PRODUCT DETAILS
Energy Suspension Steering Rack Bushings for 96-00 Civic
If the steering in your 96-00 Civic (EK) feels vague on center or you get a clunk through the wheel when you turn in or hit a bump, your steering rack mount bushings are worn out. These are the bushings that hold the steering rack to the subframe, and after two decades and change the soft factory rubber has compressed and split, which lets the whole rack shift under load. When the rack moves instead of staying put, your steering inputs go soft. Energy Suspension's polyurethane set clamps the rack back down so the car steers where you point it.
This is the rack mount bushing set for the EK-chassis Civic, and it covers the 99-00 Civic Si along with the rest of the 96-00 range. Swapping the worn rubber for polyurethane tightens up the connection between your hands and the front wheels, which is exactly what you want on a light, tossable EK that lives on steering feel. Polyurethane also shrugs off the oil, road salt, and grime that rot rubber, so unlike the factory bushings, these are not going to break down again in a few years.
What these do
The steering rack takes the force of you turning the wheel and uses it to turn the front wheels, through a set of teeth on the rack and a gear that rides across them. The mount bushings keep the rack located and protect it from impacts and contamination. When the factory rubber rots out, the rack wanders and your steering goes numb. Energy's firmer polyurethane takes that slop out and keeps the rack planted under hard cornering.
Specs
| Part numbers | 16.10104R (red), 16.10104G (black) |
| Type | Steering rack mount bushings, polyurethane |
| Material | Energy Suspension Hyper-Flex polyurethane |
| Application | Listed by Energy for the power steering rack |
| Sold as | Set |
| Warranty | 7 year / 750,000 mile, per manufacturer |
Color options
| Color | SKU | Part number |
| Red | ENS-1610104R | 16.10104R |
| Black | ENS-1610104G | 16.10104G |
Red and black are the same polyurethane at the same hardness. The black is graphite-impregnated so it is slightly more self-lubricating, the red is just the color. There is no performance difference, so pick whichever you want.
Fitment
| Years | Make | Model | Notes |
| 1996-2000 | Honda | Civic | EK, all trims (CX, DX, EX, GX, HX, LX, Value Package) |
| 1999-2000 | Honda | Civic Si | EM1 |
Energy lists this set for the power steering rack, and that is the application it is cataloged under. If you have done a manual rack swap or a K-swap using an EG Civic or DC Integra power steering rack, the rack bushing you need may differ, so confirm your rack before ordering. If you are running the factory 96-00 power steering setup, this is the correct set.
What to know before you buy
First, the honest tradeoff. Polyurethane is firmer than the factory rubber, and because this bushing ties the steering rack to the subframe, you will feel a little more road texture and feedback through the wheel than you did with fresh rubber. That sharper, more connected feel is the whole point of the upgrade. If you want soft, isolated stock feel, know that this trades some of that away for precision.
Second, grease them well on install. Like any polyurethane bushing, a dry install is what causes squeaks down the road. Coat the contact surfaces with a good polyurethane-safe grease and they will stay quiet. A press or bushing removal tool makes the job easier, and if you are not comfortable working around the steering rack, this is a reasonable one to hand to a shop.
Third, do the rest of the front end while you are in there. If you are dropping or freeing the steering rack to do these, you already have access to a lot of the front suspension, so it is a smart time to knock out tired control arm or shock mount bushings at the same time. This set is also one of the bushings in Energy's 96-00 Civic master kit, so if you are chasing the full front-end refresh, the master kit covers this position along with the rest.
1999-2000 Honda Civic Si