Rotational Play in steering wheel- Is a little tolerable?
03-05-2006, 03:43 PM
#31
Registered User
sorry, seemed like I cause some some heighted sensitivities on here 
.
I only noticed the play since I had none before my engine work. Like xviper said, it might be tough to get all play out if the looseness is somewhere else than in the easily accessible lower u-joint.
Perhaps Billman can set us all straight.
.I only noticed the play since I had none before my engine work. Like xviper said, it might be tough to get all play out if the looseness is somewhere else than in the easily accessible lower u-joint.
Perhaps Billman can set us all straight.
03-05-2006, 03:48 PM
#32
Moderator
OK 
Xviper fixed what someone else left unattended, so this will not help you unless yours has been tampered with.
When Honda says 10mm, I'm pretty sure they mean overall. In other words, put your hand on top of the steering wheel and move it left & right. It should be no more than 10mm from left and right positions that cause the wheels to start moving. There are many components that can add or reduce this number.
-Steering coupler loose from a trans job, or the joint is actually worn and has play
-internal play in the rack
-play in the inner and outer tie rods
-play in the ball joints
-play in the wheel bearings
A loose steering coupler from a clutch job can easily amount to 25mm or more of play.
Bottom line....when I say ZERO play, I am talking about my own feel for the components. If I were to measure it, I'm sure I could get a few MM of play in my car, usuing the above method. It would all come down to things settling and flexing before the wheels move.
Xviper fixed what someone else left unattended, so this will not help you unless yours has been tampered with.
When Honda says 10mm, I'm pretty sure they mean overall. In other words, put your hand on top of the steering wheel and move it left & right. It should be no more than 10mm from left and right positions that cause the wheels to start moving. There are many components that can add or reduce this number.
-Steering coupler loose from a trans job, or the joint is actually worn and has play
-internal play in the rack
-play in the inner and outer tie rods
-play in the ball joints
-play in the wheel bearings
A loose steering coupler from a clutch job can easily amount to 25mm or more of play.
Bottom line....when I say ZERO play, I am talking about my own feel for the components. If I were to measure it, I'm sure I could get a few MM of play in my car, usuing the above method. It would all come down to things settling and flexing before the wheels move.
03-05-2006, 07:03 PM
#34
Registered User
Originally Posted by Race Miata,Mar 6 2006, 03:09 AM
So after reading this, I put my front end on jackstands and had a look. Didn't realize there's so much room to work on the steering joint. During my prevous clutch job, I worked on the bolts from within the engine compartment with not much room. 
Anyways, I totally removed both bolts and retightened them and the slop was immediately reduced! Just out of curiousity I tried a few different ways to tighten things up from underneath the car and they all seem to result in reduced slop. Seems like as long as you tighten the bolts underneath the car (which is much easier than from engine compartment anyways), there will be no extra slop. The Helms manual indeed mentioned about pulling the shaft when tightening the last bolt. I guess I was too focused on finishing the clutch job and missed the instruction.
Xviper you're the man!!!
Anyways, I totally removed both bolts and retightened them and the slop was immediately reduced! Just out of curiousity I tried a few different ways to tighten things up from underneath the car and they all seem to result in reduced slop. Seems like as long as you tighten the bolts underneath the car (which is much easier than from engine compartment anyways), there will be no extra slop. The Helms manual indeed mentioned about pulling the shaft when tightening the last bolt. I guess I was too focused on finishing the clutch job and missed the instruction.
Xviper you're the man!!!
07-14-2009, 06:55 PM
#35
i wanted to bump this to say that it helped me out also. i noticed some slop in the steering on center. not alot but i remember there use to be none. i loosed the two bolts holding the steering colomn joint under the hood on, retorqued them, and its perfect again
as much as i hate this forums search, it helped in this instance!
as much as i hate this forums search, it helped in this instance!
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