Carl,
Until you mentioned the problems you had getting the rack boots on, I hadn't
really given the difficulty of the task that much thought. I've taken the
old boots off (both worn torn in a couple of places, but there was still
plenty of grease around the ball joint connections, and noticeable play in
the connections). It looks like the driver's side boot is going to be the
bear.
I guess my next question is: How much trouble is it to go ahead and remove
the entire rack at this point? Is that less trouble than trying to fit the
boots on with the rack in place? Has anyone else here had any experience
replacing the boots while the rack was still in place, and if so, are there
any special tricks I need to be aware of?
Thanks,
Kurtis J.
Russellville, Arkansas
1963 TR4
----- Original Message -----
From: <CarlSereda@aol.com>
To: <kurtisj@cox-internet.com>; <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 11:01 PM
Subject: Tie Rod End Piece - TR4
> Kurtis,
> I didn't quite get your question until I read others reponse to it so my
> reply was more about steering rack boots instead of tie-rod ends..
> oops,
> Carl '63 TR4
> -------
> I had a heck of a time postitioning and securing my brand new TR4 steering
> rack boots and I had the entire rack assembly up on the workbench! With
your
> rack in the car I don't envy your task.
> It might be better not to undo anything and just focus on getting the
large
> open ends back onto the rack tube ends - use a securing wire (baling wire
or
> similar) on pinion gear casting side (see manual photos) and a hose clamp
on
> plain tube side.
> Part of my difficulty was I greased the innards pretty well and ended up
> wrestling with what seemed like two fully greased piglets! and very
stubborn
> ones at that. The room for error 'fit-wise' is minimal and it took me
several
> frustrating attempts over a couple days to finally get them fitted so that
I
> could turn the rack from end-to-end with perfect accordianing and no
bunching
> or kinking.
> I found the boots are very important - my right one had beeb torn open for
> several years and that tie-rod ball-joint was wasted (1/8 inch of sloppy
> play) whereas the other side with intact boot was in excellent condition
and
> still very close to original factory tolerance).
> Ps; if you firmly pull back and forth on tie rods and feel movement more
than
> the thickness of a piece of xerox paper (about 3 thousandths of an inch) -
> your ball joints have more free play than factory specs and may need shims
> added to take up the wear (a bit of a job in itself - but then again, I
drove
> my car for years with 1/8" slop and didn't even have a clue!)
> Good luck with it,
>
> Carl
> '63 TR4 since '74 - CT22326L
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