P500 P500 Broken Steering Rack - Updated - Completed

[CptOvo]

Hi all

I recently had a slight accident and flipped my P500 going 60kph - I hit a deep rut in a gravel logging track that I saw too late and it caught the drivers side wheel and the machine went over. It slid on the side for a ways and righted itself suffering minimal damage.

Thankfully I was totally unhurt (thanks Honda safety designers!), however the drivers side steering arm became disconnected from the steering rack. The steering rack threaded hole has fractured allowing the arm to pull free.

Has anyone replaced the steering rack? I've not found much info on the topic.

I think the part I need is this:- RACK, STEERING - 53402-HL3-A00

Any recommendations welcome before I start tearing this apart are welcome

Thanks

CptOvo

 

[Admin]

 

[lee]

I havent seen too many racks let go, and not like that before.
I did a p700 (same rack part #).
Pulled the drivers side wheel to get more room to work.
Its a lot of fiddly work but it should come out of there.
(I dont remember having to remove anything crazy (unlike installing accessories that requier disasembly of half the vehicle to put the trailer hitch in).

@joeymt33 replaced one in the bush at Bull Run once.

Edit: good to hear from you again, l always enjoy your videos, cant wait for the rack replacment one to come out!

 

[CptOvo]

I havent seen too many racks let go, and not like that before.
I did a p700 (same rack part #).
Pulled the drivers side wheel to get more room to work.
Its a lot of fiddly work but it should come out of there.
(I dont remember having to remove anything crazy (unlike installing accessories that requier disasembly of half the vehicle to put the trailer hitch in).

@joeymt33 replaced one in the bush at Bull Run once.

Edit: good to hear from you again, l always enjoy your videos, cant wait for the rack replacment one to come out!

I'm hoping its not going to be difficult but you can always learn a trick or two from someone else who's performed it before

It must have taken quite the hit to shear it that way - I'll have to inspect all the front end during the replacement.

Bush fixing is fun - I was lucky I found the front wheel casters below 20kph so I managed to limp back to my truck.

Glad you like the videos! This will be a two part series with what happened and then the repair.

Thanks for the info!

 

[DG Rider]

Member Rocmar did one. Unfortunately, he unexpectedly passed away a few weeks ago. You might search his threads.

Seems like someone else did one... @JWB maybe?

 

[DG Rider]

Oh...and glad to hear you're OK. Esmee(sp) OK?

 

[CptOvo]

Member Rocmar did one. Unfortunately, he unexpectedly passed away a few weeks ago. You might search his threads.

Seems like someone else did one... @JWB maybe?

Oh thats terrible news!

I did a forum search and didn't get any hits - some power steering posts I think but I'll check his posts for sure.

Thanks!

 

[CptOvo]

Oh...and glad to hear you're OK. Esmee(sp) OK?

Yea - Esme and I are both fine but thinking afterwards she is very vulnerable not having a seat belt. I rarely travel long distances on the gravel and spend most of my time at low speed in the forest where she is safe.

Maybe I need to slow down on the gravel is the answer but when your heading for home and the driving conditions are perfect (not wet, dark or windy) you tend to drive a little faster.

I hate to say this as I love the 50" UTV's but I don't think I would have flipped in a P700. Something for me to consider. :/

 

[JWB]

Hi all

I recently had a slight accident and flipped my P500 going 60kph - I hit a deep rut in a gravel logging track that I saw too late and it caught the drivers side wheel and the machine went over. It slid on the side for a ways and righted itself suffering minimal damage.

Thankfully I was totally unhurt (thanks Honda safety designers!), however the drivers side steering arm became disconnected from the steering rack. The steering rack threaded hole has fractured allowing the arm to pull free.

View attachment 75144

Has anyone replaced the steering rack? I've not found much info on the topic.

