Steering Gearbox Removal

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*
• 2008 V6 Attachment Arm SIL02C000033*
• Subframe Adapter VSB02C000016*
• Engine Hanger Balance Bar VSB02C000019*

*Available through the Honda Tool and Equipment Program 888-424-6857

Note these items during removal:

• Using clean solvent and a brush, wash any oil and dirt off the valve body unit, it's lines, and the end of the steering gearbox. 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.

1. Remove the hood support rod, then use it as shown in illustration to prop the hood in the wide-open position.
   Fig 1: Identifying Hood Supported By Rod

   Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
2. Remove the engine cover (see step 1 under REMOVAL ).
3. Drain the power steering fluid (see FLUID CHECK/REPLACEMENT  ).
4. Do the battery terminal disconnection procedure (see USING THE GR8 BATTERY DIAGNOSTIC STATION ).
5. Remove the front bulkhead cover (see FRONT BULKHEAD COVER REPLACEMENT ).
6. Raise and support the vehicle (see LIFT AND SUPPORT POINTS ).
7. Remove the front wheels.
8. Remove the driver's dashboard lower cover (see INSTRUMENT PANEL REMOVAL/INSTALLATION ),
9. Remove the footrest (see step 3 under CARPET REPLACEMENT ).
10. Remove the center console trim (see CENTER CONSOLE REMOVAL/INSTALLATION ).
11. Pull back the carpet (A).
    Fig 2: Identifying Carpet And Steering Joint Cover

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
12. Remove steering joint cover (B).
13. Tilt the steering column at the way up, and move it all the way in, then tighten the lock lever.
14. Hold the lower slide shaft (A) on the column with a piece of wire (B) between the joint yoke (C) of the lower slide shaft and joint yoke (D) of the upper shaft to prevent the lower slide shaft from pulling out.
    Fig 3: Identifying Slide Shaft, Wire And Joint Yoke

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
15. Remove the steering joint bolt (A).
    Fig 4: Identifying Steering Joint Bolt

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
16. Center the steering wheel spokes, and install a commercially available steering wheel holder tool (A).
    Fig 5: Identifying Steering Wheel Holder Tool

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
17. Disconnect the steering joint (A) by sliding the steering joint into the column.
    Fig 6: Identifying Steering Joint

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
18. Remove the center guide (A) (if equipped) from the top of the pinion shaft (B), and discard it.
    Fig 7: Identifying Center Guide And Pinion Shaft

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
19. Wrap vinyl tape over the splines on the pinion shaft.
20. Remove the power steering heat shield (A).
    Fig 8: Power Steering Heat Shield With Torque Specifications

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
21. Remove the cotter pin (A) from the tie-rod end ball joint, then remove the nut (B) on both sides.
    Fig 9: Identifying Ball Joint Thread Protector, Nut, Cotter Pin And Ball Joint Remover

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
22. Disconnect the tie-rod end ball joint from the knuckle using the ball joint thread protector (C) and the ball joint remover (D) (see REAR ).
23. Loosen the adjustable hose clamp (A), and disconnect the return hose (B).
    Fig 10: Identifying Hose Clamp Bolt, Return Hose, Flare Nut And Inlet Line

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
24. Loosen the 16 mm flare nut (C), and disconnect the inlet line (D).
25. Disconnect the stabilizer links (A) from the stabilizer bar on both sides (see STABILIZER LINK REMOVAL/INSTALLATION ).
    Fig 11: Identifying Stabilizer Links On Stabilizer Bar

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
26. Remove the air cleaner assembly (see THROTTLE BODY CLEANING ).
27. 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.
    Fig 12: Identifying Connector Bracket, Bracket Bolt Hole And Bolt

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
28. Remove the bolt (A) securing the harness clamp bracket (B) from the rear cylinder head; use the bracket bolt hole (C) to attach the 2008 V6 attachment arm (SIL02C000033).
    Fig 13: Identifying Harness Clamp Bracket, Bolt And Bracket Bolt Hole

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
29. Remove the cowl top side cover (A) from both sides, then install the engine support hanger (AAR-T1256). With the engine support hanger beam (B) on its side, insert the hanger beam through the opening, then rotate it over the damper (C).
    Fig 14: Installing Engine Support Hanger Beam

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
30. Install the engine hanger balance bar (VSB02C000019). Attach the front arm (A) to the front cylinder head with several spacers (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 an 8 x 1.25 mm bolt (D).
    NOTE:

