Ookpic
Veteran Member
2002 Golf TDI 2door. The original steering rack finally started leaking too much to keep in service so I purchased a used rack from wrecker for $90. $200 installing it in the car only to find out it was NFG!
Went to my local parts dealer and picked up a Cardone reman for $400 and another $200 for removing and installing again! Lesson learned about that particular wrecker!
So the "new" steering rack is working fine and doesn't leak BUT it is making a creaking/squeaking sound with suspension movement. The alignment guy narrowed it down to the inner tie-rod ball joint that attached directly to the rack under the boot. The passenger side is squeaking that drivers side he said is very tight (as in was difficult to turn the inner for alignment purposes).
This pisses me off to say the least! I emailed Cardone and they said to talk to the retailer that sold me the rack. They're just gonna say bring it back and we'll give you another one, that's just gonna cost another day and $200 to swap it again.
So on the question....
I'm planning on hoisting the car, popping out the outer tie-rod ends and cutting off the small boot clamp and sticking some sort of lubricant with a straw on the end to shoot some lube into that ball and socket and work it around hoping they will loosen up. Which lubricant is recommended?? I have lithium, LPS greaseless, moly chain lube, etc.
OR
Should I slide the boot off entirely and grease it with CV grease?
Went to my local parts dealer and picked up a Cardone reman for $400 and another $200 for removing and installing again! Lesson learned about that particular wrecker!
So the "new" steering rack is working fine and doesn't leak BUT it is making a creaking/squeaking sound with suspension movement. The alignment guy narrowed it down to the inner tie-rod ball joint that attached directly to the rack under the boot. The passenger side is squeaking that drivers side he said is very tight (as in was difficult to turn the inner for alignment purposes).
This pisses me off to say the least! I emailed Cardone and they said to talk to the retailer that sold me the rack. They're just gonna say bring it back and we'll give you another one, that's just gonna cost another day and $200 to swap it again.
So on the question....
I'm planning on hoisting the car, popping out the outer tie-rod ends and cutting off the small boot clamp and sticking some sort of lubricant with a straw on the end to shoot some lube into that ball and socket and work it around hoping they will loosen up. Which lubricant is recommended?? I have lithium, LPS greaseless, moly chain lube, etc.
OR
Should I slide the boot off entirely and grease it with CV grease?