Steering Rack Gaiter

[Mysterae]

The Esprit failed it's MOT today, but only because of a torn steering rack gaiter.

This job looks pretty easy, but the manual says I need a ball joint separator to remove the track rod ends from the hub carrier. Has anyone done this and can recommend a ball joint separator? Did you use Texaco CUP 2 grease or an other lime based water resistant grease to lube the inner ball joints?

Cheers.

[CarlC]

Just in the process of refrubing my rack. The track rod end felt solid and even after I gave them a good tap the were not for moving. So I decieded to opt for a ball joint splitter. Halfords sell the necessary kit apparently one type for

[Vulcan Grey]

The Esprit failed it's MOT today, but only because of a torn steering rack gaiter.

This job looks pretty easy, but the manual says I need a ball joint separator to remove the track rod ends from the hub carrier. Has anyone done this and can recommend a ball joint separator? Did you use Texaco CUP 2 grease or an other lime based water resistant grease to lube the inner ball joints?

Cheers.

You can use a "pickle fork", which is a big ball joint wedge that you hamme between the ball and the steering arm. Fairly cheap.

I use Mobil 1 synthetic grease (red stuff) good for wheel bearings and all kinds of general car uses.

[Mysterae]

Thanks guys, when you see the tool you need, you visualise how easy it will be with it!

Halfords don't have all their tools on their site, but Machine Mart sell a few, including the fork type you mentioned Travis.

I have a big tub of generic red grease I use whenever I have a bit of rubber on metal action , it might pay to get some better stuff!

[ragingfool35]

i just removed the nut, put a piece of wood under it and gave the wood a sharp whack.

presto, popped right out

BTW, Travis says he can now remove his rack in 30 min!

beats my 4 hrs fiddling around

[CarlC]

Travis,

Whats this about 30 minutes to remove your rack ? Whats the secret? I hope to get mine out this weekend and I could do with saving 3:30 mins and all the broken fingers

Oh wait... is this because you dont have power sterring?

... BTW, Travis says he can now remove his rack in 30 min!

beats my 4 hrs fiddling around

Edited August 12, 2006 by CarlC

[CarlC]

Any words of wisdom on getting the steering rack out at this point would be greatly appreciated from anyone. The rack mount bolts are out, the steering column is now disconnected and the feed and return pipes under the car are also disconnected.

It looks like if I could rotate the rack 45 degrees towards the front on the car it would slide out drivers side without to much difficultly. However it does not want to rotate very much at all at present.

Any tips from those in the know, before I go to war !

Many thanks

Carl

[Mysterae]

Tried to replace the steering rack gaiters today, I'll admit I'm stuck! After popping the ball joint out of the hub carrier and replacing the boot, how do you get the ball joint back on the hub? The nyloc nut that holds it in place is turning the ball joint before it's anywhere near tight. Is there a flat on the ball joint stud (that I don't see ) that keeps it in place while tighing the nut?

Cheers.

[Artie]

Tried to replace the steering rack gaiters today, I'll admit I'm stuck! After popping the ball joint out of the hub carrier and replacing the boot, how do you get the ball joint back on the hub? The nyloc nut that holds it in place is turning the ball joint before it's anywhere near tight. Is there a flat on the ball joint stud (that I don't see ) that keeps it in place while tighing the nut?

Cheers.

Impact wrench? Maybe.

Artie

[Mysterae]

Impact wrench would be more for getting the nut off? The nut has to be tighten to 70Nm from memory (should check), somethings got to hold that stud in place! There's noting of anything special noted in the manual.

[Advantage]

It needs some tension on it to push it into the tapered hole in the hub carrier. You can do this by a number of ways...I keep an old wooden axe handle in the garage to lever ball joints etc to load 'em up while spannering the nyloc, or you could place a bottle jack under the ball joint to push it into the hub carrier. (The neighbours find this less intimidating than me wandering around the driveway with an axe handle and a manic grin!!)

[Mysterae]

I think my neighbours as used to me turn the air blue when things don't go right when I'm working on the Esprit!

Had a look on Travis's site, and it's this little blighter that won't sit still!

GKP, you're right about the tapered hole. Since the tierod is attached to the hub from the top, getting leverage on it isn't easy. I've tried a little gentle persuation (plastic mallet), but still no joy.

[Advantage]

Silly me, of course they're from the top. Same idea applies though.

Instead of just biffing it with a mallet, you need a constant downward pressure on the balljoint. You don't need loads so you might get away with wedging a large screwdriver over one of the wishbones or the underside of the car and pushing down.

A bar or even a broomhandle (I do like my axe handle, though! ) might make things easier. A second pair of hands to do the levering while you are spannering would make it easier still...

[ragingfool35]

I had the same problem

be sure to degrease the seat and the hole with solvent

else there will not be enough friction!

obviously, dont get the solvent in/on the boot or where

the grease is supposed to be

[sanj]

The simplest way is to find a standard nut with the same thread size, use it to tighten the tapered stud, then remove the nut and replace it with the correct nyloc one.

[Mysterae]

The simplest way is to find a standard nut with the same thread size, use it to tighten the tapered stud, then remove the nut and replace it with the correct nyloc one.

Many thanks Sanj, that is the tip of the day! Spoke to a friend in work today and he said the same thing, and also said to to use a washer as well. If you use a few washers as packing, you can still use the old nyloc to bring the stud in place.

Rain stopped play today, I need it to stop raining so I can complete the job

[Mysterae]

In my efforts to get the old nut off that I temporarily put back on, I've screwed up the boot on the track rod end

Does anyone have a cross reference part number and where it came from? Surprised they're

[Vulcan Grey]

In my efforts to get the old nut off that I temporarily put back on, I've screwed up the boot on the track rod end

Does anyone have a cross reference part number and where it came from? Surprised they're