Lude Generation

Hi Guys,

Ever since I bought my 4th Gen (a year ago) I have had to keep correcting the steering wheel to keep the car straight on motorways. I am also getting 4WS error code 20 (angle sensor) every 200-300 miles and then reset it. I got use to it and then after got brand new tyres fitted last week, I decided it was now time to get it tracked.

I went to Apex in Peterborough who do 4 wheel tracking and have experiencing in 4WS tracking.

The front was out but wasn't that bad. The rears were are more out, rear drivers side is the worst and explains it pulling to the right and why I have to correct the steering. See below:



However, he was unable to do the rear tracking as the track rod nut is seized on to the 4WS arm. He tried to heat it up to red hot but it still wouldn't budge. I'm not sure what needs to be done, not sure what to do, can any one give me some advise please? They are saying the complete arm might need replacing which I think would is extreme let alone expensive.

See below picture:



Any advise would be appreciated.

Cheers

if that is seized it would suggest it hasnt moved since it rolled out of the factory did they lock the rear steering?

I don't think he did - he called me to the car to show me, I saw no locking pin.

If he's heated it up with Oxy-acetylene and it still won't budge, then you're in trouble... I'm surprised that hasn't freed it though - it doesn't look that bad!
If he just used a normal butane torch, that would explain it (heats up all the surrounding area at the same rate as the nut, so doesn't actually achieve much)

Keep it soaked with WD40 (or preferably Plus Gas or Duck Oil) for a couple of weeks and then try it again, is the best you can do now.

arif_manji wrote:I don't think he did - he called me to the car to show me, I saw no locking pin.

then he cant do a full alignment all he can do is guess the rear wheels could be moving all over the place

wurlycorner wrote:If he's heated it up with Oxy-acetylene and it still won't budge, then you're in trouble... I'm surprised that hasn't freed it though - it doesn't look that bad!
If he just used a normal butane torch, that would explain it (heats up all the surrounding area at the same rate as the nut, so doesn't actually achieve much)

Keep it soaked with WD40 (or preferably Plus Gas or Duck Oil) for a couple of weeks and then try it again, is the best you can do now.

Thanks Iain, will do after work today. I'll take it to my local mechanic after a couple of weeks and see what he says. Luckily, I do have the complete 4WS rack from a previous Prelude I had which is in good nick but hoping it doesn't come to that

mercutio wrote:

arif_manji wrote:I don't think he did - he called me to the car to show me, I saw no locking pin.

then he cant do a full alignment all he can do is guess the rear wheels could be moving all over the place

I couldn't find anyone to do the tracking apart these guys who I have used before. I contacted my local Honda dealers who referred me to Apex (the guys I used). I even tried a few dealers I found on google under the search of 4WS tracking, there was one in London, a chap called Jeff who knew how to do it at the Honda dealer but left last year.

a couple of years ago, someone posted up somewhere in north Londonish that knew how to do prelude 4ws alignment and had the tool etc.

Found it

http://www.ludegeneration.co.uk/chassis ... ml?hilit=4 wheel alignment

He's not done a particularly great job overall.

Not only did the rears not get set, the fronts are still very different from each other, and the left toe is still outside of the maximum tolerances.

If you go back there, tell them that you want everything at 0. It's not a difficult task to do, it just takes a few minutes extra - it's the difference between someone doing their job (applying a spanner to the car), and doing it with pride (doing the best job they can, and getting it spot on for the customer).

If you look at simonc's thread, you'll see some of my comments there too about alignment!

wurlycorner wrote:Found it

http://www.ludegeneration.co.uk/chassis ... ml?hilit=4 wheel alignment

That's the place I called last week before taking it to Apex, Jeff and Steve no longer work for that dealership and they are not sure if they can do 4WS tracking. They said they would call me back after talking to the technicians but never got a phone call back.