As some of you may have known, I’ve been trying to track down a constant knock sound coming from the front end of my car for years. I couldn’t figure out what it was, thinking it was the front sway, bushings, chassis bars or end links. I greased and tightened everything I could to no avail. Fast forward to me finally getting a Comptech S/C and having my car with Jon Martin until he diagnosed it as a failing steering rack.. What were my options? Basically according to him it was either: 1) live with it or 2) buy a new one. I couldn’t live with it and buying another one was WAY too expensive and out of the question.
I did some research online and came across Vallhalla and MexiRacer’s review of a steering rack rebuild through D1 Guy. I thought, perfect! If only had some money to throw at it.
Anyway, fast forward to NSXPO 2015… Excellent event, btw, but the main thing that got me excited was the RAFFLE! Wheels, services, clutches, suspension, parts, new radiators, you name it. Everything NSX related and more! Did a quick sweep of what was available and what did I find? D1 Guy raffling off a FREE Steering rack/EPS Rebuild. I basically put 20 tickets into that bowl and 20 into RYU’s MASIV radiator bowl. Hahah, guess who won both? That’s right, This guy! YEAH Baby!
Anyway, as soon as I got back I contacted Matt right away of my win. Super nice, friendly and downright top notch service and communication. Answered all my questions and messages within the hour and had all my concerns at ease through the whole process. I followed the 1991 NSX Service manual to remove my 1995 steering rack and it went pretty much without a hitch. Follow Vallhalla’s tip about unscrewing the tie rods ends from the links and it was pretty painless. I think the hardest part of the whole thing was finding a suitable box to ship it!
So off it went to Matt, early January (dead of winter for him). He said he wouldn’t be able to get it the first weekend because of a snow storm. Not big deal because I had other plans. The next weekend he got to it, cleaned it up and sent it back. Tracking number and everything (he even paid the return shipping for my raffle win! NICE!). Gave me a full report over IM about all the stuff he did and basic break in instructions.
It took me a few weekends for me to get to it.. I had to go on vacation and get engaged and stuff.. so yeah, eventually I got it back in. Putting it back in was easier than taking it out.. the hardest part was remembering (and trying to see in the repair manual) which long bolt went where. First time I connected the steering column to the EPS unit, straight ahead had the steering wheel pointed at the 7 o’clock position. I solved that by disconnecting it again under the steering column, spinning the steering wheel 720 degrees and rebolting it. Now it was only pointing at the 1 o’clock.. which was good enough to get me down to the alignment shop!
Once I got the alignment squared away, I was actually completely blown away by the feel. I mean, it was literally night and day and my car only has 68,000 miles on it! It’s hard to explain because I’ve been driving the car for so long and have been watching the steering deteriorate so slowly that I had absolutely NO CLUE as to how bad it’s gotten until I drove this freshly rebuilt one. Honestly, if anyone wants to check out mine and compare it to theirs, please come by. You’ll be amazed at how tight it feels. There’s no slop, it’s precise, compliant and has gotten rid of all my clunks and churps! I couldn’t be any happier! I can’t wait to try it out on the track.
Two thumbs up to D1 Guy, Matt, and his awesome customer service and rebuilt service. Highly recommend all of you that are having steering rack issues or even the slight bit of slop in their steering to have him check it out.
I did some research online and came across Vallhalla and MexiRacer’s review of a steering rack rebuild through D1 Guy. I thought, perfect! If only had some money to throw at it.
Anyway, fast forward to NSXPO 2015… Excellent event, btw, but the main thing that got me excited was the RAFFLE! Wheels, services, clutches, suspension, parts, new radiators, you name it. Everything NSX related and more! Did a quick sweep of what was available and what did I find? D1 Guy raffling off a FREE Steering rack/EPS Rebuild. I basically put 20 tickets into that bowl and 20 into RYU’s MASIV radiator bowl. Hahah, guess who won both? That’s right, This guy! YEAH Baby!
Anyway, as soon as I got back I contacted Matt right away of my win. Super nice, friendly and downright top notch service and communication. Answered all my questions and messages within the hour and had all my concerns at ease through the whole process. I followed the 1991 NSX Service manual to remove my 1995 steering rack and it went pretty much without a hitch. Follow Vallhalla’s tip about unscrewing the tie rods ends from the links and it was pretty painless. I think the hardest part of the whole thing was finding a suitable box to ship it!
So off it went to Matt, early January (dead of winter for him). He said he wouldn’t be able to get it the first weekend because of a snow storm. Not big deal because I had other plans. The next weekend he got to it, cleaned it up and sent it back. Tracking number and everything (he even paid the return shipping for my raffle win! NICE!). Gave me a full report over IM about all the stuff he did and basic break in instructions.
It took me a few weekends for me to get to it.. I had to go on vacation and get engaged and stuff.. so yeah, eventually I got it back in. Putting it back in was easier than taking it out.. the hardest part was remembering (and trying to see in the repair manual) which long bolt went where. First time I connected the steering column to the EPS unit, straight ahead had the steering wheel pointed at the 7 o’clock position. I solved that by disconnecting it again under the steering column, spinning the steering wheel 720 degrees and rebolting it. Now it was only pointing at the 1 o’clock.. which was good enough to get me down to the alignment shop!
Once I got the alignment squared away, I was actually completely blown away by the feel. I mean, it was literally night and day and my car only has 68,000 miles on it! It’s hard to explain because I’ve been driving the car for so long and have been watching the steering deteriorate so slowly that I had absolutely NO CLUE as to how bad it’s gotten until I drove this freshly rebuilt one. Honestly, if anyone wants to check out mine and compare it to theirs, please come by. You’ll be amazed at how tight it feels. There’s no slop, it’s precise, compliant and has gotten rid of all my clunks and churps! I couldn’t be any happier! I can’t wait to try it out on the track.
Two thumbs up to D1 Guy, Matt, and his awesome customer service and rebuilt service. Highly recommend all of you that are having steering rack issues or even the slight bit of slop in their steering to have him check it out.
