Official Raz Veinz Blogsite

For an introduction, I would to say, this is not “how to do” page, this is the way I do, I strongly recommend you to read the factory service manual in the first place.

DISCLAIMER: I can not say this is the best or safest way to do. I am not
responsible for any thing you damage, or what ever harm you cause to
yourself or others. This is how I did it and it worked for me.

I think this is a normal issue for ‘Old Timer Car’, steering rack and hose leakage, most people prefer to replace steering rack take from junkyard, and for those who have extra money would buy entire set of steering rack! But, I decide to repair it, for two reason, if I replace with 2nd hand, how long it will longer be? I don’t know detail about the condition, and 2nd I didn’t have budget to buy new set .

Because this page is about to repair the rack, so, I skip the steering rack removal step,

If your power steering reservoir runs low, no matter how frequently you top up the fluid, you should check entire power steering system, there must be leakage somewhere. Check the steering gearbox (steering rack system), pump, reservoir, pump outlet line (high pressure), low pressure hoses and pipe.

1st step, of course, remove your steering rack from your car.

The motivation : The best repairing is done by owner himself (with knowledge and proper tools)

firstly, you need to understand the entire system work (can read from factory service manual or the Internet). Need to know each part of steering rack, and properly disassemble.

This is the step that I use to…

1. Remove the cylinder pipe.

2. Remove the tie-rod assembly (marking the original position).

3. Remove the boot bands and tube clamps. Pull  the dust seals at the ends of the gearbox.

4. Remove the rack end ball joint. (there have special tool to remove this, but I only used 2 big adjustable wrench)

5.  Mark original position of locknut and rack guide screw at the gear housing for easy installation.  Loosen the rack screw locknut and remove the rack guide screw.

6. Remove the spring and rack guide from the gear housing.

7. Remove the control valve unit from the gearbox.

8. Remove the retaining ring from the cylinder using a narrow screw driver.

9. Remove the seal holder and steering rack from the cylinder housing.

So, this is all about to disassemble part,

now we’re going to main dish, replacing the seal, time to go men shopping!

Easy part – Install new seals at seals holder

Intermediate (will be easy part if you have special tool – piston seal ring guide) – Install new seal at the piston. Carefully pry the piston seal ring and O-ring out off the rack. to put the O-ring is easy because it’s elastic, for the piston seal ring I put it into the warm water (make sure not too hot) to make it expend a little bit, put rapidly on the piston groove on top of the O-ring, don’t worry, it will back to normal shape after cool.

I think, the hard part (not really hard actually) is to install back new cylinder packing A and backup ring, again, it will be easy if you have a special tool (that’s why it called special) – handle driver and packing end remover. To pull out the useless (this is the source of leak) old cylinder packing A and backup ring, I use suitable socket (I think I used 18mm) and extension like picture below.

To install new seals, please refer to Figure 1.0, to make sure the seals seat properly,

I used some stick as gauge, mark from Point A (Backup Ring End Housing)  to Point B (Cylinder End) then to Point C (width of cylinder packing A+ backup ring + piston ). Insert properly cylinder packing A and backup ring onto the steering rack, coat the steering rack with power steering fluid, and insert it in the cylinder, then use stick to measure, until Cylinder End reach the Point C, after that, DON’T TAKE OUT STEERING RACK FROM CYLINDER ANYMORE, it will ruin the seals. The next step,

1. Install the seal holder on the steering rack steering rack.

2. Install the retaining ring on the cylinder.

3. Install new O-ring on the gear housing refresh all grease part. Be sure to apply the liquid gasket to the mating face evenly (0.5 – 1.5 g/0.018 – 0.053 oz) not to let it to drop inside the housing. Carefully install the control valve unit on the gear housing.

4. Coat the rack guide with grease, install with sequence, rack guide, spring, pressure plate, rack guide screw and locknut.

5. Tighten the rack guide screw until it compresses the spring and seat again the rack guide, and then loosen it.

6. Retighten it using the marking before or to 5 N·m (0.5 kg·m, 3.6 lb·ft), back it off about 25° then install the locknut on the rack guide screw.

7. Tighten locknut while holding the rack guide screw.

8. Install the cylinder pipe. Use pipe thread seal tape to make sure no leaking from the pipe joint.

9. Install the new lock washer in the groove in the steering rack.

10. Hold the steering rack with a wrench and tighten the rack end to 55 N·m (5.5 kg·m, 40 lb·ft)

11. After tightening the rack end, stake the four section of lock washer.

12. Refresh all grease, install the dust seals with the boot bands and tube clamps, then install the air hose.

13. Reassembly the tie-rod end. Replace ball joint boot with the new one, Pack the interior of the boot and lip with the grease, wipe the grease off the sliding surface of the ball pin, then pack the lower area with fresh grease.

14. Install back your steering rack properly.

I also found there are leaking areas at the reservoir tank hose, the hose becomes hard compare to the new one, so, I replace it both of them.

Fill the reservoir tank with the new GENUINE HONDA power steering fluid to the upper level mark. Start the engine and run it at fast idle, and then turn the steering from lock-to-lock several times to bleed air from the system. Recheck the fluid level and add some if necessary. DO NOT FILL THE RESERVOIR BEYOND THE UPPER LEVER.

Do the alignment. I run about 3000km, feel smooth, handling improve and what important is, no leaking anymore!