda paid for the parts, i had to pay for the labor. i have a new rack now, but its only time till it goes bad again.

to recreate the creak, and to verify it is infact the rack, pop your hood and pull up and down on the piece where both the tie rods screw into. i believe its gold. youll know what im talking about though. if it is in fact the rack it will make the creaking sound.

[lazeebeast35]

ive had the creak awhile ago, for some wierd reason after my little accident to the passenger fender it went away. Now the only thing that annoys me is my clutch squeaking.

[davec]

I've had the steering rack creak for about 40k miles now, and I've come to the conclusion that once you actually get the creak there's nothing you can do to completly get rid of it; except for replacing the rack of course. I have the T1R tie rod ends and that seemed to help for a little while, but it was only a matter of time before it came back. What seemed to really help was having Honda adjust the steering rack as stated in one of the honda service bulletins. It only cost $100, but it's only a temporary fix and will need to be done again.

[.colin]

honestly if this was a problem that could lead to catastrophic failure, honda would recall the racks. so if it does become recalled, anyone who had their rack replaced out of pocket will get a refund.