I think the part I need is this:- RACK, STEERING - 53402-HL3-A00

Any recommendations welcome before I start tearing this apart are welcome

Thanks

CptOvo

I wrecked my R&P by letting it get full of sand. I have a new one sitting on the bench, but just haven't had a chance to install yet. The easiest way- I.M.H.O. is to remove the front diff. to get easy access to the R&P. I don't know if it's possible to remove it otherwise. I'll post the diff removal vid later. Your front end took a real hard hit to break that like it did. Inspect your control arm mounts- especially the top rear- for cracks, or signs of the mounts tearing away from the frame- I had to re-weld mine. Replace the tie rod as well. Give every part of the front end a thorough inspection- it's easy to miss small areas of damage after an impact that breaks something obvious... Glad to hear no one got hurt! I'll verify that part# for you as well when I get back to shop, as well as the related part #'s you'll need to replace the R&P

 

[CptOvo]

I wrecked my R&P by letting it get full of sand. I have a new one sitting on the bench, but just haven't had a chance to install yet. The easiest way- I.M.H.O. is to remove the front diff. to get easy access to the R&P. I don't know if it's possible to remove it otherwise. I'll post the diff removal vid later. Your front end took a real hard hit to break that like it did. Inspect your control arm mounts- especially the top rear- for cracks, or signs of the mounts tearing away from the frame- I had to re-weld mine. Replace the tie rod as well. Give every part of the front end a thorough inspection- it's easy to miss small areas of damage after an impact that breaks something obvious... Glad to hear no one got hurt! I'll verify that part# for you as well when I get back to shop, as well as the related part #'s you'll need to replace the R&P

Thanks JWB! I appreciate the help!

Like you said - I'm going to do a full inspection and also check the geometry if possible - comparing it to the other side.

 

[JWB]

53040-HL3-A01 Steering box- assembled with rack a pinion but you still have to order tie rod, boot(s), clamps- Recommended due to the severe impact that may have distorted the housing as there is absolutely no support for the rack on the drivers side. 53010-HL5-A01 is the tie rod, 53449-HL3-A00 clamps, need two, 53537-HL3-A00 boot... 53402-HL3-A00 is the correct number for the rack alone- it didn't even cross my mind that you were thinking about just replacing the rack when I posted the previous response. I have power steering, and an air compressor that limit my access to my R&P, so that's why I suggested removing the front diff. Once that's out of the way you have all the room in the world to work on the steering. Real easy to inspect/repair control arm mounts too. Here's some vids that may be helpfull. JWB vids items 4-7-2018

 

[CptOvo]

53040-HL3-A01 Steering box- assembled with rack a pinion but you still have to order tie rod, boot(s), clamps- Recommended due to the severe impact that may have distorted the housing as there is absolutely no support for the rack on the drivers side. 53010-HL5-A01 is the tie rod, 53449-HL3-A00 clamps, need two, 53537-HL3-A00 boot... 53402-HL3-A00 is the correct number for the rack alone- it didn't even cross my mind that you were thinking about just replacing the rack when I posted the previous response. I have power steering, and an air compressor that limit my access to my R&P, so that's why I suggested removing the front diff. Once that's out of the way you have all the room in the world to work on the steering. Real easy to inspect/repair control arm mounts too. Here's some vids that may be helpfull. JWB vids items 4-7-2018

Hi JWB - I'm hoping to replace the rack thats correct - the steering box is $400 vs $80 for the rack. I plan on inspecting the assembly before I purchase anything to make sure I can salvage the existing box.

If it was a road vehicle I'd replace it without question but I don't mind spending the time to disassemble the rack and pinion.

It might make for a more interesting video!

I really appreciate the help with the part numbers - that saves me a ton of time!

 

[CptOvo]

Update:- So I have removed the steering box and inspected some of the front end components. Damage so far:-

Steering box left hand housing small crack (see pic)
Rack left hand broken
Upper A arm rear mounting to frame bracket bent (see pic below right hand image shows damaged rear bracket)
Left inner steering arm bent at the ball (se pic)

I have to disassemble the steering box next and take a look see but its looking like a new steering box

Took me around an hour so far.

