Hi there:

My Westy has a torn bellows or boot that covers the connection of the
steering box to the tie-rod.  There's no specific "Replace a torn steering
bellows" procedure in my manuals, though they cover removing the steering
box and removing the tie-rod.  So...

1) The procedure for removing the tie-rod requires that you first remove the
steering box.  If you're only replacing a torn boot, is this really
necessary?

2) The procedure for removing the tie-rod has you first removing the
balljoint on the tie-rod then removing the tie-rod from the steering rack.
Again, if all you're doing is replacing a torn bellows, this second step
doesn't seem necessary.  Correct?

3) Is it possible to replace the bellows by only separating the tie-rod
balljoint from the steering knuckle, removing the tie-rod balljoint from the
tie-rod (tie-rod and steering box still in car) and slipping the bellows off
and on over this "loose" end?

TIA.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Young                        '81 Vanagon
Lafayette, CA 94549          '82 Westfalia
----------------------------------------------------------------