Rack and pinion question

[My84terc]

I have the 84 and the rack and pinion is bad. I have an 87 that is not running, the rack and pinion seems good, but the boots are no good. The parts store says that the boots are not the same, but would the whole assembly be interchangeable knuckle to knuckle?

[ARCHINSTL]

The PS boots are the same, but the MS boots are different from each other and the PS boots.
I did the inner and outer tierods in '06, and I think the PS and MS rod sets are different.
I got the boots from ADV and the 4 rods from AZ (Japanese-made, too!).
Tom

[My84terc]

They are both power steering, and I'm hoping to just change out everything... End to end, rack and pinion and everything... If they are the same?

[ARCHINSTL]

You are OK - they are the same.
Unless the boots on the better rack are perfect, I'd just buy new boots and change them now, as they are a chore to do in a couple of years - plus doing the realignment again.
Also - check out the info on the mounting bushings for the rack - they are different, despite what the chain stores state - I went OE from Butler Toy and was quite happy - check out the thread I made in our Parts Forum; OE numbers are there for your Toy dealer (check Butler's price first, though). Like the boots, they are a PITA to do at a later date.
I'd also check out some of the existing threads on rack replacements - some good info there.
Tom M.