Turbo TieRod Boot Confusion - Green DIYer

[trentwat]

If you have the TTs, please help! After much struggle and effort, I was able to get my new Lemfoerder Turbo TieRods on this past weekend. The inner springs and boots are quite the Biyatch.

My question is about the end of the boot towards the outside of the car. The boot tapers off, so there is no way to re-use the spring. How do you keep moisture and debris out? Am I missing something?

For anyone doing this project(s), if you're going to install a bumpsteer kit, just drop the rack out and save yourself the headache of installing those pesky boots and springs on the inside of the boot and the bumspteer spacer install. It will save you time. Probably would do it even if I wasn't going to to the BSK.

If you choose to leave the rack in, purchase a set of tools with a small hook at the end (tool about the length of a pencil), that you can hook onto the spring and pass around the steering rack in the tight space. Also, as someone else in this forum recommended, use a pair of needle nose pliers & screwdriver to work the boot on to the rack.

The BSK went much easier once my friend/coach pointed out that a special flat-head screwdriver with bent end would work well for leaverage. I'm a bit green.

[GWN7]

I used a Black zip tie on the PIA spring end. 3 yrs now and it's still working.

[SP2]

If I recall correctly, you push the boot in (away from the outside of the car) and the end of the boot will form a tight seal with the tie rod. It is near the ball joint and I think there is a ridge that you push the end of the boot up and over.

I hope I remember that right.

[Wayne 962]

Use hose clamps - not the goofy pinch clamps that typically come with the kits. Those were attached at the factory when the rack was out of the car...

-Wayne

[trentwat]

Thank you Wayne...Just a std. worm gear version? I found this online with a cool anodized cover...

Any idea what the diameter of the tierod/boot combo might be (my car is at my friends garage)?

I figure I could put the clamp on before the rod ends are set and the alignment is done.

[trentwat]

Okay. So the recommendation would be to use a hose clamp. Should the boot be over the rod end connecting nut toward the outside of the car -after alignment? Or inside the nut -leaving the nut exposed?

[burgermeister]

+1 sp2

My tie rod had a plastic disc of sorts, with a fairly tight fit to the tie rod, between the inner & outer rod ends. The boot slipped over said disc, registering in a groove on the outer perimeter of the disc, and made a tight seal without any clamps whatsoever. When the tie rod is rotated for adjustment, the plastic disc rotates on the tie rod.

[HawgRyder]

If you are into smooth and seamless....why not try one of the "heat shrink" collars?
They make them for all sizes of rad hoses now...in a heavy duty form.
Just place over the boot....slide on as far as you can...apply heat.
No ugly bumps...no screws...almost invisible (black).
Just a thought.
Bob

[trentwat]

Burg, no disc on my TTRs...

Bob, I'm all about neat and tidey...would the heat required to "shrink" the collar melt the rubber boot?

[trentwat]

Burg, I re-examined the TTRs and there is a disk on the rod, ad it does seam to "seal" the end. But, it appears as if water could still work it's way in. How long have they been installed on your car? I'm if there could be an issue down the road (rust, corrosion, etc.)

[burgermeister]

Mine have been on 1 year.

Judging by the condition of the rack when I took it out to redo the front suspension, the previous non-turbo tie rods didn't exactly seal all that well either. Lots of rust - my rack was junk. And the boots were not torn. I'll try to take a picture tomorrow (If I remember - I appear to have early stage Alzheimer. I blame the kids. )

[trentwat]

Lol...pesky kids...they do that sort of thing.

[burgermeister]

Here 'tis. The one side "disc" appears to be pushed further up the tie rod than the other, as evidenced by the different extensions of the boot bellows.




I remembered because I took a 1/2 day vacation today to fix this...
It may be hard to see. The 2000 Buick Park Avenue DD that's been sitting most of the summer decided to run out of zinc coating on its brake lines and neglected to stop when so commanded, instead puking brake fluid all over. Luckily no car-car contact, just a severely puckered up derriere. Michigan winter are tough on cars, but the brake lines ought to be one of the last things to go IMHO.

Off to the auto parts store I go. Happy, happy, joy, joy.

[trentwat]

Thanks Berg...great shots. My disc is still inside the boot. So, I guess that's the problem. Duh...Did you do anything in particular to get the boot on the disc?

[burgermeister]

Nope - just wedged it on. Used a bit of spit (soap might be better, but spit was handy at the time) on the boot and it popped right on. You will need to scootch the disc along the tie rod until it ends up in a place the boot will be happy with.