Last night I noticed the passenger side steering gear boot on my '87 240 was dripping (very slowly) brown colored fluid. The drip is only at the end of the boot, the end towards the middle of the car. The gear shaft extending from that end of the boot is also "wet." Every where else is completely dry. The end of the boot does NOT appear to be cracked, unless it's a hairline, or maybe the rubber is just worn thin and not sealing. I pulled back the end of the boot and brown fluid immediately ran out (about a tablespoon), so I pulled the boot back up and set it in place, but it continues to drip very slowly. Does it sound like the boot needs replacing??? Also, I discovered a hose/line (about 24 inches in length) that runs along the top side of the gear shaft and ends just before the boot. It is just hanging loose. The end of the hose/line has a plastic banjo threaded type connector that appears that it should be connected to a port hole or a fitting. The other end of the hose/line is connected to a port hole in the gear shaft (towards the drivers side). I felt around the top of the gear shaft by the end of the boot and there is a port hole that feels about the same size as the connector on the end of the hose/line. I tried to insert it into the hole, but the hose/line is a hair too short and did not want to pull out the other end. Is this hose/line suppose to connect with the port hole??? Just to clarify, there is another hose/line that runs along the top of the gear shaft that is connected at each end to a metal fitting on the shaft. That hose is okay.

Any help is appreciated.