Steering rack boot damaged? We replace it and re-inspect your car

The inspection report describes the defect in a short, standard sentence. These are the most common sentences about boots, and what they mean.

During the APK the inspector looks at the boots from under the car. The tear is often small and sits in a fold of the concertina. You usually cannot see it yourself. Do you want to see what was reported at an earlier inspection? With your registration number you can find the APK details at the RDW vehicle information service.

When you turn the steering wheel, a toothed rack moves back and forth inside the steering rack housing. On each side a track rod turns the wheels. Where the track rod comes out of the housing, there is a rubber concertina boot. It moves with the steering and keeps out dirt, salt and water.

Rubber ages through heat, cold and road salt. Over time small cracks appear, especially in the folds. A clip that has come loose can also stop the boot from sealing properly.

A torn boot is not immediately dangerous. But dirt and water get into the steering rack through the opening. In the long run that costs more:

Do you already notice play in the steering, vibration or a ticking noise? Then also read what the cause can be when your steering wheel vibrates.

Yes, until the expiry date of your current APK. A fail does not invalidate your current APK. You do have to have the defect repaired and the car re-inspected before the expiry date.

Has your APK already expired? Then in principle you may no longer drive the car on the road. According to the ANWB, in the two months after expiry you may only drive to the garage if you have an appointment. Without an appointment, or more than two months after expiry, you can be fined. Read more about what to do if your car has failed the APK.

So do not wait too long. Replacing a boot is usually sorted quickly, if you call in time.

Is the boot on the other side also old or perished? Then we sometimes advise replacing both sides at the same time. We discuss that with you first. Extra work is only done with your approval.

The price varies per car. These are the main things that decide what you pay:

This is how it works with us. Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number and the text from the inspection report. You then receive a quote in advance, including VAT and wheel alignment. Our repairs come with a warranty. When we give you the quote, we tell you which warranty applies.

Did your car fail at another garage? You are welcome with us too. We repair the defect and do a new APK at our standard rate: € 50 for a petrol car, petrol hybrid or electric car and € 60 for a diesel with a factory-fitted particulate filter (DPF). If we repair the items that failed, we will also arrange the retest. We will tell you the cost of the repairs and the retest in advance. Do you think the car should not have failed? Then you can also ask for a second opinion.

This is a different part, but it also comes up often in the APK. The ball joint is the pivot at the bottom of the wheel, between the wishbone and the steering knuckle. It has a small rubber boot around it with grease inside.

If that boot is torn, the grease runs out and dirt and water get into the joint. The joint then wears quickly and develops play. That is why we usually replace the complete ball joint. On many cars the joint is part of the wishbone, and then we replace the wishbone. If only the boot is available separately and the joint is still good, we discuss that with you.

The same applies here: we tell you the cost in advance. If the manufacturer asks for an alignment after this work, it is included in the quote straight away.

It means that one of the rubber concertina boots on the steering rack is torn, perished or loose. The boot then no longer seals the steering rack, so dirt and water can reach the rack. In the APK that is a reason for failure.

Yes. A steering rack boot that is damaged and no longer seals is a reason for failure. According to the APK manual of the RDW (article 5.2.29), the boots of the steering rack and the steering ball joints must not be so damaged that they no longer seal. After the repair the car has to be re-inspected.

Yes. You can drive until the expiry date of your current APK. A fail does not invalidate the current APK. Do have the defect repaired before that date. If your APK has already expired, according to the ANWB you may only drive to the garage in the two months after expiry, and only if you have an appointment.

That varies per car. The price depends on the part, whether one or both sides are needed and the wheel alignment that goes with it. Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number and the text from the inspection report. You then receive a quote in advance, including VAT and wheel alignment.

Yes. To replace the boot, we unscrew the track rod end from the track rod. That can change the toe. That is why we align the wheels afterwards, in our own workshop. That is included in the quote in advance. Does your car have a camera behind the windscreen or a radar in the bumper or grille? Then that system may need to be set up again after an alignment or after work on the suspension. That depends on the make and model. We do not calibrate cameras or radar ourselves. That is done by the dealer or a specialist company. Ask about it when you book and we will check it for your car. Read more about wheel alignment after replacing suspension parts.

The repair itself is usually a job of a few hours, including wheel alignment. How soon your car is ready depends on the parts and our schedule. You bring the car in and we call you when it is ready. A loan bike is free while one is available.

Yes. You can if you have experience. But you have to unscrew the track rod end and refit and secure it properly. After that the wheels have to be aligned. Otherwise your tyres wear quickly and the car pulls to one side. Have the car re-inspected afterwards.

The steering rack boot sits on the steering rack, around the track rod. The ball joint boot is a small boot around the pivot at the bottom of the wheel. With a damaged ball joint boot we usually replace the complete ball joint or the wishbone, because the joint wears quickly once dirt gets in.

Yes. You are free to choose where you have the repair done. We repair the defect and then do a new APK at our standard rate: € 50 for a petrol car, petrol hybrid or electric car and € 60 for a diesel with a factory-fitted DPF, including the particle counter test. Bring the inspection report or mention the failure points when you call.

Yes. We work on cars, vans and commercial vehicles up to 3,500 kg and on the base vehicle of motorhomes. We have five heavy-duty lifts, including lifts for motorhomes and commercial vehicles up to 3,500 kg.