Hello folks,
Thought this might be useful to some......come MOT time.
I needed to replace the left side bellows on the steering rack and was wondering how I was going to get the new one on.
The problem being the post that stick up that the hydraulic ram arm is bolted to.
I removed the bellows on the other side and seen what I thought was a join? it was,I got a huge stiltson wrench(that I didn't need) gripped the rack carefully in the vice and set the jaws of the stiston around the right hand ball joint,the end of the rack to the track control arm ball joint,it undone with very little effort.
I removed the right side track control arm then set about the steering pinion.
take a note of where the inverted bolt shaped cup is in relation to it's depth in the housing.get a bolt with a head that will fit into this inverted bolt shaped cup,then lock two nut onto the other end,use this to remove the cup,when it comes out remove the spring then the nylon bucket that pressure the steering rack.
next turn the rack over and remove the two 10 mm bolts that keep the pinion in place.
Once the pinion is removed you will be able to pull the rack from the steering rack housing.
Now you can slide your bellows on the left side,slide the rack back in(grease it as you go) rebuild your steering rack,don't give it too much torque when screwing the right side track control arm on as it's not going anywhere.
fit the hydraulic ram on and refit the rack to the car.
I have done this job while the engine is out,so it has been quite easy.
hope this is of help to someone.
Full Version Xm 2.5 Td Steering Rack
I have tried to upload an image of the steering rack in bits please let me know if it works,Gary 
Hi Gary if you mean the picture of the steering rack spread out over the path then it is ok
cheers
Mick
cheers
Mick
Ta very much broyty
Hi All
I have just had to replace both gaiters on a 2.5 rack for the MOT.
I managed to fit them with the rack insitu.
It is important to use genuine Citroen gaiters if you want any life out of them.
Used on C5's etc so still available and not very expensive.
The copy parts have smooth ends and rely on ties which never hold long.
The Citroen ones have internal ridges to match the grooves in the rack ends.
They need no ties to lock in place.
The drivers side gaiter has a large and a small end.
That small end fits on the track rod so there are two different sizes of gaiter.
12mm for most XM's and 18mm for 2.5's and some other later XM's.
That side is easy to fit insitu if you remove the track rod end.
For the other side remove the track rod complete with end.
Then remove the nut at one end of the ram.
Then loosen the bolt at the other end.
My car actually had two bolts that end and short link plates for the ram end.
Remove the two large bolt holding the rack.
The ram can now be eased off the spigot on the rack.
At this stage I filled a big mug with boiling water.
Inserted the gaiter and left it for a few minutes to soften.
The gaiter was then compressed, passed over the spigot and worked into position.
Then reassemble.
A bonus of this method is that you only remove one track rod end.
By only moving the lock nut at the other end a specific distance you can reset
with the tracking unchanged.
John
I have just had to replace both gaiters on a 2.5 rack for the MOT.
I managed to fit them with the rack insitu.
It is important to use genuine Citroen gaiters if you want any life out of them.
Used on C5's etc so still available and not very expensive.
The copy parts have smooth ends and rely on ties which never hold long.
The Citroen ones have internal ridges to match the grooves in the rack ends.
They need no ties to lock in place.
The drivers side gaiter has a large and a small end.
That small end fits on the track rod so there are two different sizes of gaiter.
12mm for most XM's and 18mm for 2.5's and some other later XM's.
That side is easy to fit insitu if you remove the track rod end.
For the other side remove the track rod complete with end.
Then remove the nut at one end of the ram.
Then loosen the bolt at the other end.
My car actually had two bolts that end and short link plates for the ram end.
Remove the two large bolt holding the rack.
The ram can now be eased off the spigot on the rack.
At this stage I filled a big mug with boiling water.
Inserted the gaiter and left it for a few minutes to soften.
The gaiter was then compressed, passed over the spigot and worked into position.
Then reassemble.
A bonus of this method is that you only remove one track rod end.
By only moving the lock nut at the other end a specific distance you can reset
with the tracking unchanged.
John
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