FTO AUSTRALIA

Back from the regular service from the mechanics and got a short list of faults:

steering rack boots torn
ourter cv boots torn
power steering hose slightly leaking

how hard are they to be diy?
any gurus here?

Pretty easy TBH
CV boots are straight forward, as are steering rack boots. Power steering hose, if its from the resovoir to the pump then again another easy fix.
Basically just take the old boots off, put new ones on - make sure to grease the CV joint liberally before putting the new boot on making sure to wipe off all the old grease with a clean cloth. Same for steering rack but you dont need to put any grease in there.
Power steering hose is simple. Just replace the hose thats right in front of you

Given the tools required, time needed and level of average competence.

Power steering hose: Easiest.
Steering Rack boots: Easy.
Outer CV Boot: Moderate.

Power steering hose, catch fluid, undo clips, slide off, install new one. Depending on the hose that is...
steering rack boot require control arm to come off from the wheel hub.
Outer CV boot requires 1 tool in order to complete the job, and disconnect the cup from the shaft can be a little tricky.

Generic youtube vids will guide.

Sounds easy enough. Will give it a try.
Is it ok to spray the joints with degreaser, or just wipe the existing gunk off with towel is good enough?
How much grease?
Any specific grease?

On eBay u can buy a tool that will make it easier to tie the boots down, it also comes with a bunch of different size clamps. Its around 25 bucks just type in cv boot tool or something like that

For the steering rack boots, you can get universal stretch ones that stretch over the tie rod end and means you don't have to get an alignment done afterwards.

Astron_Boy wrote:Given the tools required, time needed and level of average competence.

Power steering hose: Easiest.
Steering Rack boots: Easy.
Outer CV Boot: Moderate.

Power steering hose, catch fluid, undo clips, slide off, install new one. Depending on the hose that is...
steering rack boot require control arm to come off from the wheel hub.
Outer CV boot requires 1 tool in order to complete the job, and disconnect the cup from the shaft can be a little tricky.

Generic youtube vids will guide.

You make it sound so easy. For someone who isn't competent in doing the above, def will get stuck.

You left out trying to undo the crown nut on the hub, and how about the tapered tie rod end?

Payaya, if you cant get a crown nur off then its a good indicator they shoukdnt be attempting this. Trial by fire

payaya wrote:

Astron_Boy wrote:Given the tools required, time needed and level of average competence.

Power steering hose: Easiest.
Steering Rack boots: Easy.
Outer CV Boot: Moderate.

Power steering hose, catch fluid, undo clips, slide off, install new one. Depending on the hose that is...
steering rack boot require control arm to come off from the wheel hub.
Outer CV boot requires 1 tool in order to complete the job, and disconnect the cup from the shaft can be a little tricky.

Generic youtube vids will guide.

You make it sound so easy. For someone who isn't competent in doing the above, def will get stuck.

You left out trying to undo the crown nut on the hub, and how about the tapered tie rod end?

I've never been able to get an outer CV off the shaft without belting the f**k out of it, and for that very reason I spend the $39 bucks to replace the whole joint, boot included

Taz wrote:Payaya, if you cant get a crown nut off then its a good indicator they shoukdnt be attempting this. Trial by fire

Pretty much.

In the end, out of the frying pan...

If you look at it and it looks too hard, then don't bother starting.

Bennoz wrote:I've never been able to get an outer CV off the shaft without belting the f**k out of it, and for that very reason I spend the $39 bucks to replace the whole joint, boot included

And yep, pretty much.

Reason why I don't do half the work myself is because I don't have time, space or the correct tools.

And besides.

Astron_Boy wrote:Given the tools required, time needed and level of average competence.

What do u mean by tapered tie tod end payaya?

Is that because it spins when u try to do it up hence requirement of rattle gun?

silverGPX wrote:What do u mean by tapered tie tod end payaya?

Is that because it spins when u try to do it up hence requirement of rattle gun?

No, the taper that threads the tie rod on to the steering rack arm to replace the boot.

There are a tonne of youtube vids for this stuff now, we aren't in the dark ages where poorly photographed books are the only guide.
There are good tricks for doing the steering arm which means you won't need to do an alignment after.

Ahh okay. Does any body else have that problem anyways?

silverGPX wrote:Ahh okay. Does any body else have that problem anyways?

You mean other cars?
Yeah, majority of cars you have to take off the tie rod to do the boot.

As Vectose said however, you can buy kits where you can leave the tie rod on, never used one of those myself.

Edit: just realised I may have come across as condescending in my previous post, didn't mean to.

I didn't notice.

Nah I meant the tie tod end shaft spinning where it bolts onto the knuckle. Sorry was off topic.


I think the universal one is a great idea.

I remember paying $100 to get my boots changed back in the day.

If I new about the universal ones would of used that.

quoted:
$310 for fixing RHS inner CV boot split and leaking grease.
$190 per side for split steering rack boots

im sure there are cheaper quotes out there. but want to know if its a total rip off?

zuihoujueding wrote:quoted:
$310 for fixing RHS inner CV boot split and leaking grease.
$190 per side for split steering rack boots

im sure there are cheaper quotes out there. but want to know if its a total rip off?

Considering he is only changing the $20 boot and not the actual joint its a total rip off lol

Sahin wrote:

zuihoujueding wrote:quoted:
$310 for fixing RHS inner CV boot split and leaking grease.
$190 per side for split steering rack boots

im sure there are cheaper quotes out there. but want to know if its a total rip off?

Considering he is only changing the $20 boot and not the actual joint its a total rip off lol

Agreed. Those prices are offensive.

Just bought the universal steering rack boots from ebay.
And watched some youtube clips. Highly do-able

zuihoujueding wrote:Just bought the universal steering rack boots from ebay.
And watched some youtube clips. Highly do-able

Good man. Indeed they are!

But yeah those prices are complete anus. Even the custom driveshaft cluey mcclueless made me didn't cost half your cv boot repair.