Steering Gearbox Removal/Installation

Steering Gearbox Removal and Installation

Special Tools Required

- Ball Joint Thread Protector, 12 mm 07AAF-SDAA100
- Ball Joint Remover, 28 mm 07MAC-SL0A202
- Engine Support Hanger, A and Reds AAR-T1256
- Engine Hanger Balance Bar VSB02C000019
- 2008 V6 Attachment Arm SIL02C000033
- Ball Joint Thread Protector, 14 mm 07AAE-SJAA100
- Subframe Adapter VSB02C000016
- Subframe Alignment Pin 070AG-SJAA10S
*Available through the Acura Tool and Equipment Program, 888-424-6857.

Note these items during removal and installation:

- Using clean solvent and a brush, wash any oil and dirt off the end of the steering gearbox. Avoid any electrical parts. Blow dry with compressed air.
- Lower the front subframe from the body, and remove the steering gearbox through the gap produced by lowering the front subframe.

Removal

1. Disconnect the hood support struts from the pivot ball on both sides (bolted to the hood). Raise and secure the hood in a vertical position. Remove the passenger's side pivot ball and install it into the lower threaded hole, then reattach the support strut.

NOTE: Do not attempt to close the hood with the support strut in the vertical position, as it will damage the support strut and hood.





2. Remove the engine compartment covers Service and Repair.

3. Do the battery terminal disconnection procedure.

4. Remove the front strut brace Service and Repair.

5. Raise and support the vehicle Service and Repair.

6. Remove the front wheels.

7. Remove the driver's dashboard undercover Driver's Dashboard Undercover Removal / Installation.

8. Remove the steering joint cover (A).






9. Center the steering wheel spokes, and install a commercially available steering wheel holder tool (A).






10. Loosen the upper steering joint bolt (A), and remove the lower steering joint bolt (B). Disconnect the steering joint (C) by sliding the steering joint into the column shaft (D). Tighten the upper steering joint bolt to hold the steering joint in place.

NOTE: Do not disconnect the steering joint from the column shaft.






11. Remove the center guide (A) (if equipped) from the top of the pinion shaft (B), and discard it.





12. Wrap vinyl tape over the splines on the pinion shaft.

13. Remove the cotter pin (A) from the tie-rod end ball joint, then remove the nut (B) on both sides.






14. Disconnect the tie-rod end ball joint from the knuckle using the ball joint thread protector (C) and the ball joint remover (D) Ball Joint Removal.

NOTE: Be careful not to damage the ball joint boot when installing the remover.

15. Remove the power steering heat shield (A).






16. Disconnect the EPS subharness 12P connector (A) and the EPS subharness 3P connector (B) by pushing the lock (C) and pulling up the lever (D).





17. Remove the EPS subharness 12P connector (E), the EPS subharness 3P connector (F), and the harness clip (G) from the harness bracket (H).

18. Wrap the connectors with vinyl tape to avoid contamination from grease or water.

19. Remove the harness clips (A), then remove the heat shield bracket (B) from the steering gearbox.






20. Remove the steering gearbox mounting bolts (A) and washers (B) from the steering gearbox.






21. Remove the bolt (A) securing the connector bracket (B) from the front cylinder head; use the bracket bolt hole (C) to attach the engine hanger balance bar front arm.






22. Remove the harness clamp (A), then remove the bolt (B) securing the engine mount control solenoid valve bracket (C) from the rear cylinder head; use the bracket bolt hole (D) to attach the 2008 V6 attachment arm.






23. A/T: Disconnect the vacuum hose (E).

24. Install the engine hanger balance bar (VSB02C000019). Attach the front arm (A) to the front cylinder head with a 10 mm (0.39 in) spacer (B) and a 10 x 1.25 mm bolt (C). Remove the rear arm from the engine hanger balance bar, then install the 2008 V6 attachment arm (SIL02C000033). Attach the 2008 V6 attachment arm to the rear cylinder head with a 10 mm (0.39 in) spacer (D) and an 8 x 1.25 mm bolt (E).





25. Install the engine support hanger (AAR-T1256) onto the vehicle as shown, and attach the hook to the slotted hole in the engine hanger balance bar. Tighten the wing nut (F) by hand, and lift and support the engine/transmission.

NOTE:

- Be careful when working around the windshield.
- AAR-T1256 two sets required for stacking two cross section bars.

26. Remove the front engine mount stop (A) and the vacuum hose bracket (B), then remove the front engine mount bolt (C).






27. M/T: Remove the front engine mount bolts (A), then remove the front engine mount (B), and disconnect the vacuum hose (C).






