Steering Wheel intermittently Vibrate After Steering Rack Replacement

[TypeRD]

@madbikes Thanks for the added info. Such a strange circumstance all around. There has to be a logical explanation. Hopefully when you get your tires properly balanced something conclusive will be revealed.

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[Bazgab]

That is exactly what did not make sense at all. I have replaced an engine once while disconnecting the steering rack on a different vehicle. I have removed and bolt on many wheels on the same end of the car countless of times. Steering wheel should not be vibrating afterwards.




The lugs were definitely not torqued to 80 ft lbs and I did ask the tech how much should they be torqued to. 2 of 10 lugs were a little loose when he tried to check them. I doubled checked the lugs were tight on my own and was still vibrating until I rotated the tires.

Just a FYI - the correct wheel nut torque is 94 ft/lbs. At least that is what the consensus online is. That is the correct torque value for the M14 sized wheel nuts on other current Honda models with the same wheel nut size. The 80 ft/lbs value listed in the owner's manual seems to be incorrect (this is the accurate torque for M12 sized wheel nuts, used by the normal Civic).

 

[madbikes]

I read about the wheel nut supposed to be 94 ft/lbs instead of 80 for FL5 from a different thread.

 

[dandaman15]

As the steering rack was failing it could have thrown the front end slightly out of alignment.

Did you check to see if the tires had any abnormal wear or slight cupping starting?

That can cause a slight vibration in the wheel at certain speeds while everything else seems normal.

This is an extreme example but you can rub your hand around the outer edge diameter and feel any sort of waviness in the tread.

 

[madbikes]

The two tires in question did not feel like they were cupped. If that is the case, I should be able to hear more road noises.

 

[Shingo Shoji]

So I just got a wheel alignment from a reputable place. Look how much the toe was out just 2 months after the steering rack recall and supposed dealer alignment. No way they did an alignment and this explains the vibration.

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