yet another steering rack gaitor conundrum

[MoggyBlue]

ok so i have removed the old gaitors and trackrod ends (after much swearing, bleeding and stressing)

i have gone from lock to lock and greased the inside of the rack

i have fitted new gaitors and TRE's annnnnd now the biggest pain how do i get the inner gaitor (bigger end) over the rack.... ive given it ago and all i keep doing is getting some on and some off its driving me mad

has anyone got any tips or tricks to get it on PLEASE and also im guessing the TRE needs levering down somehow to be able to tighten the nylock nut ive tried the search section and only found out about the TRE nut

thank you

[kennatt]

They can be a pain just keep at it, soak it in hot waters to soften ............... the TRE ...........find a normal nut , that fits,use the old ones if they were castellated nuts pull the tre into the joint using the non lock nut, take it off, and refit the locking nut. Alternatively you can sometimes pull the joint together enough for it to grip ,with Mole grips. Or another way,pack out the tre with washers so the the nylock nut dosen't hit the plastic locking threads,and pull the joint togther bit by bit,avoiding the plastic threads, putting washers on progressively untill it locks,then take the lot off and fully tighten up

[bmcecosse]

Assuming you have the correct boots..(ie long enough - not Mini boots) they slip over easily - this is a 30 minute job to change a boot and TRE. Then grip it to the rack with a sturdy tie-wrap - be sure to tidy it by snipping off the tail!

[alexmcguffie]

....this is a 30 minute job to change a boot and TRE....

Assuming the TRE has been removed in the last 40 years. I had to grind one off recently and then re-cut the steering arm threads. It was that rusted on, heat, penetrating oil etc wouldn't touch it.

[MoggyBlue]

They can be a pain just keep at it, soak it in hot waters to soften ............... the TRE ...........find a normal nut , that fits,use the old ones if they were castellated nuts pull the tre into the joint using the non lock nut, take it off, and refit the locking nut. Alternatively you can sometimes pull the joint together enough for it to grip ,with Mole grips. Or another way,pack out the tre with washers so the the nylock nut dosen't hit the plastic locking threads,and pull the joint togther bit by bit,avoiding the plastic threads, putting washers on progressively untill it locks,then take the lot off and fully tighten up

ahhh ok well sadly i cant soak the gaitor in water as its got grease all over it i guess ill just keep at it and try get it on with luck

ahhh ok well i shall give that a go with a normal nut when i find one and tighten it up and then refit the nylock

thanks

[MoggyBlue]

Assuming you have the correct boots..(ie long enough - not Mini boots) they slip over easily - this is a 30 minute job to change a boot and TRE. Then grip it to the rack with a sturdy tie-wrap - be sure to tidy it by snipping off the tail!

the gaitor is the gaitor from ESM the smaller end fits well but the larger end seems to small and is a b*tch to get on considering it also has grease all over it :S and yes they have not been done it turned out to be a 3 hour job

[simmitc]

I found the perfect solutio to getting the inner end of the gaiter over the rack: Get the wife to do it Her hands are smaller than mine, and so after I had been trying for 1/2 an hour she offered to have a go. 2 minutes later all done, leaving me to apply the clip (cable tie). Repeated on the other side. Of course, it does help that she is "into" Minors and boats, and not into glamorous nails She is wonderful, and I wouldn't be without her. No, she is not available to work on anyone else's car!

Another solution is to get the suppliers to provide boots of the correct size. Damn difficult, that one.

[MoggyBlue]

I found the perfect solutio to getting the inner end of the gaiter over the rack: Get the wife to do it Her hands are smaller than mine, and so after I had been trying for 1/2 an hour she offered to have a go. 2 minutes later all done, leaving me to apply the clip (cable tie). Repeated on the other side. Of course, it does help that she is "into" Minors and boats, and not into glamorous nails She is wonderful, and I wouldn't be without her. No, she is not available to work on anyone else's car!

Another solution is to get the suppliers to provide boots of the correct size. Damn difficult, that one.

oh well thats the perfect solution just a shame i dont have a miss's of my own and damn you new what i was going to ask ;)

yeah i have been wondering if it is the right size though :S there's only one available from esm. so surely that should fit but considering half the rubbish ive had from there i wouldn't be surprised

[bmcecosse]

I have large hands (cf size 14 feet..) and had absolutely no problem wiggling a (nos) boot on the rack back n the Spring - when the MOT lad put the old boot under a microscope and managed to find a tiny hole in order to fail the car... I had it back down to him within 30 minutes with the new boot fitted..... Perhaps the 'new' boots are not so easy.... Are these the ones that only last 6 months ??

[MoggyBlue]

I have large hands (cf size 14 feet..) and had absolutely no problem wiggling a (nos) boot on the rack back n the Spring - when the MOT lad put the old boot under a microscope and managed to find a tiny hole in order to fail the car... I had it back down to him within 30 minutes with the new boot fitted..... Perhaps the 'new' boots are not so easy.... Are these the ones that only last 6 months ??

yeah ive size 12 feet xD

haha i wish

i have a strange feeling they are the ones thats going to :S these are my first set. i think once these goes im going to get a universal kit or some longer ones possibly

[katy]

How about a heat gun or hair dryer to warm/soften the boot up?

[MoggyBlue]

How about a heat gun or hair dryer to warm/soften the boot up?

Never thought of a hair dryer but wouldn't that stretch and melt it? But don't worry I went for round 2 today as the weather was dry and I got it on and got the nylock on aswell with a handy bit of seatbelt