Steering rack boot HELP!!

mercutio · Post by **mercutio** » Wed May 08, 2013 8:38 pm

shouldn't be fluid leaking from the boot maybe grease but not fluid

Post by **vanzep** » Wed May 08, 2013 8:39 pm

no worries Bludge - im sure a local motor factor will have the AMK ones

Found the part number TSG38 (6411)

Bludge · Post by **Bludge** » Wed May 08, 2013 9:11 pm

Thanks vanzep, hopefully i can find them tomorrow morning. and hopefully i can fit them! lol.

And merc, it looks too thin to be grease, unless its because water has got into the boot (we did have heavy rain last night)
From what i am reading if it is PS fluid its the seals gone and i will need a new PS rack. that could end up being a deal breaker for me and i might have to get rid of the car. bad times.

Lets hope it is just grease, will change the boot and see what happens from there.

Thanks for all the help guys.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Wed May 08, 2013 9:12 pm

They should be available easily from most motor factors - I've had to buy 2 in my time and never had any problem getting them.
Drivers side is a complete and utter bitch of a job (access is terrible), passenger side was easy.

If you want to try gluing, the best thing is to use a bicycle puncture repair kit. The glue is designed for rubber and remains flexible.
My UKDM has had a bike repair patch over a small puncture on one of the CV gaiters for 5 years so far, without any problems

Just be sure to fully clean all the mating faces from any grease and be sure to get chalk on any of the over-run of glue, so the boot doesn't get stuck together when it's fully compressed!

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Wed May 08, 2013 9:15 pm

Bludge wrote: I have to take the car back tomorrow to get a free re-test, of i have to pay almost the full fee again

BTW, that's very harsh and I'm not sure that's even correct?
You should have a week where you only need to have a partial re-test on the items it failed on.

EDIT:
Yeah, there you go;
https://www.gov.uk/getting-an-mot/retests
You have 10 days to do the repairs and only pay a partial test fee. They can NOT charge you a full test fee for something that only requires a partial re-test (provided that's within the 10 days)

Bludge · Post by **Bludge** » Wed May 08, 2013 9:18 pm

wurlycorner wrote:They should be available easily from most motor factors - I've had to buy 2 in my time and never had any problem getting them.
Drivers side is a complete and utter bitch of a job (access is terrible), passenger side was easy.

If you want to try gluing, the best thing is to use a bicycle puncture repair kit. The glue is designed for rubber and remains flexible.
My UKDM has had a bike repair patch over a small puncture on one of the CV gaiters for 5 years so far, without any problems

Just be sure to fully clean all the mating faces from any grease and be sure to get chalk on any of the over-run of glue, so the boot doesn't get stuck together when it's fully compressed!

Luckily its the passenger side, and if i cant get the part in the morning i will go with gluing it. should be fine.

wurlycorner wrote:
Bludge wrote: I have to take the car back tomorrow to get a free re-test, of i have to pay almost the full fee again
BTW, that's very harsh?
The place I uses gives free re-tests within a week, regardless of whether I get the work done there (never) or do it myself (always).

Yeah its not great, its my local kwik-fit. i know they have a bad name but they have normally been pretty good with me.

EDIT: yeah its only a partial re-test fee, but its almost 25 quid, when the test cost 35. and every penny counts at the moment, im gonna have to spend the money to do the work anyway, so if i can get it done and save myself the 25 retest fee, it will help.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Wed May 08, 2013 9:19 pm

Bludge wrote: Yeah its not great, its my local kwik-fit. i know they have a bad name but they have normally been pretty good with me.

Yep, check my edited post though - they are not being straight with you about the re-test situation though.

Bludge · Post by **Bludge** » Wed May 08, 2013 9:23 pm

edited mine in response! lol.

Bludge · Post by **Bludge** » Wed May 08, 2013 9:31 pm

Oh, am i likely to need a ball joint splitter tool thing? or will a couple of whacks with a hammer on the carrier bit be enough to free it up?

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Wed May 08, 2013 9:35 pm

For the tie rod outer end there's no splitter needed, you can just whack it up from underneath easy enough.