How to change an inner tie rod end on a honda civic 1.5

If the rack is 15 years old-- it is about worn out

Just change the rack & forget the ties rod R&R

Play in the steering wheel is likely from worn tie rod ends. Have your inner and outer tie rods checked. The outer tie rods are connected to the rod ends coming out of the rack on each side, and are connected to the wheels. The inner tie rods are not visible-but are on the rods under the protective boots on each end of the rack and pinion assembly.
You may need a new rack assembly, but first check if you just need new tie rods.

From your description,I suspect worn tie rod ends.The tie rods connect the steering gear to the wheels.grasp the tire rod while you or an asistant shakes the wheel from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock to pin point where it's loose. could be inner or outer ends or both.

Procedure on replacing the inner tie rod ends:


1) Raise and safely support the vehicle.

2) Remove the front wheel/tire assembly.

3) Clean the steering rod between the steering boot and outer tie rod end lock nut with a suitable penetrating lubricant and a clean cloth or shop towel.

4) Loosen the outer tie rod end locking nut 1/8 turn.

5) Loosen the steering boot clamp(s), and slide the small clamp off the boot.

6) Carefully loosen the boot and slide outward off the steering rack and onto the shaft to expose the inner steering rod mounting fastener.

7) If necessary, position the inner steering rack shaft in or out to allow for additional access.

8) Relieve the steering rod nut locking tab from the inner steering rack shaft, then loosen the steering rod ball socket nut 1 turn.

9) Matchmark the tie rod end to the threaded shaft.

10) Remove the cotter key and castle nut from the outer tie rod end threaded spindle, and using a tie rod end removal tool, remove the tie rod from the steering knuckle.

11) Hold the tie rod with a wrench, and remove the outer tie rod end from the threaded rod, counting the number of complete turns it takes to remove the tie rod end from the shaft. Write the number of turns on a piece of note paper.

12) Remove the tie rod end lock nut from the threaded steering shaft.

13) Slide the steering rack boot off the shaft.

14) Remove the inner steering rod ball socket nut from the inner steering rack shaft.

To install:

1) Inspect the tie rod end for looseness, and the steering rack boot and tie rod end boot for cracks deterioration or damage and replace as necessary.

2) Clean steering rack shaft and apply a light coating of Genuine Honda Power steering fluid as necessary.

3) Apply a medium strength locking agent to the threads where the inner steering rod ball socket mounts. Use a new locking washer and a new stop washer, and install the inner tie rod onto the steering rack shaft.

4) Tighten the inner tie rod end fastener by 58 ft. lbs. (78 Nm)

5) Peen the lock washer over the nut or onto the flat surface of the steering rack shaft.

6) Apply silicone grease to the outer circumference of the inner tie rod end ball socket, and onto the groove just outside of the socket.

7) Apply silicone grease to the inside of the small end of the steering rack boot, and slide the boot over the steering shaft and onto the rack and install the boot clamps. If the boot has air hose fittings make sure they are installed as removed.

8) Apply a light film of an anti-seize compound onto the threaded tie rod end, and install the tie rod end lock nut.

9) Install the tie rod end onto the tie rod, turning it in exactly the number of turns it took to remove it.

10) Install the tie rod end following the tie rod end installation procedure.

11) The balance of installation is the reverse of the removal procedure.

12) Check the front end alignment and adjust as necessary.

You need an inner tie rod tool!!!!!
Run down to auto-zone and rent one. It's like jumbo deep socket.

When you take off the outer tie-rod make sure you count exactly how many revolutions to take it off, then when you put it back juts recount the revolutions and get it exactly the same. You shouldn't need to get another alignment. The tool you can rent at autozone, it's like a long wrench that has just a plain square box at the end you put in this rod thing that the tool comes with and it reaches the inner tie-rod. You will need to take off part number 25's jam nut first as it holds the inner tie-rod against the outer tie-rod. There is a boot that covers up the inner tie-rod end too you will need to grease up that boot really good before putting it back over the inner tie-rod. There is a ring around both ends of the boot, you will need either a ring separator or just pry it off and when putting the boot back just put a zip tie around each end tight, that's what I did cause i didn't have a ring separator. Also, there is a chance if you have an old oem one that the tool can't get to it so you can turn the wheel to move it out so you have more room. Mine was stripped so I had to use some vice grips to get it off. There's also a ring on the inside of the boot at a hose fitting, the other side of the hose goes to the other inner tie-rod on the other side so that when you turn the wheel air moves freely between both tie-rods.

Inner tie rods rarely if ever need to be replaced in my experience: outer tie rod ends are far more common. Its not impossible so here's how.

1. remove the tie rod ends from the knuckle.
2. remove the clamp for the rubber bellows on the rack ends, and slide the bellows down the rod.
3. Turn the rack to fullleft or right as needed to get access to the inner rod end that screws into the rack.
4. There's a lock tab that has to be bent flat. This locks the rod end into the rack.
5. You'll need a (probably) 32mm wrench to undo the rod end from the rack.
6. Note how the lock tab is fitted to the rack/rod end.

7. Put in the new tie rods.

If your garage mechanic told you the inner tie rods are worn out, I'd ask why they think so. At step 4. above, try rotating the rod. This should be quite difficult. There should be NO evidence of slop or wear in the inner joint. What more commonly wears is the bushes on the end of the rack. These bushes are easily replacable with the rack in the car.The tie rods have to be removed to do this. So, when the rods are off, inspect the rack bushes for wear.

