Saw that my pass side steering boot is ripped, have some grease build-up under there on the boot and underneath it. It has actually been like this since I bought the car, 20K ago, but I was wondering if this is an urgent fix or anything?

My steering feels fine, maybe a little loose but thats stretching it. I did notice during the winter after a long car trip when I turned the wheels back and forth it would squeak like an really old car. Of course, now thats its warm again, doesnt squeak at all. I keep an eye on the PS fluid level, but it doesnt seem to be dropping (and thats since I had the car).

Just asking, b/c the car has 247K on it, is due for several other more important parts, ie clutch, wondering if people even notice this - all you ever hear is about CV axle boots ripping, but not these...

If I were to fix it too, how? I know the CVs you just put in a new axle, but is there a DIY for this one?

thanks

 

you don't have to replace the whole axle to just fix a cv boot, all you do is get a 10 dollar boot replacement and repack it with grease. For the steering boot, i've never heard of anything like that, check a parts place for a replacement boot or something like that.

 

Thanks...yeah, I guess from what I've heard its just easier to swap in an auto parts store axle than do the whole boot replacement thing.

As for the steering boot, yeah, I looked in my Haynes manual and it looks like all you do is pop the tie rod off, remove and replace boot...seems easy whats the catch, since everyone seems to complain so much about changing the boots on the driveaxles they end up getting a new axle to avoid it...

 

By the way EJ6, off-topic of this thread, but I like your fogs...I found an OEM harness from a 99 ex real cheap, are yours plug and plays or spliced in?

 

they're wired up the right way (oem), i've got them hooked up to the factory harness, so yes, they're plug and play

 

yeah the steering boot is a simple job. i would just replace the tie rod end while its off. its less than 20 bucks for a new one at autozone

 

ok, back on topic after this - where did you get the fogs? Are they OEM too? thanks

 

Does a new tie rod end come w/ a steering boot? Or are these on two different parts...I'm trying to figure this out by looking at my Haynes manual right now...

 

Ok, I need to think before I post. It is not the same part. But a question that I do have is do I have to regrease up the new boot, like you would have to do on a CV driveaxle? Haynes doesnt mention this, but I would think so...

 

geez yall are gonna think I'm running on crack or something but if I do the tie rod bit, do I just get the outer? That part is 22 bucks. The inner is 54. But I take it the inner is what the boot is on?

So get just the outer to replace? Why not the inner too? How can you tell if the inner is worn? Dont know anything about this suspension on the Civic, my Jeep is so simple it seems, there is just one tie rod...