 

[100Acre]

Wow, I'm glad you and Esme are ok. I've flipped mine on its side 4 times now and both Bayleaf and I always came out fine but we were always at slow speeds. I'm a little surprised to hear you going fast because of all of your videos seem to be at a leisurely pace. Also happy to see you posting more here on the forum. Your videos were the 1st ones I saw and helped me in deciding which machine and accessories to buy. So, thanks! I hope everything works out.

 

[JWB]

Update:- So I have removed the steering box and inspected some of the front end components. Damage so far:-

Steering box left hand housing small crack (see pic)
Rack left hand broken
Upper A arm rear mounting to frame bracket bent (see pic below right hand image shows damaged rear bracket)
Left inner steering arm bent at the ball (se pic)

I have to disassemble the steering box next and take a look see but its looking like a new steering box

Took me around an hour so far.

View attachment 75372
View attachment 75371
View attachment 75373

Thats alot of damage! Look at Babbits Honda OEM Parts, Babbitts Online I got everything from them for under $300 shipped.
EDIT: oops! forgot you're in Canada. $400 Canadian is a good price...

 

[JWB]

Can't see in the pics, but are your top rear mounts welded on the back side? Mine were not, so I'm wondering if it was an issue with just my machine- a 2016, the model year, or if they just don't weld the back side of the mounts on any of em... When I do my steering rack (hopefully the same time I install the auto locker) I'll have the diff out and add some extra supports to tie those rear mounts into the cross bar.

 

[CptOvo]

Thats alot of damage! Look at Babbits Honda OEM Parts, Babbitts Online I got everything from them for under $300 shipped.

Thanks I'll check them out! I emailed a local Honda dealer today for a quote for parts to compare.

 

[CptOvo]

Wow, I'm glad you and Esme are ok. I've flipped mine on its side 4 times now and both Bayleaf and I always came out fine but we were always at slow speeds. I'm a little surprised to hear you going fast because of all of your videos seem to be at a leisurely pace. Also happy to see you posting more here on the forum. Your videos were the 1st ones I saw and helped me in deciding which machine and accessories to buy. So, thanks! I hope everything works out.

Thanks 100Acre - Yup I'm no speed daemon but the conditions where good and I was heading back after a camping trip and wanted to get off the road section ASAP as there are big oil field trucks that use that road too - and they are normally hauling @ss.

I'm glad you liked the videos - I try and be unbiased - The P500 is a great machine but it has it limitations, like all UTVs.

 

[CptOvo]

Can't see in the pics, but are your top rear mounts welded on the back side? Mine were not, so I'm wondering if it was an issue with just my machine- a 2016, the model year, or if they just don't weld the back side of the mounts on any of em... When I do my steering rack (hopefully the same time I install the auto locker) I'll have the diff out and add some extra supports to tie those rear mounts into the cross bar.

I'm not sure I'll have to take a look. I'll have to cut of that mount and re-weld it after straightening it or fab a new one. The rack comes out without the need for the front diff removal (just) and there is a little trick to make it happen (it will be in the new video).

Is the P500 locker now available? Wasn't it www.torqmasters.com or something that was meant to be making one?

 

[JWB]

I'm not sure I'll have to take a look. I'll have to cut of that mount and re-weld it after straightening it or fab a new one. The rack comes out without the need for the front diff removal (just) and there is a little trick to make it happen (it will be in the new video).

Is the P500 locker now available? Wasn't it www.torqmasters.com or something that was meant to be making one?

Not available yet- yes, still waiting for Torqmasters... I have a spool in mine now- thanks to @hondasrule . I thought I was going to have to cut off and fab as well, but I was able to beat, pull, twist, drag it back into alignment and then weld it. I'll post a link to that video as soon as it finishes uploading Looking forward to your video getting the R&P out.
EDIT: The Torq-locker for P500 is available now 7/5/18

 

[JWB]

And here's the link. JWB vids
I had enough storage space to add the mount repair to the existing file, so the other vids are still up as well.