Project of the day- steering rod boot

[Petervs]

Hi All

Well, I replaced the steering rod boot for the second time and I think this time it is improved. The boot covers the opening where the steering rod which connects the steering gear box ( below the steering wheel) to the front axle. The boot is supposed to help keep road dirt out of the compartment below the driver.

The original Prevost rubber boot was attached to the bus frame opening clamped between a rectangular steel plate with sheet metal screws. It is attached to the steering rod with a hose clamp.The original boot was torn to shreds when I first noticed it in 2002. My coach is a 1994.

The original boot was made of 1/8 inch thick rubber, that is 125 thousandths or 0.125. Since it moves back and forth quite a distance when the steering wheel is turned lock to lock, it actually basically turns inside out, the rubber gets distorted a lot and this is what caused it to tear I think. So I replaced it in 2002 with a piece of thinner rubber, I used 0.070 material. I was hoping the thinner material would flex better and last longer.

Well, that one only lasted a few years and it looked like just the first time. Pictures show both sides of the old boot and what it looked like after it was removed. The next post shows my fix this time.

[Petervs]

OK, so Prevost sold me a replacement boot, they call it a "protector". Part number 160941 for $87.60. They said it was thinner and more flexible than the old one. Well, it is 0.065 inches thick, so basically the same as what I had tried, but thinner than their original. Plus, theirs is already glued into a cone shape, so you have to disconnect the steering rod to slide it over.

I did not want to do that, last time I had I simply cut it to shape and glued the seam around the steering rod. I wanted to do that again since it was easier than unbolting the steering.

Anyway, this time I chose to buy a 60" by 36" piece of gray vinyl tarp material from the local truck tarp repair shop. This was enough for 2 boots. They also sold me an 8 oz can of vinyl contact cement. Total bill was less than $20. This vinyl is 0.017 inches thick, and is reinforced with "scrim" (cloth). It is very flexible and I hope it will last longer. I chose gray because it does not have to be a dark black hole in there. We need more bling, right?

I decided to make the cone longer than the Prevost part hoping to give it more room to flex easier. I made it 10 inches longer. I drew the shape on the vinyl, cut it out, spread glue on a 1 inch width on both edges, wrapped it around the steering rod and glued it together. Then reinstalled the steel plate and hose clamp. I raised the front of the bus air suspension and turned the wheel full left to get decent access to the work area. In the end, I made it too long, about a 4 inch extension would be great, mine now has excess rumpling.

Pictures show the result. Time will tell if is a better answer, it can hardly be a poorer one. All told, the whole project from start to finish was 2 hours. Well, not counting the beer drinking, anyway.

[truk4u]

Good job Peter, I just did mine last week while at Prevost, we'll see what lasts longer. They did say it's real important in keeping road debris out of the steering compartment. I already had the boot and was going to do it myself, but while up on the lift, I caved and let them do it. The steering link was a bear to get off. I had the same idea as you, cut it and then glue back together. The labor was two hours.

Anyone with a leaking output shaft, they have a new and improved seal that should last longer.

[win42]

Peter: I'm thinking out loud again, but it seems to me a split bearing seal could be slid over the shaft and the boot attached to the seal. This would allow the shaft to turn inside the seal without rumpling the boot. The seal at the shaft should keep the dirt out of the area.

[Petervs]

Hi Harry,

Nice idea, I was thinking the same. But the shaft moves side to side and up and down while it is going back and forth from steering inpus, and moves even more when you figure the axle bouncing up and down fromm road bumps. It would be hard to get the bearing to slide nicely.

Anyway, since it is so easy to do it this way, and cheap, I guess if it lasts a year or two and then gets redone it is really not such a big deal. But 2 hours Prevost labor and the price of their part gets you up to around $300 which is less satisfying.

[dalej]

Peter,

Thanks for posting the information. After reading I decided to check mine and my friends 96 marathon, they were both bad and water and dirt could get in the steering bay.

[Petervs]

Here is just an update on this repair. It has now been almost two years, and my thin "boot" still looks like new. The old ones were a disaster at 3 years. A couple of pictures below. I say this repair was an unqualified success!

[Joe Cannarozzi]

I got around to installing this today.

Had to grind off 2 of the 10 or 12 screws and it took a reasonable amount of finagling but it looks good. I used zip-ties instead of a shoestring per suggestion by Alek. Came out good.


This is the front of the drivers wheel-well looking forward into the steering bay
4527

4528


This is looking from inside the steering bay
4529

[jkbriggs]

Joe, where did you get the "boot" and how much? Mine is deteriorating and I want to replace it.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Prevo parts Elgin

[dalej]

Joe,

What's the wire loom doing in there?

