Boots or no boots

[motopete]

I like to hear peoples opinions on shock boots. I took mine off because they hold water. What do you think?

 

[Original_Ranger84]

I would say no boots... but they do have hup sides and down sides.

NO boots = no water getting in and rusting and stuff

Boots = show truck or desert truck that sees alot of dirt and dust, mud trucks.

 

[bcost882]

i like the way they look but they really don't make it easier to keep them clean

 

[crusin93]

I say boots! The reason their on the shock is protection. A few dings in the shaft will ruin the gas/oil seal. You end up with a $200 paper weight. If the bellows are not already vented, drill a 1/8 hole or two in the bottom most area of the plastic. This will allow for venting or draining without effecting their protective properities.

 

[superdave1984]

Boots are teh ghey.

 

[Nhaz]

the only purpose of shock boots is to keep rocks and other hard objects from dinging the chrome. and not to keep it looking good. it prevents the dinged chrome from tearing the shock seal.

 

[4x4junkie]

the only purpose of shock boots is to keep rocks and other hard objects from dinging the chrome. and not to keep it looking good. it prevents the dinged chrome from tearing the shock seal.

This.

However a problem is dirt and dust tends to collect in them, which then turns into mud if water gets in there.

Solution is to cut a notch about 3/8" wide in the bottom of the lower-most pleat so anything in there has a way out (been running mine like this for years and no problems).

 

[Nhaz]

I only mentioned this and I should have included it in the first post.

Generally shock dings really only occur on motorcycles due to the fact that shocks being up front and exposed to.. well. everything. Many manufactures don't put them on any more since it looks so 70's or dirt bike look.

After laying out several hundred dollars for new shock tubes for your bike those ugly shock boots start to look good =>

 

[4x4junkie]

That happens with the rear shocks on a vehicle too. Stones kicked up by the front tires can damage exposed rods on your rear shocks (shocks mounted rod-end-down in particular).

 

[88_Eddie]

i voted in favor of shock boots, but i like to protect my shit. it's personal preference tho, do whatever you want....there is an equally long pro/con list for each.