Steering boot thing

[Chris]

So the boot on the driver's side around the steering rod thing (what is that called anyway??) is torn. It has been torn for a while actually, but I have been in Acadia, and then working 70 hours a week and haven't had time to fix it.... Anyway how hard is it to replace? I have a couple hours this weekend if it isn't to hard I could do it in that time.

Since I need to be in wiscasset anyway, I could stop by Norm's and get the part and whatever grease it needs.

If it isn't something I can fix in a couple hours I guess I'll drop it by Norm's for them to fix. As long as the rain keeps away I have my motor bicycle. So not having it for a couple days isn't a huge issue. growl I hate cars sometimes... But I love it to much to get rid of

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

steering rod thing is better known as steering rack!

sounds like you got a ripped boot over inner tie rod end, which connexts the steering rack to teh wheels. to replace the boot, the tie rods gots to be disconnected, eashy enuff job except that afterward you need to have an alignment cuz you will have disturbed the front toe-in settings.

check the inner tie rod ends for play, this is a very common wear point on subies that get driven hard at autox or rallyx or backroads bombing. so while u are in there, might as well replace the tie rod end if there's slop.

..which reminds me, my wag is quite overdue for this, heh I even have the part!

 

[Chris]

STEERING RACK!! I knew that, but I was in a hurry posting from my PDA and couldn't think of the name.... That is just me being scatter brained.. what's new?

Anyway, I had some time this morning to jack up my car and take a better look... It looks easy enough to fix, but I took some pics to confirm what I think is right, and to help with a question...

First disconnect it here

then disconnect it here

this end of the boot is pretty obvious to get off..

How the heck does one disconnect this end? there wasn't any obvious way (to me...)

Am I missing anything? Or is it really that easy?

OH, and one more question... what grease should I use in there?

Thanks for your helps!

 

[Chris]

anybody? I really want to fix this....

 

[-=Lobstah=-]

supposedly, theres just a clamp that's holding it on there. pull the boot back and check.

 

[SUBARUDE]

if your just replacing the steering rack boot the one end is clamped as you can see the other end should just pull off it slips up over a ridge so there is no need for a clamp on that end and there is no grease that goes in there you might find a little power steering fluid in there but you don't need to put anything in there just replace the boot.but ya it is a fairly simple job so have at it and get'er done

 

[Chris]

Cool, thanks! So are the steps I'm thinking about taking correct?

 

[SUBARUDE]

yes

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

no need to pull the tie rod off steering knuckle, just unbolt the rod-end from that, and small end of boot just slides right off

when you reinstall fresh boot, you may want some sort of fastener to hold big end of boot over end of steering rack--good qual ziptie or metal banding

make sure to double-check inner tie rod end play (jack front wheels, wiggle wheels back n forth like steering, feel for play at inner joint), and replace that if needed while you've got things tore up

 

[Chris]

no need to pull the tie rod off steering knuckle, just unbolt the rod-end from that, and small end of boot just slides right off
when you reinstall fresh boot, you may want some sort of fastener to hold big end of boot over end of steering rack--good qual ziptie or metal banding

make sure to double-check inner tie rod end play (jack front wheels, wiggle wheels back n forth like steering, feel for play at inner joint), and replace that if needed while you've got things tore up

So if I follow you right, you are saying I don't have to do the first picture. Just start at the second?

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

lol, yes!

 

[Chris]

Ok, thanks. I'm bad with knowing what things are called... haha.

I have the boot, now I'm just waiting for the damn rain to let up... I don't have a garage

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

you don't need a garage...c'mon, no whining about the weather either...it's not raining under the car!

 

[Chris]

I'm a whiner... what can I say

 

[Chris]

So it stopped raining today, AND I have time. So I guess I'll get to fixing this. I'm looking at the manual for torque specs. How the heck do you get the correct torque (61.5 +/- 3.6 ft-lb) on the rod end bolt? There isn't any way to get a socket on it.

Also, if I'm careful to mark everything and get it back the same as it came off, I shouldn't need an alignment... right? Even if it is a bit off, I should be able to dick with it till it is correct. Getting an alignment because some stupid boot broke seems .... stupid... haha

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

even if you carefully mark the rod ends it's likely you will still need an alignment. your steering wheel will likely be off center when you get thru monkeying with the tie rod adjustment...it "should" be fine, but who knows. do you know how to measure toe-in and then adjust the rod ends to get what you want? you need camber plates to set front wheels on so that the suspension can come to its proper attitude after being jacked up and let down again, etc etc.

as for torque for rod end boltZ, pull em up tight against tie rod body and each other, ooff oof grunt grunt is about right. one nut snugs up against body of outer tie rod, the other is a locknut OK?

you are messing with Very Important Hardware down there, if yo are so unsure about all this stuff mebbe it's time to call in professional help.

saving $ by DIY is fine....long as you are not creating more probs than you are solving

and YES you better get an alignment after all this.

 

[Chris]

So the inner tie rod end has quite a bit of play.

I put the new boot on anyway so no more water and road crap get in there before I get it fixed. I should have time next week to bring it to Norm's. I'll have them check for anything else that is on it's way out that affects alignment. Then I'll schedule one of those... grumble grumble.....

thanks for everyone's help though, I really appreciate it

 

[Nigel Prodrive]

replacing a tired inner tie rod is a very cost effective way of gettting back good Steerin feel in your sube

it's a part that gets a lot of stress and wear, es[ with high steering angles and application of full powa....heh on the rally cars we replace these every other event or so

 

[Chris]

replacing a tired inner tie rod is a very cost effective way of gettting back good Steerin feel in your sube
it's a part that gets a lot of stress and wear, es[ with high steering angles and application of full powa....heh on the rally cars we replace these every other event or so

It isn't like I go terribly easy on my car either... The combination of living empty back roads, and the fact that they are full of holes probably puts a lot of stress on the tie rods...