steering column-rack boot - MoT failure

If this part is split, is it an MoT failure on a car? I have the engine out at the moment, so it would be way easier to change it now….



But I'd have to probably order it and wait for VW to supply it, which means that I'd be held up for a couple of days.

Mine is missing, And it passed the MOT without it. Think the MOT guy never noticed it.
Would GSF have this part? or is it a Clench you teeth and ask at VW parts.

Is this part easy to put on?  was going to modify a CV boot and see if i can get it to fit.

Yep I would order it and replace it while its easy to change. Mine failed on a rack gaiter but thats more of a column boot. Best be safe hey. :wink:

What you doing on the engine Paul? :dontknow:

no its not

its only a dust cover the perish really easy coz there sooooooo near the exhaust. the only about a fiver but can you do with the hassle of fitting a new one  :wink:

andunp said

no its not

its only a dust cover the perish really easy coz there sooooooo near the exhaust. the only about a fiver but can you do with the hassle of fitting a new one  :wink:

Euro Car Parts don't do them. I was there picking up a load of other bits today. One of the steering rack gaitors is ever so slightly split, so that's getting replaced. The part above, is badly split but I need to get the motor back in now, before the snow comes!

The steering rack gaitor isn't too hard to change, you take the track rod off the hub (I have the tool for that), then wiggle the old one off and new one on, from there. Of course, its 10 times as hard with the engine in place!

I figured, to change the column-rack gaiter, you simply unbolt the column from the rack?

Having given it some thought, on other cars they often have steering column universal joints exposed, so I suppose its okay. I don't want it failing on something silly.

The engine is out becuase I'm changing the clutch. My fears around the gearbox being stuck to the engine were unfounded, they split apart with ease today. So I needn't have taken the engine all the way out. But I wanted to check around the engine bay, while I can.

Do the shaft gaiter now with the engine out. You will be cursing trying to do it with the engine in. You may also find it not so easy to remove/replace the UJ bolt as you think!

No not part of an mot test,i would not fail it and i am a tester,
Good luck putting it back together,by the way you are allowed at least 5 bolts left over on a job like that  :wink:
Bert

Worth changing all the same (especially with the engine out!).

Cautionary Tale: My brother ran his car without this cover for a few years, and then found that the joints in the knuckles had got dry, and the whole thing had to be changed to get rid of the clonking in the steering  

BTW, if you are stuck for the gaiter, look on a 1.1 or 1.3 car, as the exhaust isn't close on these ones, and the gaiter is usually re-useable.

no it is not a mot failure .but if  i were you i would replace .because it is there to serve a purpose and that is to keep the steering  uj from getting crap in the joint   

Well, the engine's back in, but its condition is noted and it will be duly changed, once I obtain the part. Whilst the engine was out, I was also going to replace these parts:

Steering rack gaiter
3x engine mounts
10x copper washers, for fuel lines which were disconnected

Result? They supplied the wrong steering rack gaiter, the rear engine mount (one of the studs) snapped during fitting, another engine mount was never even fitted due to lack of time (its a pain to do, apparently, you need to press the old one out and the new one in), the other one they didn't have in stock, neither did they have the copper washers in stock. I purchased (wrong size) copper washers elsewhere, for now.

At least the clutch was the correct one and fitted fine.

So, I have a bunch more stuff to keep me busy over the coming weeks.

hi paul if you get stuck . i have plenty of mk1 golf parts in stock if needed in the future . and good luck

Are they new and genuine VW stuff?

On my steering rack gaiter I wrapped heat resistant matting around and locked wired it in to position as mine has a G60 lump in it the manifold seems to be even closer but sine doing this Ive had no more split rubbers…..      

G9DUB said

On my steering rack gaiter I wrapped heat resistant matting around and locked wired it in to position as mine has a G60 lump in it the manifold seems to be even closer but sine doing this Ive had no more split rubbers…..      

Nice tip :wink:

i have new and a lot of second hand gen parts  

scouse said

i have new and a lot of second hand gen parts  

Thanks for the tip. I've sourced the part from VW Dealer now. I guess, with minor parts like that, once postage is included, the cost difference would be wiped out??