Hi, all. I ordered online a boot to replace the torn one in my'86 245. I ordered online one for a steering gear type 2(Cam gear) as is on my vehicle assembly sticker in the trunk of the car, drivers side. The part came in a Lemforder bag with part #30186 01; ZF services, made in Italy.
The boot looks different from the one that is on my car, the outboard end of the boot is smaller than the tie rod it is supposed to fit over. The smallest diameter of the tie rod is 1/2 inch; the boot end diameter is 7/16 in. It doesn't look like this boot will fit over my tie rod.
Did they send me the wrong part? Any of the knowledgable folks here care to make an opinion? I dont want to get my car up and the tie rod end off only to find I can't shove this boot over the tie rod.

 

its rubber, it will stretch.

I loved the ones I found on my daughter's 240, she had the small end booties, so I ordered the appropriate inner tie rod replacements, then took it apart and discoverd that it had the tie rods that went with the large end booties. WTF. car was up on stands for a week waiting the right tie rod tips.

 

The tie rod should have a machined groove which has a smaller diameter (7/16 sounds correct). The end of the boot fits in this groove and is held by a tie-wrap.

 

Thanks for the response, guys. I saw the groove that the small end fits into, but when I initially tried to get the boot over some similar sized items in the shop, the boot didn't want to stretch much. I did discover that a little bit of silicone dielectric grease inside the small end made all the difference in the world, and I am confident it will barely fit over the tie rod.
Like some other things in life, a little lubrication is the key to a happy ending.