Installing a new boot on the rack and pinion

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deejay1272
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Installing a new boot on the rack and pinion

Post by deejay1272 »

I'm planning to replace my blown boot on my rack and pinion (passenger side) sometime soon. I'm curious to know if I need to fill the replacement boot with any grease or if I should just install this dry. The FSM doesn't specifically say.
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Highlander
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Re: Installing a new boot on the rack and pinion

Post by Highlander »

Install it dry-OK, unfilled with grease :D . You'll need to use silicone spray to get it over the bosses. I personally use a cotter key puller (kind of like an icepick bent at a 90° angle) so that I can stretch the boot on as I go around the boss. It works great just don't stab yourself or the boot in the process :wink:
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takza
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Re: Installing a new boot on the rack and pinion

Post by takza »

Don't think it hurts to put some grease on the rack to help lube the end bushings?
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Highlander
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Re: Installing a new boot on the rack and pinion

Post by Highlander »

That would be personal choice :) . I wouldn't, but then again, I've had to tear rack & pinions from healeys apart because some DPO decided that any grease zerk gets heavy suspension grease (the R&P on Austins takes 90W). My (power) steering gear was totally dry when I put new boots on, I supposed that it was from leakage since the boots had been blown so long. I may have been wrong, but the assumptinwas that the bushings were lubricated by the power steering fluid within the R&P and pump set, with the boots acting as a seal and bellows. BTW my power steering works just fine now, thank you. :D
'83 SR5-299K, -tRusty!
'85 SR5-265K--GOLD
'85 SR5-285K-- GOLD-New engine!
'85 SR5-238K -- Teal-Killed by a DD
'58 and '62 Austin-Healey Sprites
teranfirbt
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Re: Installing a new boot on the rack and pinion

Post by teranfirbt »

All the boots are there to do is seal the rack from dirt and dust, they aren't meant to seal any fluids or grease... There isn't any reason to grease them.
deejay1272
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Re: Installing a new boot on the rack and pinion

Post by deejay1272 »

Thanks for the information everyone. I'll replace the boot sans grease. Now I just need to find a good way not to mess up the alignment when I disconnect/reconnect the rack end! I've heard that a paint pen can be used to designate the original location of tie rod on the rack end. Have folks had success with this method?
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sdoan
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Re: Installing a new boot on the rack and pinion

Post by sdoan »

Paint should work. I used a hard steel scribe to mark the threads where they go into the slot in the clamping sleeve. I then counted the number of turns until the threads fell out of the sleeve. Remember the count and it should go back together OK.

One other thing. The power steering rack is a larger diameter than the non-power rack and requires a boot with a greater diameter. The boot I got was about 1/4" too small, but the parts store was closed, the pieces were apart and it was late so I decided to try it anyway. (the guy told me he ordered a PS boot but who knows what they gave me. It may or may not have been correct.) After warming and stretching the boot opening, and fighting with it a while it finally went on. I used pliers with no sharp edges and worked it around.
deejay1272
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Posts: 403
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:20 pm
My tercel:: 1985 Navy Blue Tercel Wagon SR5 4x4 now with Weber 32/36!
Location: Portland, OR

Re: Installing a new boot on the rack and pinion

Post by deejay1272 »

One other thing. The power steering rack is a larger diameter than the non-power rack and requires a boot with a greater diameter. The boot I got was about 1/4" too small, but the parts store was closed, the pieces were apart and it was late so I decided to try it anyway. (the guy told me he ordered a PS boot but who knows what they gave me. It may or may not have been correct.) After warming and stretching the boot opening, and fighting with it a while it finally went on. I used pliers with no sharp edges and worked it around.
Thanks for the warning. I'm actually using a boot that I lifted from a junk yard T4WD. Hopefully it was a PS model! If not, I'll warm up the oven and bake me a delicious rubber boot!
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Beefsteak when I'm hungry, whiskey when I'm dry
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