Hi Mark - thought I would give you my two cents. You have good replys from Bruce
and Max already. I believe your tie rod ends are probably just fine. In the
future, it may be easier and only a little more expensive to replace the whole
tie rod end, rather than just the boot. Bruce made a very good point about the
amount of oil - it only calls for a specific amount, which you can find in both
the Hanes and the Moss catalogue. Clamps on both sides of the boots - small end
and big end - should prevent any leakage; filling the rack (which is
overfilling) would likely cause some to leak out. I do agree the damper hole is
the best way to fill the rack, having recently used a syringe to do this a short
while ago.....live and learn.........As for the person who tells you you should
not have oil in your rack boots - that is a good indication that they should not
be doing your alignment. No need for a new rack! Good luck and happy
MG-ing............
Doug C - 73 B near Boston
Mark Dawson wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I have just replaced the boots on the steering rack, and have a few final
> questions.
>
> First off, the tie rod end boots from VB don't appear to be identical to
> those which I removed. They are smaller, which doesn't seem to matter, but
> they also lack a small metal ring around the small end. Did I not have the
> original kind of boot, or am I now missing something important?
>
> Secondly, I did everything I could think of by the book (Haynes and the Moss
> catalogue article on this procedure). I filled the works with gear oil, and
> the next morning found most of the gear oil on the garage floor. I tried
> tightening the boots' large-end clamps, but it still leaks. Did I put too
> much in, or are the boots just too big?
>
> Lastly, just to be sure, I ran it up to an alignment shop to have them check
> everything. Right off the bat they said I'd need a new gear, since there
> should not be oil in the boots; the seals must be bad. ?!?
>
> I thought from the discussion on this list that the boots were SUPPOSED to
> have oil in them, and the movement from steering causes the oil to pump
> through the rack to lubricate it. Did I misunderstand, or is my steering
> rack shot???
>
> Anyhow, I'll have pictures of most of this operation if anyone else needs
> some reference guides when you do it. Let me know. Since there was a
> discussion as to how best fill the rack, I thought I'd add my experience. It
> seems clear to me that taking the dampening lid and spring-loaded assembly
> off and filling from above with a long funnel is easy as pie. Can't imagine
> that syringes would be easier. Unless, of course, I did something wrong.
>
> -Mark
> - Topless Smurf ('75 MGB):
> http://www.bones.org/torch/photos/mgb/mark_mgb_1.html
> __________________________________________________
> Mark Dawson
> Manager
> The Roundtown Café http://www.roundtowncafe.com
> Personal Web Page http://www.bones.org/torch/
>
> 234 N. Court St., Circleville, Ohio, 43113
> 740-474-8666
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