Re: Steering Rack Boots

[AlanCote@aol.com]

It hardly seems worth the haslse of taking out the steering rack just to check
it over when replacing ripped boot. I replaced r & l rack boots a few weeks
ago on my '86 8v. Just pop the tie rod end and unscrew it, slide the old boot
off, slide the new one on and clamp it. The slide is a little tight - a few
sparing drops of liquid dish soap help. 

Also, I have replaced both tie-rods without removing the rack, in defiance of
the Bentley manual. I slid the rack boot back, and clamped the rack with two
pairs of vise grip pliers - I used brass jaw covers on the pliers so as not to
gouge the rack. Bentley says it's important to not torque the rack, so the
pliers were what I was  twisting against to avoid torquing the rack itself.
They're on tight, so for the second one I bought a Lisle inner tie-rod tool
for $45, which made the job much-much quicker and less frustrating. Getting at
that inner tie-rod end with a 30 mm (32mm?) wrench is a bear. Happy steering.

Alan Cote
'86 Scirocco 8v
'88 Jetta GLI 16v 

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