[Steering & Suspension] Steering rack boot

[Islander71]

Hi, I'm trying to put a new steering rack bellows/boot on the nearside. It has the power steering yoke and stud which the rubber bellows has to get past. Tried putting the bellows in boiling water to soften it, but cannt see how it can stretch over the stud without splitting, the stretch is just too much.
Can the yoke on the end of the rack be removed somehow, or can the stud sticking out of it be removed? Is there any other trick? Am at my wits end on this. Would it help to remove the inner tie rod?
On the catcar diagram it is not shown as separating. Trying to fit part 15.
.http://www.catcar.info/citroen/?lang=en&l=c3Q9PTgwfHxzdHM9PXsiMTAiOiJNb2RlbCIsIjIwIjoiQmVybGluZ28gKG01OSkiLCI0MCI6IkJvZHk6IHdpdGhvdXQgcGFyYW1ldGVycyBcLyBFbmdpbmU6IDEuOSBEIDcxIChEVzhCKSIsIjUwIjoibWVjaGFuaWNhbCIsIjcwIjoic3RlZXJpbmcgcmFjayIsIjgwIjoiU1RFRVJJTkcgUkFDSyBDT01QT05FTlRTIn18fGNvZGU9PTFDTTV8fGJvZHk9PXx8ZW5naW5lPT1CMEY3SHx8Y2F0X2lkPT1GQ1QwMDAxfHxzdWJHcnBfaWQ9PUZDVDAwMzd8fHJlZmRvY3M9PTA0MDEwMzQ0MjUwN0F8fHJlZmRvYz09MDQwMTAzNDQyNTA3QXx8c3ViR3JwTmFtZT09U1RFRVJJTkcgUkFDSyBDT01QT05FTlRTfHxzdXBwbGllcj09

[Islander71]

Well took all day but finally did it. For the benefit of others who have to do this, here is how I managed it.
Take off tie rod end ball joint.
Take off coupling from power steering ram to the yoke - not easy, have to slacken the torx bolt at the other end of the power steering ram, and ease cylinder out till the coupling can be levered off.
Take off small rubber boot that covers the tie rod swivel. Its just held by the small diameter end in the tie rod groove.
Undo the tie rod. I did not have the proper tool but just about managed using a stillson wrench and long tube for extra purchase, bringing the handle and tube straight up . Its very tight and very little room, so if you know you are going to do this I would strongly recommend getting the proper tool.
Now its fairly easy to slip the boot over the yoke stud - after softening in boiling water - and push it over the yoke with careful use of screwdriver to ease it over.
Ease boot over the 2 grooves and fix with cable ties.
Job done.

[ffrenchie]

Sounds painful when you describe it like that, good job done.

[smutts]

Congratulations on dealing with a swine of a job.

A couple of things when I did mine,
Get the best quality RUBBER boot that can be found.
This is the hardest part of the job!
(no chinesium or indium allowed)
Peugeot Citroen sometimes used a plasticky sort of boot, which won't work.
Get a second boot, in case of disaster with the first.
Tie rod tool
The missuses hair dryer & extension lead.
Turn the steering so the ram is at it's longest, this keeps the bending of the metal hydraulic lines to a minimum, whilst you unhook the ram from the rack pin.

Sorry, I've got to go!

[SeeRed]

I did this job recently on a Xsara Picasso using a 'plastic' Borg and Beck boot.

A full set of photos and instructions is on the webpage below.

Hope it helps someone.

http://seered.co.uk/xsararack.htm   

[ItsGreen]

use a rubber boot, lube it a bit and stretch it over an appropriately sized bit of pipe, then slide it off that over the obstruction.