Date:         Sun, 15 Aug 2004 19:20:01 -0700
Reply-To:     Barry Muller <ekab_muller@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Barry Muller <ekab_muller@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Power Steering rack boot
In-Reply-To:  <200408150407.i7F47gAL008571@ylpvm32.prodigy.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

A few years back I spared no expense and had a local
stealership replace the PWR steering rack in my '91
carat.  Well a couple days back. while recconoitering
the impending radiator swap I noticed that the boots
were not attached to the rack and so, of course,
allowed water and grit to get to the seals.  The new
rack is already leaking from the diver's-side seal.

Of course I would really like to go back to the
stealership and have them replace the rack which is
failing do to their shoddy workmanship (no sign of
clamps on either side - it is questioanble if they
ever even pushed the boot onto the rack).  Of course
that is non-starter - so shame on me for not checking
their work immediately.

Anyrate, the boot on the driver's side is torn at the
cuff so I cannot even attach it to the rack with a
clamp (as I've already done on the passenger side.

My questions:

1) I bought a universal replacement boot from a local
FLAPS.  Is the the replacement a PITA - and is there a
way to do this that won't require an alignment when
I'm all done?

Anybody ever replace a seal on a PWR steering rack -
or will I be getting a new one after I get sick of
feeding  dexron ATF to the reservoir ever few days?

TIA,

bem