Element 2WD L4-2.4L (2003)
^
If the wheels are pointed to the right, shorten the driver's side tie-rod, and lengthen the passenger's side.
^
If the wheels are pointed to the left, shorten the passenger's side tie-rod, and lengthen the driver's side.
^
Each 360° turn of the tie-rod equals about 8 mm of steering wheel adjustment. For example, a steering wheel is off-center by 4 mm with the front
wheels pointed right (when the steering wheel is centered). To correct the off-center, shorten the driver's side tie-rod by a half-turn, and lengthen
the passenger's side tie-rod by a half-turn.
4. Use your diagnosis worksheet to fill in the following table and build your 15-digit DTC.
Technical Service Bulletin # SN030915
Date:
030901
Suspension - Drifting & Pulling At Highway Speeds
SOURCE:
Honda Service News September 2003
TITLE:
Drifting and Pulling at Highway Speeds
APPLIES TO:
All Models
SERVICE TIP:
Got a customer complaining that the vehicle drifts or pulls when driving at highway speeds? Use this handy procedure to diagnose and repair the
problem.
NOTE: Before doing the procedure in this article, check ISIS for related S/Bs and other S/N articles for the model you're working on.
1. Check if your customer has original equipment wheels and tires and that the ride height hasn't been modified.
- If the wheels, tires, and ride height are OK, go to step 2.
- If the wheels or tires aren't original equipment or the ride height was modified, stop here. Aftermarket wheels or tires or a ride height that's been
modified pose challenges that this article doesn't cover. Resolve these issues with your customer before going further.
2. Set the tire pressures to the recommended cold inflation values listed on the doorjamb sticker.
3. Find a straight stretch of 4-lane road where you can safely (and legally) go 60 mph for several minutes. Ideally, you want a road that's perfectly
flat, but most roads have a crown that¡Çs anywhere from 1.5° to 1.75° so they can drain.
Flat Road - While driving at 60 mph, use a stopwatch to time how long it takes to drift one full lane from center to center. Record the time.
Repeat this, driving in the opposite direction to cancel the effects of wind, then average the two times you recorded. If the vehicle drifts one full
lane from center to center in less than 6 seconds, go to step 4. If not, return the vehicle to your customer.
Crowned Road - While driving at 60 mph, check if the vehicle climbs the crown. Do this for both a left- and right-crowned road. A drift to the
right on a right-crowned road and a drift to the left on left-crowned road are considered normal. If the vehicle climbs the crown or it drifts to the
right on a left crowned road, go to step 4.
4. Record the original toe, camber, and caster readings. On Passports, set the ride height to spec if needed. Refer to Ride Height Adjustment in S/B
99-043, Steering Wheel Shimmy or Chassis Vibration.
5. Loosen the subframe mounting bolts, and move the rear beam (it¡Çs the entire front subframe on some models) to get the maximum amount of
caster and equal side-to-side camber. (As little as 0.4° of camber stagger can cause the vehicle to pull.)
6. Make sure the steering wheel is centered, then set the front and rear toe to the maximum toe-in spec. (Toe-in improves vehicle stability and
reduces the tendency to drift or pull.)
7. Test-drive the vehicle on the same road you used earlier.
- If the drift is now within spec, return the vehicle to your customer.
- If the drift is still out of spec, go to step 8.
8. Swap the front and rear tires on each side of the vehicle, then adjust the tire pressures to the recommended cold inflation values listed on the
doorjamb sticker.