[Joe Cannarozzi]

It is the lead for the speed sensor at the spindle.

The old boot being completely gone I do not know how it originally ran but I know it went through that opening and I like this path the best.

This boot is not suppose to allow the drag link to slide back and forth in it but rather it should be clamped tight to it and move with it.

After installation the wheel should be turned from stop to stop to make sure of enough travel. This boot has more than enough if installed correctly.

Dale where does your wires for the speedo run?

[dalej]

I'm thinking it runs of the transmission.

[Petervs]

I did mine a different way.

I used tarp material which is thinner and more flexible.

I had used the rubber Prevost type material before and it only lasted 2 years. The tarp stuff looks good as new 3 years later. See my earlier thread on this.

Also, I used contact cement to glue the overlapping parts together, worked great.

http://forum.prevostownersgroup.com/showthread.php?t=1151&highlight=steering

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Our boot was completely gone so I had no clue as to its demise, I just assumed it got too old.

One thing I noticed was the way it could possibly snag on the screws that go through and fasten it to the bulkhead.

After seeing Peters old boot and the way it shredded I am going to go back and put some type of rubber cap or cover on those screws.

[LarryB]

A friend had his drag link boot replace by Prevost and they installed a hose clamp around the boot and drag link at the small end inside the lower driver's compartment. My bus does not have this clamp. Is the clamp a normal thing or the Tech's idea?
If the clamp is to be used, what type of clamp and any special instructions as to how the boot is to be folded, how far from the end of the boot is the clamp installed?

Thanks for the help.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

The reality is the boot has the life span of a gnat. Once the original boot tears, rips, shreds, or otherwise fails to function as intended Prevost owners, and I am sure the techs get creative.

I have the ultimate solution which may not be universally acceptable. I ignore it. I tend to worry about a whole lot of other things on my bus and that $2.00 piece of thin rubber Prevost deems acceptable for a $450,000 shell is not one of them. Shame on Prevost.

[LarryB]

Jon, don't you worry about the road dirt and water that is allowed into that bay by a bad boot ? I am cleaning and treating rust in that bay as we speak, don't want to add to that with a torn or improperly installed boot.

[Gary Carmichael]

Sorry but I am new what is a drag link boot where is it what does it do?

[michaeldterry]

Sorry but I am new what is a drag link boot where is it what does it do?

I'm not new here, but ditto Gary's question - "what is a drag link boot, where is it, and what does it do?" :o

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

some drag link boot stuff

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Larry, my bay the boot allegedly protects is open due to the slots in the front behind the bumper. The drag link boot may make an infintesimal difference, but most of my collection of crud appears to enter through the slots that are intended to provide cooling air to the Cruise Airs located in the area. Ironically the area tends to stay a lot cleaner than I would expect with most of the stuff entering being bugs, small stones kicked up by vehicles ahead, and dust and dirt from road spray when it rains or is dusty.

I do have shutters in the front, but I only use them in the winter. I cannot say for sure if the shutters keep the area cleaner or not, but they do minimze the draft on my legs.

[James]

Is the clamp a normal thing or the Tech's idea?
If the clamp is to be used, what type of clamp and any special instructions as to how the boot is to be folded, how far from the end of the boot is the clamp installed? Thanks for the help.

Larry,

My parts manual does show a clamp, ( part #504024, Discription - HOSE CLAMP 2"1/4 I HS-36), however my boot does not have one installed.

[truk4u]

Michael,

Stick your head in the steering bay and you will see a wimpy looking black boot that should cost about .50 cents. Just follow the steering rod and you'll see it.

[dale farley]

Gary, Michael, If you open your bottom door by the driver you will see the boot. When you open the door, follow the right-hand wall back about 30 inches and you will see the steering shaft. The boot is a piece of funnel shaped rubber around the shaft. Mine does not have a clamp around it, but it appears to be in very good condition. Since I don't have cruise airs, I get very little debris in that area.

[truk4u]

Jimmy C - Suggestion, next time just post a link of the older threads in the current thread instead of starting two new ones.;)

[LarryB]

Thanks to ALL for the info. I was unaware of the earlier post. Dale since your boot is also "clampless" and in good shape, I'm wondering if that clamp may not be the way to go. Seems the clamp allows for a bunch more flexing of the boot, shortening it's life.?? No engineer here, just a guess.

[dale farley]

I looked at my boot very closely today, and it has no cracks and there is no dirt or debris in the area around it. I assume this is the original boot that came on the bus. I know it hasn't been changed since I've owned the bus, and I checked all the records from Marathon and Prevost in Dallas, and I don't see where it was ever replaced. This makes me think they last significantly longer without the clamp.

6657

[LarryB]

Thanks for checking Dale---I'm going to leave the clamp off my boot as well.