Steering rack query.

[67-2door]

I noticed today when doing a couple of jobs on my Minor that the gaiter on passenger side of my steering rack is split.
What's the best way of going about repairing this? Is it fairly straightforward to remove the track rod end, slip the gaiter off the end of the rack and replace it or is it best to remove the rack, change both boots and do anything else that needs doing at the same time?
Thanks.
Neil.

[MColes]

I noticed today when doing a couple of jobs on my Minor that the gaiter on passenger side of my steering rack is split.
What's the best way of going about repairing this? Is it fairly straightforward to remove the track rod end, slip the gaiter off the end of the rack and replace it.

That's how I have done mine in the past. I put a mark behind the track rod end with a junior hacksaw AND counted how many turns it was on to make sure I put it back in the right place so the tracking wasn't out. Bit of a fiddley job though I found. All good fun though

[MarkyB]

If it's been apart in living memory it will probably be fine.
I came across one recently that needed plenty of heat treatment to get the track rod end off, but I'd say that is unusual.

Give it all a good clean, you don't want any dirt or grit getting in there, that's what the gaiter is there for, to keep muck off the working parts.

[mike.perry]

As long as you have a decent size ball joint splitter (search for earlier threads on this topic) you should be able to remove the track rod end. Forget about repairing a split gaiter. The tricky bit is trying to tighten the inside jubilee clip which sits inside the chassis leg and is a pig to get a screwdriver on. The solution is to use cable ties

[bmcecosse]

It's not easy to remove the rack - so unless you know it needs work - just renew the gaiter - maybe do them both while you are at it! And if the track rod ends are past their best - good time to renew them too.

[67-2door]

Thanks guys, I'll order a pair of gaitors (and maybe a pair of track rod ends too, they look like the originals) and have a go

[MarkyB]

Get ones that have grease nipples, then they will last as long as the originals.
If greased of course .