I just failed VA inspection because my right front rack boot is torn. Can I replace the boot myself?
wrote in @n67g2000cwd.googlegroups.com: Yes. It requires removal of the outer tie rod end. When removing make 100% certain you count the threads and make sure you reinstall it *precisely* the way it came off, otherwise you'll throw your toe setting out.
When I replaced both of the rack boots on my '88 Civic, in addition to counting the threads, I put punch marks on the bottom of tie rods. This provided me with a second reference point which helped ensure that the toe adjustment was exactly the same as it was before disassembly. I later ran the car over a computerized slide slip tester which confirmed that the toe setting did not change after replacing the boots. If you don't want to put punch marks on the tie rods, then you could probably also get by using a permanent marker such as a Sharpie (since if you get front end work done in the future the punch marks may no longer be relevant). Eric