SD

The first step in replacing the inner tie rod is to remove the tie rod end. It's basically a three step process, where you start by loosening the jam nut that's used to set the alignment (toe-in or toe-out). That jam nut determines how far up the inner tie rod the tie rod end is fixed. The tie rod end is hollow and threaded, so it can be screwed on or off the inner tie rod. Any procedure for removing a tie rod will start by telling you to count the turns you unscrew the tie rod end, something that I didn't do, and I'll save the explanation for the end:-) After you loosen the jam nut, you remove the cotter pin from the post on the outer tie rod ball joint, and unscrew the nut that holds the ball joint into the tapered fitting on the steering knuckle (video to right). After you pop the outer tie end free of the steering knuckle, you can unscrew the tie rod end. from the inner tie rod, but you need to grip it with something. Inner tie rods normally have some flat surfaces or a splined surface for grabbing with pliers. In this case, I needed two pairs of visegrips and a clamp to hold the visegrips on the inner tie rod from moving in order to get the outer tie rod end broken free and turning easy. That video is below. I happen to own the shop manuals for my Dodge Omni, so I was able to study the procedure for replacing the inner tie rod in detail. I didn't follow it for a couple reason. First, they show my type of power steering rack (Saginaw vs TRW) needs to be removed from the car to change the inner tie rod. That's a lot of extra work, not to mention the fact I buried one of the crossmember bolts in my unibody and flooring repair! So I went with an inner tie rod removal kit from Harbor Freight, manufactured by U.S. General (in Taiwan). The tool is very simple, basically a large steel tub with a snap in opening for a large crows foot insert on one end and a 1/2" socket drive on the other end. The kit is shown in the photo to the lower left (which I need to replace), and a video of the procedure is shown below. The kit wasn't quite right for my car, I had to use an oversized crows foot and the ball joint housing on the inner tie rod was too long, so the flats on the housing were barely held with the crows foot positioned by hand at the very end of the tool. But I got it out.

Yes. If it's to correct alignment, the inner tie rod shaft has to be moved into your outer tie rod and then tightened. this is all done from the wheel area.

If it is to correct play in the steering, then this should apply.

The inner tie rod connection to the Rack unit is hidden by the rack boot which will need to be removed from the Rack unit but not completely removed from the shaft, just pushed over out of the way while working on the inner tie rod adjustment. The large nut on the end of the inner tie rod will have to be loosened & checked, for any damage, then reinstalled & tightened to the correct amount necessary to cause sufficient drag on the inner tie rod but not too much to restrict it during normal use.

You may even want to consider a remanufactured Rack unit if you have too much slack in the steering. Tightening the Inner Tie Rods doesn't replace the seals & rebuild the remainder of the Rack & Pinion, yet these parts all have the same amount of wear on them that the Inner Tie Rod does.

Manuals available w/step by step instructions for your vehicle at parts stores. good luck

Instructions Things You'll Need:

• Lug nut wrench
• Jack
• Jack stands
• Wrench or pliers
• Tie rod puller
• Marker or paint
• Pen and paper
• Anti-seize compound
• Torque wrench

Remove the Tie Rod End
1. Step 1 Purchase tie rod ends that are specific to your Honda model and year, for tie rod ends vary from model year to model year. The tie rod ends often come with nuts and cotter pins (glorified bobby pins).
   
2. Step 2 Loosen the lug nuts on the front tires, but don't remove them. Jack up your vehicle, then support it securely on jack stands. Remove the tires.
   
3. Step 3 Use a wrench or piers to loosen the outer tie rod's locking nut, but do so by only 1/8th of a turn. Mark the tie rod end's position on the threaded portion of the tie rod with paint or a marker.
   
4. Step 4 Take out the cotter pin or key and use a wrench or pliers to loosen and remove the castellated nut from the outer tie rod end's spindle.
   
5. Step 5 Separate the tie rod and the steering knuckle with a tie rod puller.
   
6. Step 6 Grasp the tie rod with a wrench while you screw off the tie rod end. Make sure you keep track of the number of turns it takes to remove it, and write that number down. It'll help you when you install the replacement tie rod end.
   Replace the Tie Rod End
7. Step 1 Put a coat of anti-seize compound on the threaded portion of the tie rod end, and screw on the lock nut for the tie rod end.
   
8. Step 2 Screw on the tie rod end, making sure you do it in the same number of turns as it took to remove the original tie rod end (see Section One, Step 6).
   
9. Step 3 Slip the tapered end of the tie rod end into the steering knuckle and tighten the castellated nut to 29 to 35 foot pounds. If your tie rod end doesn't come with a castellated nut, tighten that nut to 32 foot pounds.
   
10. Step 4 Install the new cotter pin and tighten the tie rod end's lock nut. Repeat Sections 1 and 2 for the other tie rod end.
    
11. Step 5 Reinstall the tires, tighten the lug nuts and get the Honda aligned.
    

you will need to back off on the lock nut on the tie rod end then remove the tie rod end from spindle turn tie rod counting the number of turns to take it off put new tie rod the same number of turns put back in spindle and tighten lock nut your steering wheel will probably be off center so you will need to have the toe reset on the alignment machine