Steering Rack Boot Replacement ???

[subypower]

So I took the Legacy in to VTNZ on friday to get its WOF.

All was good or so I thought, but they failed me due to a split steering rack boot

Ive bought the part, but does anyone have any idea how hard it is to replace this part and or how much it will/should cost to get fixed???

cheers.

[ReubenH]

It's not THAT hard to do, but you will need to get a wheel alignment afterwards, as you have to take the tie rod end off, which is what adjusts toe. You'll need to replace a split pin as well, so make sure you have some.

But yeah, it's pretty straight forward. Jack the car up, take the wheel off, undo the tie rod from the hub. Take the tie rod end off, and count the turns it takes! Replace boot, and re-assemble in reverse.

[subypower]

 ReubenH said:

It's not THAT hard to do, but you will need to get a wheel alignment afterwards, as you have to take the tie rod end off, which is what adjusts toe. You'll need to replace a split pin as well, so make sure you have some.

But yeah, it's pretty straight forward. Jack the car up, take the wheel off, undo the tie rod from the hub. Take the tie rod end off, and count the turns it takes! Replace boot, and re-assemble in reverse.

What do u mean by the split pin reuben?

[Guest keltik]

Or you can mark the threads with a squirt of spray paint and then just wind the nut back on untill the paint lines up again.

[Guest SPANKU]

you dont have to take the tierods off.

[MercuryFree]

 subypower']

[quote name='ReubenH said:

It's not THAT hard to do, but you will need to get a wheel alignment afterwards, as you have to take the tie rod end off, which is what adjusts toe. You'll need to replace a split pin as well, so make sure you have some.

But yeah, it's pretty straight forward. Jack the car up, take the wheel off, undo the tie rod from the hub. Take the tie rod end off, b]and count the turns it takes![/b] Replace boot, and re-assemble in reverse.

What do u mean by the split pin reuben?

Goes through the nut that the steering rod attached to the hub via. You can get a decent amount of them from repco for like $5

[subypower]

 MercuryFree']

[quote name='ReubenH said:

It's not THAT hard to do, but you will need to get a wheel alignment afterwards, as you have to take the tie rod end off, which is what adjusts toe. You'll need to replace a split pin as well, so make sure you have some.

But yeah, it's pretty straight forward. Jack the car up, take the wheel off, undo the tie rod from the hub. Take the tie rod end off, b]and count the turns it takes![/b] Replace boot, and re-assemble in reverse.

What do u mean by the split pin reuben?

Goes through the nut that the steering rod attached to the hub via. You can get a decent amount of them from repco for like $5

Cheers Dude!

[Guest SPANKU]

jason's replaced his one without taking the rods out

heres some photos from his facebook

http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=530188992#!/album.php?aid=194504&id=530188992

[ReubenH]

tie rod END. I don't thing it's possible to get the little end of the boot over the ball joint...

If it is, i want to know how

[Swindog]

heat the boot up in hot water itll slide over the ball joint.

didnt think steering rack boots were wof fail?

[Guest]

 Swindog said:

heat the boot up in hot water itll slide over the ball joint.

didnt think steering rack boots were wof fail?

lol

Yep rack boots are a wof item.

I leave the wheel on, crack the lock nut and wind the rod off without un doing the tierod end from the hub. I then use a vernier caliper and measure the depth from the end of the rack end to the lock nut and then count the turns when i take the nutt off. Takes about 10mins a side and you dont need a Wheel alignment after.

[Guest keltik]

Spray paint method worked well. Car still drives straight. Cant be too bad

[subypower]

All is good, paint method worked well, the leggy drives straight!

Will prob get an alignment tomorrow tho

Cheers Keltik!

[RS.YES]

 Swindog said:

heat the boot up in hot water itll slide over the ball joint.

didnt think steering rack boots were wof fail?

This method works? I've got a set that are just sitting in the garage was a waste of time buying 'em cause nothing wrong with my steering boots thought that was the point of my leak but now can see it's from the rack but don't know where. Realized that there isn't any fluid in those boots haha total NOOB!!

[Firenza]

It can be done. I don't know if it can be done with normal boots, but you can get stretch universal boots that go over the ball joint.

Did it on my WRX and went fine. You even get a little tool to put over the ball joint which you spray with silicon lubricant and the stretch over. Bit of a pain, but ther worst part for me was getting the ball joints off!

[RS.YES]

Yup I never want to touch the ball joints cause I'd have no clue to how it goes back on!!

[Firenza]

Its easy enough, its only hard when theyre like mine and rusted

As Haynes would put it, You just pull the split pin out, then undo the bolt then pull the thing out of the hole.......

In other words, break split pin and remove remnants, coat the whole thing in WD40 and undo bolt after long struggle. Then attempt to pull out ball joint. FAIL, then using big nasty hammer, hit arse end of ball joint to try and jar it free from where its been sitting for 14 years.

It can be done, Im no mechanic, but I managed to do it in a day. Just make sure you have spare split pins