F355 Steering Rack Boot Replacement made easier for DIY

After removing the front wheels on my F355 Berlinetta in order to check the brake pad wear, I noticed that both of the steering rack boots were torn and needed to be replaced. The driver side boot was split about half way into the boot, and the passenger side small end was completely severed from the boot. After reading several posts on FerrariChat about this process, the consensus seemed to be that removal of the steering rack from the car was required in order to change the boots (most stated that they had the rack rebuilt at the same time). This was apparently a very involved process, requiring many hours and breaking the coolant, a/c refrigerant and brake lines, which I was reluctant to do, especially since my rack showed no signs of leaking or slack in the steering response. After looking the situation over, I decided that there had to be a simpler way, as follows:

1. Place some tape around the steering shaft where it screws into the tie rod end, placing a mark on the shaft and the tie rod end, and carefully count the revolutions required to remove the shaft from the tie rod.

2. Remove the lock nut from the shaft, again carefully counting the revolutions required to remove it.

3. Disconnect the toothed jaws of the two nylon "reusable clamps" from the ends of the boots using a long flat blade screwdriver to force the jaws of the zip tie away from each other and then remove the clamps with a pair of 14" long straight needle-nosed pliers.

4. Pull the boot off of the rack using the needle-nosed pliers.

5. Carefully clean off any dirt or old grease found on the rack and shaft where the old boot was (this is the time to note if the rack is leaking. If so, you may have to remove the rack and have it rebuilt).

6. Liberally smear "white lube" or other grease on the shaft in order to make it easier to slide the new boot over the shaft.

7. Slide the new boot over the shaft and push it on. The small end may be a little tight, but it will stretch over the shaft with a little encouragement.

8. Keep pushing until the small end of the boot is fully on and up against the point where the shaft enters the rack. Manipulate the large end of the boot over the end of the steering rack. Using a pair of 14" 45-degree needle-nose pliers to grip the large end of the boot, pull (or push) it over the end of the rack. This large boot end can be accessed from the wheel well end and also from below the rack. Good lighting is helpful, as there is not a lot of room in which to do this. This is the most difficult part of the process and may require some patience and manual dexterity.

9. With the boot in place over the rack (leave the small end of the boot compressed up against the end of the rack for now), fish a 14" nylon zip tie over the end of the shaft and over the new boot (works best if the feed end of the zip tie is already in the gripping end of the tie, forming a circle), moving it toward the large end of the boot with the needle-nose pliers and a long screwdriver. Again, this may require patience and manual dexterity, but it can be done without too much drama. Once the zip tie is in place, tighten it securely using the needle-nose pliers and the long screwdriver. Snip off the extra with a pair of diagonal cutters.

10. Grip the small end of the boot with the straight needle-nose pliers and pull it out from the rack until it gets past the boot end seating groove in the shaft.

11, With the small end of the boot in place, install and tighten a zip tie in place to secure the boot.

12. Replace the lock nut on the shaft, tightening the same number of turns as it took to remove it.

13. Line up the shaft and tie rod end and screw the shaft into the tie rod end the same number of turns as it took to remove it.

14. Tighten the lock nut against the tie rod end.

15. Wipe everything down and you are done.

Follow the same steps above for both sides. However, I found it easier to do the driver's side after removing the brake cooling duct.

TOOLS NEEDED: 19 mm open-end wrench
12 mm open-end wrench
14" needle-nosed pliers (straight tips)
14" need-nosed pliers (45 degree tips)
1 pair of diagonal cutters
2 long, thin flat-blade screwdrivers (at least 12")

Hope this is helpful to you DIY owners. Total time required was about two hours. I should clarify that I do have a shop full of tools and a 2-post lift, and have done a number of things on my Ferraris, including engine-out belt services, clutch replacements, etc., so this process may be a little more time-consuming without these resources I understand this repair is rather expensive at a dealer, but I found that it is something that is not too difficult to do if you have the time and inclination. Good Luck and Forza Ferrari!

P.S. I should probably apologize to the car show crowd for my dirty wheel wells and suspension components. My cars are not show cars or garage queens.....they get driven!

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Mike,
There was no oil in the boots but as they were both badly torn, any small amount of oil that may have existed could have been absorbed by dirt entering the boots.