Hi all:

Went out today to remove the torn boot or bellows that covers the steering
box/tie rod connection.  Since the old boot was torn completely in two I
just cut the two parts of the boot horizontally to remove them from the tie
rod and steering box.  Only, it looks like I screwed up.

After cutting through the small end of the boot (end that faces the tie rod)
I discovered that the boot doesn't clamp down on the tie rod like I thought.
It really clamps down on a separate fairly thick grommet.  This grommet
didn't come with the boots that I ordered from the Bus Depot and it doesn't
seem to be available as a separate replacement piece.  All the illustrations
of the steering components I've looked at - Bentley's, Haynes, ETKA - show
this grommet on the tie rod, but don't identify it and I can't find the
"part number" (I read it as "CPIO77") in any of the usual sources.

Am I missing something here?  Can I get this grommet as a separate part?  Or
am I junkyarding tomorrow?

TIA.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Young                       '81 Vanagon
Lafayette, CA 94549         '82 Westfalia
---------------------------------------------------------------