28. M/T: Remove the rear engine mount (A).






29. A/T: Remove the rear engine mount stop (A) and the heat shield (B), then remove the rear engine mount (C).





30. A/T: Disconnect the vacuum hose (D).

31. Remove the EPS subharness holder (A), then remove the rear engine mount base (B).





32. Raise the vehicle on a lift.

33. Remove the front splash shield Front Splash Shield Replacement.

34. Remove the front subframe stiffener (A).





35. Remove exhaust pipe A:

- Without SH-AWD Service and Repair
- With SH-AWD Service and Repair

36. With SH-AWD: Remove the propeller shaft .

37. M/T: Remove the transfer assembly .

38. Remove the cotter pin (A) from the knuckle ball joint, then remove the castle nut (B).





39. Disconnect the knuckle ball joint from the lower arm using the ball joint thread protector (C) and the ball joint remover (D) Ball Joint Removal.

NOTE:

- Be careful not to damage the ball joint boot when installing the remover.
- Do not force or hammer on the lower arm, or pry between the lower arm and the knuckle. You could damage the ball joint.

40. Remove the damper fork mounting nut (A) while holding the mounting bolt (B), then remove the mounting bolt.






41. Remove the front subframe middle mount (A) on both sides.






42. Remove the nuts (A) securing the lower transmission mount.






43. Attach the subframe adapter (A) to a transmission jack, then raise up the jack to the subframe. Hang the belt (B) over the front of the subframe, then secure the belt by inserting the stop (C) and then tighten the wing nut (D).






44. Remove the stiffener mounting bolt (A) on both sides.





45. Loosen the subframe mounting bolt (B) on both sides so they are about 20 mm (0.79 in) from the mounting surface. Do not loosen the front subframe mounting bolts more than necessary.

46. Remove the stiffener mounting bolt (A) and subframe mounting bolt (B) from the rear stiffeners (C) on both sides.






47. Lower the jack slowly until the front subframe has dropped about 70 mm (2.76 in).






48. Remove the EPS subharness (A) from the steering gearbox (B).

NOTE: Disconnect the EPS subharness 3P connector (C) by pushing the lock (D) and pulling down the lever (E).






49. Carefully move the steering gearbox (A) toward the driver's side until the pinion shaft clears the fenderwell opening on the body.






50. Remove the steering gearbox (A) through the fenderwell opening on the driver's side.






51. Remove the pinion shaft grommet (A) from the top of the torque sensor (B).






Installation

1. Before installing the steering gearbox, make sure that no grease is on the mating surface of the steering gearbox and the front subframe. To prevent the gearbox mounting bolts from loosening after the installation, remove any grease from the bolt holes.

2. Wrap vinyl tape around the splines on the pinion shaft (A).





3. Install the pinion shaft grommet (B). Align the cutout (C) in the pinion shaft grommet with the lug portion (D) on the torque sensor. The grommet must not have a gap at the mating surface of the grommet and torque sensor.

4. Slide the steering gearbox (A) between the front subframe and the body from the driver's side.






5. Carefully move the steering gearbox (A) toward the passenger's side until the pinion shaft clears the wheelwell opening on the body.





6. Continue moving the steering gearbox toward the passenger's side until the steering gearbox is in position.

7. Install the EPS subharness (A) to the steering gearbox (B).

NOTE: Pull up the lever (C) of the EPS subharness 3P connector (D), then confirm the connector is fully seated.






8. Loosely install the new right rear subframe mounting bolt (A) and the new stiffener mounting bolt (B); insert the 15.7 mm side of the subframe alignment pin (C) through the positioning slot (D) on the rear stiffener, through the positioning hole (E) on the front subframe, and into the positioning hole (F) on the body.





9. Loosely install the new left rear subframe mounting bolt and the new stiffener mounting bolt with the same procedure as the right rear using the subframe alignment pin.

10. Loosely install the new front subframe mounting bolt (A) and the stiffener mounting bolt (B) on both sides.






11. Tighten the right rear subframe mounting bolt (A) to the specified torque.





12. Tighten the left rear subframe mounting bolt (B) to the specified torque.

13. Tighten the front subframe mounting bolts (C) to the specified torque.

NOTE: Check all of the subframe mounting bolts, and retighten if necessary.

14. Tighten the stiffener mounting bolts (D) to the specified torque.

NOTE: Before tightening the stiffener mounting bolts, check that the positioning holes and slot are aligned using the subframe alignment pin.

15. Tighten the nuts (A) securing the lower transmission mount.






16. Install the front subframe middle mounts (A) on both sides with new mounting bolts, and tighten them to the specified torque.





17. Remove the transmission jack supporting the front subframe.

18. Install the new damper fork mounting bolt (A) and new mounting nut (B), and loosely tighten the nut while holding the mounting bolt.






19. Tighten the new castle nut (A) to the lower torque specification, then tighten it only far enough to align the slot with the ball joint pin hole. Do not align the castle nut by loosening it.

