While driving over bumps and rough roads ive heard it and its drove me nuts. I had a mechanic look into it once too. So its caused me to spend countless hours looking and replacing parts and i finally found it. Others that have it and havent figured out what it is need to look at the power steering rack. Yep thats right. I finally put 2 and 2 together, especially after having replaced all ball joints up front. I have noticed uneven tire wear like toe out of spec or camber but alignment is spot on. I also noticed while turning it doesnt do it. So after a hour or so of yanking and prying and digging into things i discovered its the rack.

 

pics of the rack? i think i have the same problem... i always though it was the battery since i dont have anything holding it down... thx

 

wow- what a thrillseeker-- driving with loose battery!!-
never had a hot terminal hit metal ground before have you!
happened on my truck- lots of fun rewiring half the engine compartment

how many miles now kris, 250k?
so what would the average person expect? 100 150k before rack probs?
Do you think changing the fluid will help, or is it a wearout issue?

 

guess ill go find a battery tie. i dont wanna be rewiring...

 

I think I have the same problem, do you have to replace the rack?

 

What was wrong with your power steering rack? how did you fix it? something was broken or something was loose?

 

No i dont have any pics. Its the power steering rack and it looks like a pain to remove.
Ive had the problem for probably close to 100k. Ive got about 265 on it now. I was always under the assumption that it was the ball joints or suspension. Though after replacing just about every thing and still having it it really irked me. Fluid wont help. Though this may explain the recent rash of PS pumps ive gone thru
Yes, ill have to replace it.
Its internal. It seems as though its wearing out. I have play in it. I havent fixed it, ill have to replace it.

 

WHen you get a cost on it, mind posting?

 

and pics... another DIY...biotch...

 

They arent cheap Ill tell you that. Its like 690 - 530(using the http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.org/...catdisplay.jsp site) new for the type-s. I may try to locate a used one.

 

well i dont have any problems with my power steering right now. and my car is only 88k. plus i targeted it to only the FR thats creaking not clunking like yours. but ill keep this in mind.

i dont think mine is shocks cause it doesnt really creak then i jack the car up or go over bumps in the road. just at slow speed is when you hear it most, when the body of the car is moving. when accel, breaking and crawling over speed bumps. i can even hear it when pulling in to the garage, its quite loud.

 

fyi i had a clunking, but it was from my strut telling me it was gonna blow

 

they have been replaced as well

 

Jack up the car and get a spray lube of somesort (if you can find something thick(i cant remember off the top of my head right now which brand has it but its out there) spray the coils and let the car down. See if that stops it. If it does get the MDX coil isolators from the dealer and install them on your springs

 

Kris, you're probably 10 steps ahead of me, but can you tell if it's the inner tie rod/ball socket? I've had them be tight with the wheels hanging down, and show up loose on the ground. They also tighten on turns because of the angle. It's easiest to check on alignment turntables, or by disconnecting the outers and putting the tie rod in line with the rack. I've replaced plenty on other cars, but pretty rare on hondas. If it is this, you can usually change them without pulling the rack.

You can get a good reman rack for around $300.00

 

I hate rack jobs, they're a pain in the ass

 

Kragen.com has it for $344.99 +$125.00 core, Lifetime Warranty. At least with my ZIP; it may be different with other ZIP codes.

 

but i already got the silencer rubbers that came installed on the springs from tein. plus this didnt happen before. so i think something is worn. shocks/struts looked fine. it does take a couple of seconds to rebound all the way but no leaking.

 

i tested with the car supported and the control arm pushed up to normal driving level. The play itself is coming from inside the rack. The tie rod ends are still play free. I wish it was something that simple. The weird thing is is its making the clunking like a bad ball joint when hitting bumps and stuff.

 

about the wierd tire wear my pass front wears more on the outter side like alignment is off but its on point. could i be having the same issue? i just rolled over 112,000. i dunno i get some weird noises from the front end sometimes but it sounds like a bad shock or strut (since they have never been replaced im sure they are shot at 112k) but thats why im saving for the TEIN SS. but seriously ive been stumped on this tire wear for a while now.

 

My wear is on the passenger side front inside. Im leaning towards under rolling pressure there is enough force to pull the toe out to cause the wear. Ive always had wear on that tire (minimal) but it was always there and i could never figure it out.

 

Can you live with the noise and keep on driving until it broke, or it is something it has to be replaced to avoid other related damages?

 

If it were to break (just like a ball joint) it could lead to a serious accident. You would loose control of the car.

 

oh shit my loud creaking has been happening for like a year now and i think its getting easier to set off. i tried getting it fixed but no one knows what is wrong. i need to take car this or my axle might fall off

 

so do you think i could possibly have the same issue as you the the rack? yes my weird tire wear is minimal but enough for me to notice it everytime i put on tire shine and or look at the tires. please assist. i dont really have any weird noises coming from the front other than a bad shock or strut. and now that i am really thinking about it, it seems that there is always more brake dust on that side too. something has to be off!

 

^^ any ideas on the weird tire wear on the passanger outside and the extra brake dust on the passanger side wheels??? alignment is on point.

 

Have an alignment shop inspect the rack and tierod ends for play.

 

Kris,
I have the same problem since a few months now. It's drive me nut sometime. I noticed that in the morning time driving through the rough road is very smooth (except 5mph speed bump) , only after like 10min of street driving with a few turns/brake/accelerate that I can hear the clunksy on both front tire. Stucks are replaced and so engine mounts. Dealer want $95 for troubleshoot. Do you think it came from the streeing rack?

 

i just got an alignment about a month ago. go back to the same place and have them look at it??

 

Very well could be. Have you had your ball joints inspected?

 

Wouldnt hurt to run it by them and say your having uneven wear and see if they can inspect the rack and tierod ends for play

 

^^ ok thanks

 

Thk Kris, I haven't had the ball joints inspected, but did think about that too, just because the term "clunksy" could mean so many problem and I'm trying to narrow it down to a few possibilities. Unfortunally have the dealer inspect may be the only way to go, I dont have the mechanical expert background

 

^ Find an alignment shop and have them inspect things. They will be able to diagnose that as easy or easier than the dealer as they deal with that daily and inspect for it before doing alignments.

 

just a thought before i go take it back to the shop that did the alignment.....could my pass side motor mount be shot causing the weird tire wear on the pass side?? the way my logic works if its shot and not holding its load then the engine would sit a lil lower on the pass side...is this correct? if so that in my opinion it would cause the outter to have more than normal wear. ideas?? i dont wanna go look like and idiot at the shop.

 

Very unlikely. Go look at it, you will see if its bad or not. Look for tearing or leaking.

 

Out of curiosity, fsttyms1, your sway bar bushings are still good, right?

 

Kris,
You do know you can rebuild the rack cheap cheap. Its in the service manual. Let me know if you need more info. Jim

 

My clunking stopped all together when I changed my hood stays and when I put isolators on my H&R springs. The Clunking was coming from the front right. I think the hood stays have a large part in keeping the hood still. just because your hood stays open doesnt mean they arnt worn out. If they are good your hood will pop itself all the way up once it is about a foot open. FYI

 

Yea im looking at my options (i found a used rack just down the road from me with 40k on it for 100 bucks) . The amount of clunking im now getting i think is more than just the rack. Its really starting to piss me off. I dont have the time or money to be dinking around right now. Ill have to though as its starting to drive me nuts