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/toyota~clamp~for~steering~rack~boot~no~1~90080-46293.html
https://parts.toyota.com/p/Toyota_2000_Camry/Rack-and-Pinion-Bellows-Clamp/63344312/9008046293.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 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-Offset-Clamp-Plier/dp/B0080J1200
https://www.amazon.com/Supercrazy-Clamps-Pliers-Banding-SF0231/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.
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?
--
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

If I have to, I'll use whatever pliers or channellocks that I have.
But I'm sure there isn't much room which will be the real problem I think.

I looked at a few DIY videos (but by no means all) where about half used the
plastic zip ties which I think won't hold up with cold, heat & oil around.

The other half used a metal clamp, about half of which used a typical hose
clamp worm gear type (which will hold up but which have sharp bouncy ends).

The rest used a steel clamp that came with the package but none (so far)
showed how they tightened/crimped that steel clamp but this one vide.
https://youtu.be/m_iIkZEl6qY?t=293

Notice he only needed to _pull_ tightly on the end to tighten that clamp!

For just pulling on a wire to close a hose clamp I might not need much room.
But where do I get those pull-type hose clamps?
--
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

John Robertson wrote:
> If I have to, I'll use whatever pliers or channellocks that I have.
> But I'm sure there isn't much room which will be the real problem I
> think.
>
> I looked at a few DIY videos (but by no means all) where about half
> used the
> plastic zip ties which I think won't hold up with cold, heat & oil
> around.
>
> The other half used a metal clamp, about half of which used a
> typical hose
> clamp worm gear type (which will hold up but which have sharp
> bouncy ends).
>
> The rest used a steel clamp that came with the package but none (so
> far)
> showed how they tightened/crimped that steel clamp but this one vide.
> https://youtu.be/m_iIkZEl6qY?t=293
>
> Notice he only needed to _pull_ tightly on the end to tighten that
> clamp!
>
> For just pulling on a wire to close a hose clamp I might not need
> much room.
> But where do I get those pull-type hose clamps?

Quit watching videos.

Do what any pinball game man would do. Hire a mechanic, play
pinball for an hour, and voila ... done.

John Robertson wrote:
> If I have to, I'll use whatever pliers or channellocks that I have.
> But I'm sure there isn't much room which will be the real problem I think.
>
> I looked at a few DIY videos (but by no means all) where about half used the
> plastic zip ties which I think won't hold up with cold, heat & oil around.
>
> The other half used a metal clamp, about half of which used a typical hose
> clamp worm gear type (which will hold up but which have sharp bouncy ends).
>
> The rest used a steel clamp that came with the package but none (so far)
> showed how they tightened/crimped that steel clamp but this one vide.
> https://youtu.be/m_iIkZEl6qY?t=293
>
> Notice he only needed to _pull_ tightly on the end to tighten that clamp!
>
> For just pulling on a wire to close a hose clamp I might not need much room.
> But where do I get those pull-type hose clamps?

Those are common crimp type clamps. The tool used looks similar in
action to the end nippers used to trim horses hooves. Very likely you
can find the parts store version on the rack in the store or as a loaner
tool or both. They are very common as they are used on those as well as
CV boot clamps.
To assemble them you put the slots over the ears on the clamp and then
use the tool on the raised area to crimp the band just so it doesn't
move in the groove. You don't want it real tight as you can damage the
boot, but you want it tight enough that is doesn't leak.

This is the same tool used for the CV boots that is used with the
smaller rack boot clamps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHlkv9kdVhY

--
Steve W.

On 2021/06/03 7:46 pm, Steve W. wrote:
> This is the same tool used for the CV boots that is used with the
> smaller rack boot clamps.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHlkv9kdVhY

I like your idea of seeing if I can get it as a loaner tool.

And that video was pretty good in that it was as real as real can get.

But what scares me is the video you provided shows the guy cursing away at
the clamp even as he has the entire shaft right in front of him on the desk!
https://youtu.be/uHlkv9kdVhY?t=1825

Can you imagine how difficult it would be on the vehicle?
--
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

John Robertson wrote:
> On 2021/06/03 7:46 pm, Steve W. wrote:
>> This is the same tool used for the CV boots that is used with the
>> smaller rack boot clamps.
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHlkv9kdVhY
>
> I like your idea of seeing if I can get it as a loaner tool.
>
> And that video was pretty good in that it was as real as real can get.
>
> But what scares me is the video you provided shows the guy cursing away at
> the clamp even as he has the entire shaft right in front of him on the desk!
> https://youtu.be/uHlkv9kdVhY?t=1825
>
> Can you imagine how difficult it would be on the vehicle?

It's really not that bad. Eric is running on the clock so anything that
can mess up causes frustration. If you are doing the steering bellows
it's not as bad as the parts can't wander around as you work.

--
Steve W.

On Friday, June 4, 2021 at 1:29:46 AM UTC-4, John Robertson wrote:
> On 2021/06/03 7:46 pm, Steve W. wrote:
> > This is the same tool used for the CV boots that is used with the
> > smaller rack boot clamps.
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHlkv9kdVhY
> I like your idea of seeing if I can get it as a loaner tool.
>
> And that video was pretty good in that it was as real as real can get.
>
> But what scares me is the video you provided shows the guy cursing away at
> the clamp even as he has the entire shaft right in front of him on the desk!
> https://youtu.be/uHlkv9kdVhY?t=1825
>
> Can you imagine how difficult it would be on the vehicle?
> --
> "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

You can get boot clamps that don't require any special tools.

Chas