SKF, a global leader in bearing and engineering solutions, recently extended its comprehensive driveline range to the automotive industry with a new complete range of OE quality steering boot kits.
SKF VSM (Vehicle Service Market) supplies the global car and commercial vehicle aftermarket with superior quality products and premium services including bearings, seals, lubrication, and many other critical components for a wide range of applications in engines, electronics, driveline and wheel-end systems. SKF is a leading OE supplier of steering components. The company produced 20 million steering column bearings and 2 million EPS (electric power assisted steering) bearings for column, pinion or rack applications in 2012. SKF steering components also include steer by wire. “It therefore makes perfect business sense for SKF to also supply OE quality steering boots,” says Gary Czapski who heads up SKF South Africa’s Automotive Division (VSM).”
The new OE steering boot offering from SKF comprises more than 200 kits and covers a wide car parc which includes both European and Asian car models. In line with OE content, SKF steering boots are manufactured from rubber or thermoplastic depending on OE specifications. “We only supply specific metal clamps for thermoplastic boots as these are much more durable compared to plastic clamps supplied by some manufacturers.” SKF also supplies two universal steering boot kits which cover most passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. “Our kits make the steering boot replacement quicker and easier since there is no need to dismantle the tie rod end as you simply stretch it over the tie rod end,” concludes Czapski.