So I found that one of the steering rack boots is torn, and it appears that it is wet (I don't know if its grease or PS fluid yet). But from the research I have found, the boots are just dust shields and do not contain any grease.

If it's wet with PS fluid then the seal on the rack is blown and the rack needs replacement.


So, now that I know the boot is torn and the seal is blown, other than the price of a tie-rod replacement (due to continued use with a torn dust boot) and the rack I'm already "in for" to replace...

What's the urgency?

If it's a slow leak and I top it up every so often, is this an urgent repair? Had I not been under the car I wouldn't have known there was an issue (the fluid level is within normal ranges anyway)

Other than our site vendors (I know Pelican, ECS, Way and Mania have them in various costs) Anyone have any good suggestions for replacements?

These guys seem to have a decent price and a lifetime warranty on it.
http://shop.rackdoctor.net/2004-2006...productId=1383

For the $75 core charge and to save the cost of shipping back the core, I may just keep the old one and try to find a local rebuilder

Anyone want to weigh in?

 

Mine was leaking and I replaced it with a ebay reman from Detroit Axle and it was around $260 shipped here in Canada. There's a company around here that rebuild this kind of stuff, but I needed my car, so that's why I went with that option. If it's slowly leaking, that's not that bad, but if it decide to spit all your p/s fluid out, then you might compromise the pump. It's the kind of things that can last forever or get worse.

 

Thanks for the lightning quick reply Da_Ghost
Your other posts were a main part of my research.

As it just happens I'm heading to Detroit Tuned tomorrow. I looked up Detroit Axle, but they don't have any racks listed on their site. I'll call them before I leave tomorrow morning. For that price I'd pick it up and then have my other one rebuilt locally later.

 

I used rack doctor for a BMW. Worked great.

 

Not that I recommend it, but I drove with a bad rack for quite some time and always made sure my fluid was full. I got a used rack from www.car-part.com for $200. Stilling running it to this day after about 3 years.