so i put new tires on the car and took it to get aligned. my staring wheel is tilted a little to the right the honda dealer told me they couldn't alignment because every time they adjusted the right tie rod it would pop back to were it was. they mentioned having to take the whole R&R rack out (install new lock washer). They didn't give me a definitive answer on what it could be just that they would have to take the rack out. The car feels fine, no nose or vibrations. I would appreciate any pinions suggestions?

I did have a power staring leak about 6 months ago, i replaced the power steering reservoir. no leaks now.

Thanks.

 

have you considerd going to an independent alignment shop to get a 2nd opinion?

 

Thanks for the reply thoiboi, i made an appointment with a tire shop for a alignment for this Friday. I will see if they find the same thing. i thought i would post and ask first because i wasn't sure about what they were claiming was true.

 

Is what the deal telling BS just to get $$. does this make sense to anyone, would adjusting the tie rode really snap/move back to the previous position?

 

Take it to a reputable alignment shop. They know what they are doing.

Last 2 times I brought my car to the dealership, I knew more than them. I even demonstrated they were wrong saving me $500 on a useless part.

 

I do plan on taking to an alignment shop but i was curious if what they told made sense or if they were just blowing smoke up my A$$ to get $$ out of me. When bad inner or outer tie rods do this?

Thanks for the reply's.

 

Possible that there is a problem within the rack assembly.
The tie rod end is threaded onto the rack end, but if there is a problem within the rack assembly this should be noticeable as excessive wheel movement would be apparent when the tire is grasped at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions and wheel moved in and out. If this is the case, the rack needs to be repaired.

 

so i took my TL into a alignment shop yesterday and it turns out that both my inner tie rods where lose, not screwed in tightly. The person doing the alignment said as he turn the nut on the outer tie rod the inner tie rod popped out. He replaced it with a new one and was trying to do the alignment but notice the other side wouldn't align correctly so he took the inner tie rod boot off and noticed that the tie rode was no screwed in tight, he took it off and inspected and felt fine so he screwed it back in tightly. He asked me if i have had any work done on the tie rods i said no. He explained to me that lucky to have brought it when i did. So do the inner tie rods come out on there own? i am lost on how both inner tie rode were not screwed in tight/correctly.

The alignment person also said that the 04 TL don't have a way to adjust the toe on the back tires, he suggested getting a kit that would allow to adjust the toe on the back tires. Is this true?

 

There's no rear camber adjustment. Rear toe most certainly is adjustable.

 

Nice, so what needs to be adjusted on the rear end to adjust the toe? how does it adjust?
Pictures or drawings? i would like to know so i can go back and make them adjust and point to the person what part needs to be adjusted the toe.

Thanks.

 

It's the rear toe arms.

Are you sure that he said toe and not camber?

What were the rear settings?

 

Yes said toe. I don't have the rear settings handy at the moment.
Is the Camber bolt what adjusts the toe on the rear?

 

If he said toe, then he's an idiot. What kind of place was this? Time to Run, Forrest, Run!! I wouldn't set foot back in that place.

Is your suspension stock?

 

i am trying to understand how the rear toe is adjusted so i know next time i take it into a different place.

ya my suspension is stock.

 

You turn the adjusting bolt on the rear lower control arms (after removing lock nut).

 

My apologies

for my dumbness. Is my picture correct or am way off.

 

correct..... those don't look like stock struts.....

 

This is not my car it was a picture i found online. Just needed a visual.

So in order to adjust the toe you loosen the lock nut then turn the bolt to adjust toe then re-tighten lock nut? I am not going to adjust it my self just curious.

 

^^^

Yes.

You'd be surprised how many alignment shops are filled with 2-cent techs that don't know how to do alignment right. I had a 5-year alignment thing at NTB and they f**ked it up so bad one time, I had to tilt my steering wheel to the left to go straight. The same guy tried to fix it twice but couldn't. I had to go to Honda to get it done.

 

After searching a reading a lot of forum threads it seems as a lot of so called "tech" don't know what they are doing. I am still puzzled on how the both inner tie rods were lose.

 

Find one shop with a specific guy that knows how to align really good. I found a local shop with guys driving dumped, more than 3" of lowering Civics. Those guys KNOW how to align and understand the importance of a good alignment. And I don't mean guys that run hellaflush... that's just stupid.