My DIRASS equipped Xm has failed the mot on a split nearside rack gaiter!!
The tester also picked out a detached and leaking leak off pipe on the front nearside
strut which turns out to be on the driver's side!! Whilst I'm hoping he meant the
offside for the rack gaiter too I've looked and can't actually see any splits on either
side though the thin shower cap is missing off the shiny piston end of the steering
ram where it meets the track rod...
I've bought a pair that I struggled to get from a local factors [GSF dont have one
in the country] and it seems to ignore the cast ring with the spiggot/stud upon which
the steering ram mounts onto on the nearside.
What's the deal with this? On a dummy run I couldn't get more than the track rod
off a spare rack I have - the collar mount just will not budge no matter what I try.
The kit has two complete sides L & R yet on the left side of the SPARE rack has two
pieces - a small end cap to cover the inner knuckle swivel/ball joint and another
even diameter ended section inboard of the collar mount!!
This is the same set up the Xantia is afflicted with and there are mentions in past
postings here about rack removal and universal gaiters. The QH set I have doesn't
actually help me to determine whether I'm supposed to cut it's diameters etc and
whether I still need to stretch the inner piece over the collar/spiggot or in fact cut
it in half to create two pieces of the gaiter either side of the collar...
Can someone please help?
Andrew
Xm Steering rack gaitor split - MOT
Moderator: RichardW
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Peter.N.
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Funny, I've just read that somewhere else! I will be very interested in the outcome, I have never had one go yet. If it really is that difficult, I would get the tester to show you exactly where its leaking, in case he is in error. Is there any law which says you cant stick it with super glue?
Peter.N.
Peter.N.
The XM has a funny set up for the gaiters (same as the BX and Xantia)
To remove the right hand one is a standard easy (ish) job, but the left hand side is a bit of a nightmare!
To remove the gaiter the official way, you must first remove the steering rack, then remove both track arms, remove the ram and pinion then if you pull out the internal toothed rack from the housing, you can remove the old gaiter and put it all back together with a new one.
The "cheats" way is to get yourself a pattern gaiter, you can get a stretchy gaiter that will stretch over your head if you try hard!! Then remove the wheel and unbolt the ram from the rack, cut the old gaiter off and stretch the new one over the spigot that the ram is bolted to.
The round boss and spigot will come off but only by using a press, so you wont do this on the car.
Dont even bother with a genuine gaiter unless you are going to remove and strip the rack, as these are a plastic gaiter that will not stretch at all.
Regards
Slim.
To remove the right hand one is a standard easy (ish) job, but the left hand side is a bit of a nightmare!
To remove the gaiter the official way, you must first remove the steering rack, then remove both track arms, remove the ram and pinion then if you pull out the internal toothed rack from the housing, you can remove the old gaiter and put it all back together with a new one.
The "cheats" way is to get yourself a pattern gaiter, you can get a stretchy gaiter that will stretch over your head if you try hard!! Then remove the wheel and unbolt the ram from the rack, cut the old gaiter off and stretch the new one over the spigot that the ram is bolted to.
The round boss and spigot will come off but only by using a press, so you wont do this on the car.
Dont even bother with a genuine gaiter unless you are going to remove and strip the rack, as these are a plastic gaiter that will not stretch at all.
Regards
Slim.