What is a steering rack gaiter??

[Lollyhoney]

My car failed it's MOT and apparently it's the steering rack gaiter (or something like that) thats worn. He's going to replace it today, but was wondering what does it do, and how will it improve my cars perfomance??

[Loosehead]

It's a rubber cover that stops road grime and water washing all the grease out of the CV joint. It's is essential to stop steering failure.

[Lollyhoney]

Would it cause a noise after doing a sharp turn?? I swung the car onto my drive the other evening, and it was a tight right hand turn and my car started making a bit of a whirry, wooshy noise. I thought it was the engine, but thinking about it, it came from near the offside wheel, which is the one that's being replaced, or could this just be a coincidende?? It only happened the once.

[Shylock]

I think your "whooshy/whirry" noise was your power steering which makes that kind of noise if you are putting the steering to it's full extent. The gaiter is as said before a rubber sleeving to prevent muck getting onto your steering rack. That's all it does.

[Littlejohn]

Loosehead's, your getting your CV joints mixed with your steering racks!

The purpose of a steering rack gaiter is similar to that of a CV joint gaiter regarding keeping the dirt out of the steering rack (it also helps to keep the oil in the rack).

There are 2, one at each end of the rack, they look like rubber bellows as they have to flex with steering rack movement.

[Lollyhoney]

Should have mentioned, it doesnt have power steering!!

[Toureman]

Renewing it will not improve your cars performance just as renewing the steering wheel would not.