Scottish Elises

Is it easy enough to replace the rack gaiters with the rack in-situ ?.

Easy-ish. Need to fashion a custom tie-wrap tightening tool (dowel with a slot cut in it) Nothing too difficult if you have cutters to get that tie-wrap in situ.

OK. See what you mean about the dowel for winding up the tie wrap inside the box section, looks tricky.

I changed one a couple of days ago, it's really not that difficult. To fit the boot I put the steering on full lock so that the boot was at it's shortest and then pushed it backwards which just poped it over the rack end. Obviously the inner tie-wrap was fitted loose before fitting the boot, and the inside of the boot given a smear of grease where it locates over the rack. I have a 50cm x 1cm dia wooden pole with a slot in the end that i used to finally tighten the inner tie-wrap.

You will ov course have to remove the track-rod end and it's lock nut from the steering arm. I'd to chop the TRE off of mine with the grinder as it just span, but was replaceing it anyway.