steering u/j rubber boot

[Rusty dan]

Anybody run their car without the steering union joint rubber boot that connects the steering colum to the steering rack?

Just a query...

Thanks

[DannyH]

Not something i wold risk, what if something comes up off the road and wedges there?

[Rusty dan]

was thinking the same thing lol

My problem is the down pipe being too close to the steering joint gaitor amid fears of melting. I cant get my finger between the gaitor and down pipe

Supersprint one it is then! Jake runs his fine with the supersprint one

[Tim_R]

I'm running mine without the rubber boot. I think i have the same raceland 4branch as yourself, while i have several complaints about its fit, it has yet to kill my steering UJ. As an aside, my 205 has always had an exposed steering UJ from the factory.

[monzajake]

I was always under the impression that it is an M.O.T failure if they where damaged or not there, as it is
part of the steering. If they can fail a worn U.J then surely a missing boot is a failure.

So then i guess it's ok with no C.V boots or rack gaitors ?

[Rusty dan]

Thanks Tim and Jake

Interesting, surely mr MOT Tester can only fail what he sees, if he/she is not aware they are supposed to have them then there should be no issue lol.

Add the that as stated, other cars dont have them.

[Tim_R]

When my gator was there, it had always been brittle and cracked, when holes i queried it with my MOT tester, he said it wasn't testable and it certainly went though a couple of MOTs like that.

A worn UJ would contribute to excess play in the steering which would be a fail and a split outer CV boot is a fail, I don't believe that inner ones are. I suspect it could be argued that split outers could contaminate the brakes and mae the car dangerous whereas inners would just knacker the driveshaft eventually

[monzajake]

But surely a missing steering coloum lower boot would get contaminated and wear out just as quick as one covered, same as a cv or rack end etc...

[Nate]

not a requirement. not even mentioned in the book

frankenrocco didn't have one. well, it didn't have most of it. the rubber had perished and most of it fell off entirely by itself. it never gave me a problem in 150k miles