NOTE: Insert the new cotter pin (B) into the ball joint pin hole from the front to the rear of the vehicle, and bend its end as shown. Check the ball joint pin hole direction before connecting the ball joint.





20. M/T: Install the transfer assembly .

21. With SH-AWD: Install the propeller shaft .

22. Install exhaust pipe A:

- Without SH-AWD Service and Repair
- With SH-AWD Service and Repair

23. Install the front subframe stiffener (A).





24. Install the front splash shield Front Splash Shield Replacement.

25. Lower the vehicle.

26. Install the rear engine mount base (A), then install the EPS subharness (B).






27. M/T: Tighten the new rear engine mount bolts to the specified torque in the sequence shown.






28. A/T: Tighten the new rear engine mount bolt (A) and (B), then install the rear engine mount stop (C) and the heat shield (D).





29. A/T: Connect the vacuum hose (E).

30. M/T: Connect the vacuum hose (A), then align the front engine mount with its mounting holes, and install new front engine mount bolts (B).






31. Tighten the new front engine mount bolt (A), then install the front engine mount stop (B) and the vacuum hose bracket (C).





32. Remove the engine support hanger and the engine hanger balance bar.

33. Install the connector bracket (A) to the front cylinder head.






34. Install the engine mount control solenoid valve bracket (A) to the rear cylinder head, then install the harness clamp (B).






35. Install the washers (A) and new steering gearbox mounting bolts (B) to the steering gearbox, then loosely tighten them.

NOTE: Make sure that the washers are in the correct position.





36. Tighten the steering gearbox mounting bolts to the specified torque in the sequence shown.

NOTE: Check all of the steering gearbox mounting bolts, and retighten if necessary.

37. Install the heat shield bracket (A) to the steering gearbox, then install the harness clips (B).





38. Remove the vinyl tape from the connectors.

39. Install the EPS subharness 12P connector (A), the EPS subharness 3P connector (B), and the harness clip (C) to the harness bracket (D).





40. Connect the EPS subharness 12P connector (E) and EPS subharness 3P connector (F), and pull down the lever (G), then confirm the connector is fully seated.

41. Install the power steering heat shield (A) with the flange bolts, and tighten them to the specified torque.






42. Wipe off any grease contamination from the ball joint tapered section and threads. Connect the tie-rod end ball joint (A) to the knuckle. Install the new nut (B), and tighten it to the specified torque.





43. Install a new cotter pin (C), and bend it as shown.

44. Place a floor jack under the lower arm, and raise the suspension to load it with the vehicle's weight. Do not place the jack against the ball joint pin of the knuckle.

45. Tighten the damper fork mounting nut while holding the mounting bolt to the specified torque.

46. Remove the vinyl tape around the splines on the pinion shaft.

47. Loosen the upper steering joint bolt (A), and slip the lower end of the steering joint (B) onto the pinion shaft (C) taking care to align the gap (D) within the angle.






48. Align the bolt hole (A) on the steering joint with the groove (B) around the pinion shaft, then loosely install the lower steering joint bolt (C). Be sure that the joint bolt is securely in the groove in the pinion shaft.





49. Pull on the steering joint to make sure that the steering joint is fully seated, then tighten the lower joint bolt to the specified torque.

50. Tighten the upper steering joint bolt (D) to the specified torque.

51. Remove the steering wheel holder tool (A).






52. Install the steering joint cover (A).





53. Install the driver's dashboard undercover Driver's Dashboard Undercover Removal / Installation.

54. Install the front wheels, then set the wheels in the straight ahead position.

NOTE: Before installing the wheel, clean the mating surface between the brake disc and the inside of the wheel.

55. With the tires raised off the ground (vehicle on a lift), check for the following symptoms by turning the steering wheel fully to the right and left several times.





56. Lower the vehicle.

57. Install the front strut brace Service and Repair.

58. Do the battery terminal reconnection procedure, and check these items:

- Make sure the horn and turn signal switches work properly.
- Make sure the steering wheel switches work properly.

59. Install the engine compartment covers Service and Repair.

60. Reinstall the hood support struts to the upper location on both sides of the hood.

61. After installation, check these items:

- Start the engine, allow it to idle, and turn the steering wheel from lock to lock several times.
- Check that the EPS indicator does not come on.
- Check the steering wheel spoke angle. If steering spoke angles to the right and left are not equal (steering wheel and rack are not centered), correct the engagement of the joint/pinion shaft splines.
- Do the torque sensor neutral position memorization Testing and Inspection.
- With SH-AWD: Do the VSA sensor neutral position memorization Programming and Relearning.
- Check the wheel alignment, and adjust it if necessary Service and Repair.