--- Conrad Klahn <conradk@MAC.COM> wrote:
> Since I might as well put in new tie-rods and boots,
> what kind of r&r should I do to the steering rack?
> Should I consider the rack contaminated and pull it,

> disassemble and clean, and reseal? Or just fix
> what's there and go.

> Conrad

When I first bought my camper, one of the boots on my
manual steering rack was torn. I went to the dealer,
bought two new boots and a tube of the VW steering
rack lube. I removed the rack from the van, cleaned as
much of the old grease out as I could without
disassembling the rack further, installed the new
boots and reinstalled the rack on the van. I also
checked out the steering column coupler discs and the
rack mount bushings but they were still in good shape.
I've put over 66,000 miles on the van since this
repair and haven't noticed any change in the steering
performance of the van, it still tracks straight and
has very little play.

Good luck,

=====
TJ Hannink
Goldibox - 1987 Vanagon Camper, Wolfsburg Edition
Winter Park, Florida
http://home.earthlink.net/~tjhannink/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wolfsburg_campers
http://photos.yahoo.com/tjhannink [Vanagon] Album

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