Steering Rack Leak

[MrStabby]

It looks like i have a power steering leak out the drivers side tie rod boot. The outer end of the boot is not fixed on the tie rod - looks like there's some damage to the boot and whatever was holding it on the tie rod is gone. The passenger side tie rod boot is intact but might be leaking a bit too.

I assume the rack needs to come out and be re-co'd, but i'm looking through the service manual to confirm. In the troubleshooting flowchart on page CH-102, the passenger side boot is labelled 1 and the drivers side boot is labelled 6. If i follow the flowchart through;
Determine oil leak location -> Part 1 (boots) -> Check boot for bulging -> No bulging -> Check boot for slipping or cuts -> Boots are cut (there is an air leak inside) -> Check for leaks in parts 1 and 6 -> there is an oil leak -> 1

Dafuq? That just said there's an oil leak in 1 so there's an oil leak in 1....

Anyway what the relevance of bulging boots? What does it mean if "boots make slipping, crunching sound" (from another branch of the flowchart).

[Dale FZ1]

Probably the translation from Jap to English.

Sounds like free-floating boots have allowed grit into the rack and chewed out some seals.

Verify what's happening/happened as best you can, but I'd say the rack needs to come out for a bit of love.

[iruvyouskyrine]

Steering rack reco is pretty expensive as well. $400-500 when I last looked. Keep us posted on what you decide to do