where to buy 40mm wrench to adjust steering rack guide

[anzai]

hey guys just wondering if anyone knows where to get the special honda 40mm wrench from to adjust the rack guide?

http://causeforalarm.thecarthing.com/rack_guide_adjustment/in_package.jpg

http://causeforalarm.thecarthing.com/rack_guide_adjustment/tools_required.jpg

im 80% sure this is the solution to my steering feeling very loose.

it is quite strange that no mechanics i've spoken to know anything about adjusting the rack guide.

the DIY is here: http://civic-eg.com/viewtopic.php?p=245781&sid=671f1a1379233d4f5f3969eedaa99872

called honda and they think im talking nonsense

cheers

[dorikin]

Did you give them the part no.?

[anzai]

yep of course.

found it on http://www.hondapartsnow.com/genuine/honda~wrench~07916-SA50001.html

but they dont ship internationally

[Banana_hammock]

Check with your local honda dealer? They'd be able to ship the part for you but perhaps at an elevated $$$

[anzai]

..... read^^^^^

[AE092]

By chance did you call Honda Spare Parts and was directed to contact a Tools specialist in Moorabbin? lol



Highly likely I would've taken the call

[anzai]

nope, only called local dealer's parts department.

can you find out if you could get it?

[markismaximus]

this what you are looking for....? $22 for the part and $40 shipping to AUS

http://www.oemacuraparts.com/index.php?p=catalog&mode=search&search_in=all&search_str=07AAA-TL2A100&make=Honda

[anzai]

bump, does anyone have on that i could borrow for a couple of days? i'll pay for your trouble of course

[vinnY]

^ I had the same experience, called honda and they wanted $250+ for the stupid wrench after some back and forth

I ended up buying one from oemacuraparts though I've lent it out and now lost it :(

what have you done to try and fix up the loose steering? I did a bunch of stuff until I was happy with the result

[anzai]

man i still have no idea, thinking it could be ps pump or rack, possibly tie rods (even though visually no problem)

what else did you do?

oh and ive been trying to get it from oemacuraparts, knts are still not sending me any invoice......

[vinnY]

they've been pretty good, generally charge me about $25odd for shipping for a bunch of little items

first things first make sure both inner and outer tie rods are good(I had to replace mine, honestly didn't make that much difference even though the joints were knocking)
once those are changed, given you own a dc2, consider flipping the upper control arms to gain more castor(I had to buy upper control arms with both castor/camber adjustment since I had an ek) this made a moderate improvement in feel and response
check your bushings on the steering rack, usually they're okay but you never know, and I came across a kit cheap so I bought it anyway
I ended up doing a full bushing change all with hardrace items and new lower ball joints on the knuckle too which made a moderate difference
I went as far as tracking down some dc2r top hats to have the solid bushes in them to use with my shocks
I tried to adjust the rack guide but it didn't make a massive difference if any
smaller than stock steering wheel helps with feel too

last but most important, get a good alignment and make sure it's done properly. if you had a bad alignment steering will be light and vague
I gave my alignment guys specific alignment settings and got a print out to make sure they followed my settings

keep in mind though, from factory they have a tolerance of 10mm and the rack is pretty vague most of the time
the dc2 is something like 3.8 lock to lock whereas something like my evo is more like 2.2 lock to lock so the steering feels much more responsive with less input

[anzai]

they've been pretty good, generally charge me about $25odd for shipping for a bunch of little items

first things first make sure both inner and outer tie rods are good(I had to replace mine, honestly didn't make that much difference even though the joints were knocking)
once those are changed, given you own a dc2, consider flipping the upper control arms to gain more castor(I had to buy upper control arms with both castor/camber adjustment since I had an ek) this made a moderate improvement in feel and response
check your bushings on the steering rack, usually they're okay but you never know, and I came across a kit cheap so I bought it anyway
I ended up doing a full bushing change all with hardrace items and new lower ball joints on the knuckle too which made a moderate difference
I went as far as tracking down some dc2r top hats to have the solid bushes in them to use with my shocks
I tried to adjust the rack guide but it didn't make a massive difference if any
smaller than stock steering wheel helps with feel too

last but most important, get a good alignment and make sure it's done properly. if you had a bad alignment steering will be light and vague
I gave my alignment guys specific alignment settings and got a print out to make sure they followed my settings

keep in mind though, from factory they have a tolerance of 10mm and the rack is pretty vague most of the time
the dc2 is something like 3.8 lock to lock whereas something like my evo is more like 2.2 lock to lock so the steering feels much more responsive with less input

well the problem started happening after i got my timing belt done, the ps pump and pulleys had to be removed which leads me to believe its the ps pump thats causing the problem, they must have done something to it

so i might replace the pump and do a flush to see if it makes any difference

i did swap my UCA's from L to R, no difference

a mate told me to replace inner & outer tie rods, so i might try that

steering rank mount bushings are pretty solid

still trying to source the 40mm wrench to adjust the rack guide, hopefully makes a difference

a mate also reckons it could be the rack. honestly have no idea at this point what else could be causing the problem.....

+1 rep for your long post, not like its gonna count coming from a single blocker

[vinnY]

well unless the belt is slipping it shouldn't make a difference
you could re-tension your belts again to see what's up

yeah change out your inner/outer tie rods, costs like 100 bucks for both sides shipped form the US
get them done and get an alignment done and see what's up, alignment could just be out of whack

[anzai]

well unless the belt is slipping it shouldn't make a difference
you could re-tension your belts again to see what's up

yeah change out your inner/outer tie rods, costs like 100 bucks for both sides shipped form the US
get them done and get an alignment done and see what's up, alignment could just be out of whack

i actually just got a front alignment done after getting a new set of wheels

so yeh unless they did a shitty alignment i doubt its the problem

also i just remembered, sometimes when im revving high like entering the freeway to 100-105kph, there's heaps of vibration coming from the steering, feels like the wheels are not balanced properly but i doubt it as i just got it done (again unless they did a shit job)

[vinnY]

^ got both a wheel balance and an alignment?

what settings did they whack it on? also did they do the rear at all?

[anzai]

well i told them to get as close to 0mm toe up front, as im running about 4 degree camber up front

the rear i got them to do 1mm toe in each side, but i adjusted the rear camber again by a bit so the rear toe is probably a bit out, i seriously doubt it makes any difference

yeh a wheel balance was done too. as i said they couldve done a shit job, but yeh it was done