Shock Boots

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Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 12:57:42 -0700
From: Scott Wilson 
Subject: Vote No on Shock Boots
To: Toy 4x4 List 

I'm posting this as FYI, not really a question.  I just wanted to let
people know how much harm shock boots can do.  I've never heard any
strong comments against them, so I've never thought about not using
them.  After all, they came with my Rancho's.  I figured they look
pretty good, and probably keep dust and dirt out.  The truth is...they
- -can- destroy you shock.

A couple of months ago I stuck my truck in the mud pit at Hollister
Hills.  Everything up to the frame was covered in, filled with, or
soaked in mud.  I cleaned it off the surface of everything, and cleaned
out the brakes too.  I figured I got it all.  Nope.  I forgot the shock
boots.  The mud sat in there for a month or more, and proceeded to eat
my front shocks alive with rust.  (I'll be surprised if they last a
year)  Anyway, I figured it was my own fault, and didn't see the shock
boot as the direct cause.

Last night I pulled the shock boots off my rear shocks (these shocks
were  bought AFTER the mud incident, so basically they're still new).  
They already have -some- rust under where the boot was.  I have not
submerged the axle, I have not been through mud, or splashed through
puddles.  The only water I know of that could've gotten in there is from
washing the car.

As for me, I will no longer use the boots.  I took the rear ones of for
good last night.  The front ones are already doomed, and they'd look
worse without the boot due to the rust, so until they get replaced, I'll
leave them on.  (Hey, that's be a good excuse to get the double shock
setup I want!)  :)

YMMV, 
Scott
- -- 
     _____
    /_/_|_\__       Scott Wilson TLCA #5261
    | _     _ :     88 4Runner SR5 V6
    */_\---/_\'     Santa Clara, CA
     (_)   (_)      http://www.scruz.net/~barneym/scott/
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Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 08:20:41 -0700
From: nickkrest@batnet.com (Nick Krest)
Subject: Vote No on Shock Boots
To: Toy4x4@tlca.org

Scott Wilson  wrote:

        "...I just wanted to let people know how much
        harm shock boots can do....The truth is...they
        - -can- destroy you(r) shock.

        "A couple of months ago I stuck my truck in the
        mud pit at Hollister Hills (I have pix of this -
        Nick). Everything up to the frame was covered in,
        filled with, or soaked in mud....I figured I got
        it all....I forgot the shock boots. The mud sat
        in there for a month or more, and proceeded to
        eat my front shocks alive with rust....Last
        night I pulled the shock boots off my (new)
        rear shocks ...They already have -some- rust
        under where the boot was. I have not submerged
        the axle, I have not been through mud...The only
        water I know of that could've gotten in there is
        from washing the car."

This is funny, because Scott sure was stuck. But I've been MORE stuck and
more times. I used to have a set of Rancho RS5000's on my truck with some
nifty blue boots zip-tied on (this is prior to the truck's desert duties,
which are now being assigned to another, still unfinished, vehicle) and I
would sink that sucker most every weekend. Sometimes I washed the mud off,
most often I would wait for it to rain (not often in Santa Barbara).
Several years after I put the Ranchos on, I figured it was time for some
new shocks and springs. When I pulled the shocks off, the urethane bushings
were pretty much gone, but not a lick of rust on them. AT ALL. Not on the
bodies, shafts, eyes, nothing. And I lived oceanside for 5 years!

I think what we might be seeing here is a dee-cline in Cue-See (quality
control) from Rancho. I think I paid $20 each for those 5000's in the 80's,
and, to tell the truth, with new eye bushings, they're still doing duty on
one of the TLCA president's Hiluxes. Now Scott pays $50 each for his
all-singing, all-dancing RS9000's, and six weeks later, he's got rust on
his rears with nothing more than a trip to the car wash!

I would take this issue up with Rancho. Boots or no, there's something
wrong here. I don't run boots now for several reasons, but rusting shafts
after six weeks should NEVER be a reason not to run 'em.

Good luck,

 - Nick

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