    • Be careful when working around the windshield.
    • Be careful not to damage the hood opener cable when installing the engine support hanger (AAR-T1256) at the front bulkhead.
    • AAR-T1256 two sets required for stacking additional cross section bar.
    Fig 15: Identifying Front Arm, Spacers, Bolt And Wing Nut Of Engine Hanger Balancer Bar

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
31. Install the engine support hanger onto the vehicle, and attach the hook to the engine balancer bar slot. Tighten the wing nut (E) by hand, and lift and support the engine.
32. Raise the vehicle.
33. Remove the splash shield (see SPLASH SHIELD REPLACEMENT ).
34. Remove the front subframe stiffener (A).
    Fig 16: Identifying Front Subframe Stiffener

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
35. Remove exhaust pipe A (see EXHAUST PIPE AND MUFFLER REPLACEMENT ).
36. 4WD: Remove the propeller shaft and propeller shaft protectors (see PROPELLER SHAFT RUNOUT ).
37. Remove the inlet line clamp bolts (A).
    Fig 17: Identifying Inlet Line Clamp Bolts

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
38. Disconnect the front engine mount actuator connector (A) and the harness clamps (B). Remove the front engine mount stop (C), then remove the front engine mount bolt (D).
    Fig 18: Identifying Engine Mount Actuator Connector, Engine Mount Stop And Bolt

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
39. Remove the rear engine mount bolts (A), and disconnect the rear engine mount actuator connector (B).
    Fig 19: Identifying Rear Engine Mount Actuator Connector And Rear Engine Mount Bolts

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
40. Remove the rear engine mount from the rear engine mount base bracket, and move it aside.
41. Remove the steering gearbox mounting bolts (A) from the driver's side of the steering gearbox.
    Fig 20: Identifying Steering Gearbox Mounting Bolts

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
42. Remove the gearbox stiffener bracket (A) from the driver's side of the front subframe.
    Fig 21: Identifying Gearbox Stiffener Bracket

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
43. Remove the steering gearbox mounting bolts (A) from the passenger's side of the steering gearbox, then remove the mounting bracket (B) and cushion (C).
    Fig 22: Identifying Steering Gearbox Mounting Bolts, Mounting Bracket And Cushion

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
44. Remove the lower transmission mount bolts (A).
    Fig 23: Identifying Lower Transmission Mount Bolts

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
45. Attach the front subframe adapter (VSB02C000016) to the subframe by looping the belt (A) over the front of the subframe (B), then secure the belt with its stop (C).
    Fig 24: Identifying Subframe, Stop And Belt Of Front Subframe Adapter

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
46. Raise the jack, and line up the slots in the front subframe adapter arms with the bolt holes on the jack base, then securely attach them with four bolts.
47. Support the front subframe securely by raising the transmission jack.
48. Remove the stiffener mounting bolts (A) from the subframe front stiffeners (B).
    Fig 25: Identifying Stiffener Mounting Bolts, Front Subframe Mounting Bolts And Subframe Front Stiffeners

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
49. Loosen the front subframe mounting bolts (C) on the subframe front stiffeners so they are about 40 mm (1.6 in) from the mounting surface. Do not loosen the subframe mounting bolts more than necessary.
50. Remove the stiffeners mounting bolts (A) from the subframe rear stiffeners (B).
    Fig 26: Identifying Stiffeners Mounting Bolts, Front Subframe Mounting Bolts And Subframe Rear Stiffeners

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
51. Loosen the front subframe mounting bolts (C) on the subframe rear stiffeners so they are about 40 mm (1.6 in) from the mounting surface. Do not loosen the subframe mounting bolts more than necessary.
52. Lower the transmission jack slowly until the front subframe has dropped about 40 mm (1.6 in).
53. Carefully move the steering gearbox (A) toward the driver's side until the pinion shaft clears the fender well opening on the body.
    Fig 27: Identifying Steering Gearbox

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
54. Remove the steering gearbox (A) through the fender well opening on the driver's side.
    Fig 28: Removing Steering Gearbox

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
55. Remove the pinion shaft grommet (A) from the top of the valve housing (B).
    Fig 29: Identifying Pinion Shaft Grommet, Valve Housing And Return Line Joint

    Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.
56. Remove the return line joint (C) if necessary.