Steering rack removal/ access

[Tee5alive]

Hi folks

I had to replace one of the inner tie rods to attempt the MOT. I bought a pair of new boots but the poxy clips they supplied are awful and no way can i get it tightened within the confined space they leave above the sub frame!!

They are just flat metal 'tapes' with a slot at one end. The idea is to pull it up tight like a slip knot and its supposed to lock......it doesnt! I told the MOT tester this with a request to please do up the clamp on their big sky lift car lifter thing. Instead of that he jist failed it telling me "the whole rack is loose falling out of the car!" Lol i later checked the rack after he told me it was 'missing bolts' discovering he had BS'd me and robbed me of £45 for nothing!

No way do i drive cars with loose steering racks, the bloke was young and a new tester ( basically I think he should go back to MOT school and LEARN ABOUT CARS)

Can anyone point me to any threads with tips HOW to do up gaiter clips in a space only Action Man can get his hand into please? I have been looking online for the Volvo standard clips you squeeze with pliers to open, put over the boot and release clamping the boot. Sadly i can only find WIDE Mondeo ones and the groove in the steering boot is only about 6mm.

Im really assed off at the MOT station for failing on this after specifically ASKING them to clamp the boot and I would pay. i also spent hours sorting the handbrake to a good gripping position with another proviso asking them to 'adjust the handbrake on your equipment if needed'. They did not and failed it on that telling me BIG INTAKE OF BREATH ooooooohh MATE we wouldnt touch Volvo handrakes they are a real B*****D!"

Not going there again !!! Any help gratefully received please my beauty is sat in my garage when she should be out with her top off!!! :(

[Gold 'N' Brown]

Just use a decent quality cable tie. I've been reading up on the job a few days ago and using cable ties for the inner side of the boot is a common recommendation as the boot isn't under much strain. However, if you've driven the car with the boot unfastened you could have got dirt and water in there which will do the rack no good at all!

Aside from the boot, how did you find the job? Did you use a proper tie rod tool or just stilsons/pipe wrench?

Oh, and if you feel like the MOT was unfair, you need to report them!

[stribo]

I remember you having problems with a testing station a couple of years back, is it the same place? +1 for decent cable ties.

[Tee5alive]

Just use a decent quality cable tie. I've been reading up on the job a few days ago and using cable ties for the inner side of the boot is a common recommendation as the boot isn't under much strain. However, if you've driven the car with the boot unfastened you could have got dirt and water in there which will do the rack no good at all!

Aside from the boot, how did you find the job? Did you use a proper tie rod tool or just stilsons/pipe wrench?

Oh, and if you feel like the MOT was unfair, you need to report them!

Hi

I did the other side last year with adjustables and stilson this year as I knew the nut size of the tie rod (32mm) so I bought a big spanner to fit. Again lock the shaft off of the smooth portion of the rack as that needs to seal and used the huge open ender. Worked great, the boot was only off for about 2 miles from my garage and only came loose during the lock to lock tests, the examiner said otherwise I would change the rack.

No Steve this MOT station is in Devon I changed from the one up near me as they were 'touting for work' but it seems so is the one I used in Devon! I totted it up, he wanted me to have them fit a new rack AND lower wishbone - not much change for £1000 for a garage to do!

Thanks for the tie wrap idea I'll get a couple from work tomorrow!

Thanks guys

[Gold 'N' Brown]

If you're struggling to find a good MOT center you could see if the local council have their own MOT centers for commercial vehicles as they sometimes do public MOTs too. Benefit is they are more impartial as they are not fishing for work but they usually have a long waiting list.

I've had a couple of bad experiences with garages in the distant past so now when I find a decent place I stick with them. I've not used your "common or garden" variety garage in years, I don't trust most of them. The place I use now is an Alfa specialist, they are on the other side of the city and massively inconvenient but worth the journey. From the outside you'd think they are just some grotty 2 bit operation but their reputation means they are always busy (so they don't need to "invent" MOT failures to bring in revenue) and they have customers travelling from all over Scotland and N England. In your case maybe you should ask around local owners clubs and forums to see if anyone can recommend somewhere decent and trustworthy.

[Tee5alive]

Thanks Gold N I need to find one. I had stuck with the last one for both my cars for 3 years until they did this to me clearly fishing for work!! I have found MANY top garages hate doing Volvo handbrakes and wont touch them! After struggling for days in the past to set up the hand brake so it grips but releases enough to not cook the disc is so hard!!

I set it up then tested it in Torquay on one of the steepest hills, it held firm. Yet the muppet 'examiner' said it didnt on a lousy rolling road??? I may contact DOT about them as i am FUMING at the refusal of a ticket over things they passed last year or gave advisory about which I replaced!!

[Gold 'N' Brown]

Chrck your handbrake cables for stretch and if they are moving freely. I put new discs pads and shoes on the V70 along with the knurled adjustable expanders from one of the other models, did that 4-5 years ago and have still struggled ever since. I realised 2 maybe 3 years ago it was a dodgy cable but put off doing the job as I expected it be a bugger and decided to just live with it. It was my OS cable, bit of stretch but mainly it was sticky so the if I adjusted it tight enough to give good hold, the OS shoes then wouldn't fully retract and would rub. 2 new cables the other day and it's sweet asa nut now. Hateful job but wish I'd done it years ago.

[Tee5alive]

cheers dood ill pull them out and check them, Im going to change the discs on the back as well as i think one is warped.

In the past with sticky cables a little trick I use, is to put some blue tac around one end of the cable and form a little 'funnel' then hang the cables up and fill the funnel with WD40 or 3 in 1 and leave overnight. Actually the most slippery stuff is silicone grease in spray form.

Stick an old aerosol lid below them and if theres oil in it in the morning they are lubed! Its a trick we used to use on aircraft with Bowden cables works great!