In alt.home.repair, on Thu, 3 Jun 2021 09:29:38 -0600, John Robertson
wrote:

Have you ever replaced the steering arm boot on a FWD vehicle?

I'm going to replace a Toyota steering arm boot for a friend (yes, I'm aware
a mechanic would replace the entire arm - let's not go there please) and I
have a question about the inside large steel clamp & tools.
https://www.toyotapartsdeal.com/oem/...080-46293.html
https://parts.toyota.com/p/Toyota_20...008046293.html

It's a Toyota (I'm not sure the make but maybe a Camry of the early 2000s).
The friend is buying the parts at the dealer so they'll all be OEM.
45535-06030 steering boot
90080-46293 big clamp
90467-19021 small clamp

My question is about the large clamp. I don't have specialized clamp tools
and like most people, I'm leery of zip ties as are others as shown here.
https://youtu.be/m_iIkZEl6qY?t=293

I forgot to ask if you're going to have a lift, ramps, jack stands, just
a jack. either way, I think you'll have enough space.


I can find all sorts of specialized clamps on Amazon but I don't know
_which_ is the specialized clamp I'd need for a Toyota clamp.
https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-30600-O.../dp/B0080J1200
https://www.amazon.com/Supercrazy-Cl...dp/B01GM9PLZQ/

Maybe I can make do with pliers but maybe not.
Maybe I can make do with a typical worm gear hose clamp but maybe not.

I ignored this line too. Sorry. That was my next suggestion. How
could it not work? Pay some attention so you can put that gear part
where it won't hit anything, but it's not that tight down there. You
can tighten the worm gear with a screwdriver, an end wrench, or a socket
wrench, so you can put it at almost any angle.

Everything (as you know) depends on the amount of room and what it may touch
as the boot itself tore for a reason (probably from bouncing against metal).
(Why these boots tear is beyond me as you'd think they'd be designed to not
touch anything while driving.)

Anyway, do you have advice as to what kind of clamp tools are needed?


Interesting that the guy in the video was wearing rubber gloves. It
seems they do that in every video now. Is that to save time washing
one's hands at the end of the day? Anyhow, if it was good enoguh for
them, I thought I would too. They gave me a whole box of gloves after
my hospital stay 13 years ago, minus what they used on me, 150 gloves!
Minus less than 10, I think. Of course they didn't exactly give it to
me, I guess my insurance paid them for it. Can't they move the box to
another room and use them for someone else? Oh, I think I know.

Anyhow, I pushed on the air intake hose to see if maybe it was cracked
between pleats, the hose came off at one end, the engine died, and I
realized that was the problem all along, the reason the check engine
light was on, the reason I had a lean mixture.

It took 3.5 years but at least I fixed it myself and didn't have to ask
anyone to do it.