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Replacing steering rack gaiter/boot on a S3 Xflow - how to do ?


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Morning all

Someone said that BC had slowed down in providing helpful hints/tips .... I think it's still great in that respect so here goes !

Gaiter on the drivers side has split when I was washing the car. Covered it with wrap and car under cover until it's sorted - couple of questions:

- how easy are they to replace (never done one) and is there a guide that anyone's aware of that some helpful soul has put together ? I'm pretty handy with the car just never changed a boot !

- best place to source the boots from, Caterham never seem to have anything in stock?

- any tips from people who have replaced before/things I need to watch for?

- Do I need to have the suspension/steering checked once it's all put back together ?

Any help much appreciated. 

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  • Member

If it's the same as my S3 K it's easy, and everything you need is in the archives, including:

  1. Stu's trick: why you don't need to split the track rod end from the upright.
  2. The flats for the wrench are sometimes hidden by the gaiters.
  3. LHS and RHS are different, and the equivalent part numbers. But, as always, if in doubt ask Redline.

Do I need to have the suspension/steering checked once it's all put back together ?

You can reliably end up with the same setting that you had before.

Jonathan

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I have this info in my notes



Steering Rack Gaiters (from Blatchat)





Part Number Cross Reference:



- First Line FSG3033 (Pair)

- Ford 1454203 (Left Hand - Long) 1454202 (Right Hand - Short)

- Quinton Hazell QG1001 QG1014



(Quinton Hazel QG1001 steering rack gaiters confirmed as identical to the standard caterham parts)



                                                              

Original Application:



- Ford Escort Mk I 1968-1976

- Ford Escort Mk II 1973-1981

- Ford Capri Mk I 1968-1974

- Ford Capri Mk II 1974-1977

- Ford Capri Mk III 1978-1987

- Talbot Avenger 1970-1981

- Talbot Sunbeam 1977-1983.



Measurements:



- Left Hand: 155 long, 32mm dia. at rack end, 10mm dia. at rod end.

- Right Hand: 125mm long, 42mm dia. at rack end, 10mm dia. at rod end.


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  • 3 weeks later...
Easy to do. Mark stripe of Tippex on lockout, TRE and tie rod. Crack lockout a fraction off track rod end while holding both with spanners. Then find the sneaky flats on track rod and wind it out of TRE until it comes free. Spin nut off thread. Replace gaiter. Refit nut and spin back to white mark. Screw rod back in to TRE until it reaches nut. When marks aligned, nip lockout against TRE.
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IIRC You unscrew the track rod (using the flats) from the track rod end.

how do you get the thin end of the boot on ?

... a piece of tape where it first makes contact to ease the slide, warming the boot, lubricant (although I'd use silicone rather than grease or WD-40), determination...

Jonathan

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  • 1 year later...

I am not sure Steering Rack Gaiter replacement is considered a consumable but there does seem to have been a lot of interest in the subject. 

I am starting the process of changing mine and, to be honest, searching through the past threads on the subject has been a little confusing.  There is some very good information out there but it is spread across multiple threads all cross linked to each other in different ways.

Is it possible for someone with the right skill set to add this as a Topic in the Technical Guides section.

With the current uncertainty of shipments to EU, GJT stay calm, I decided to see if I could get a pair of gaiters here in France. Using the Quinten Hazell QG1001 as a reference the local motor factor got me set from BORG & BECK - Steering Gaiter Set - BSG 3033.  So that can be added to list of equivalents part numbers.

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