There's always been the debate of running or not running boots on your shocks. I've always ran them and never had a problem but I wanted to see if was worth cutting them off my new Bilsteins.
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.
Shock Boots Poll
- Thread starter Chevy305
- Start date
when I removed my last set of shocks the boots were full of mud and water, I would cut them off.
I don't think there's much debate at all... plain shafts stay fine and boots just hold crud to fock em up...
THE only reason to run em IMO is if you like the look and it's strictly a street queen..
THE only reason to run em IMO is if you like the look and it's strictly a street queen..
I should add that I'm not going to be mudding my truck or sinking it in anything deep enough to cover the shocks.
Cut them off, much cleaner look.
and this isn't the 80's or 90's
and this isn't the 80's or 90's
I would say it's totally up to you then. Whether or not you like the look
Maybe you don't plan to, but things don't always go as planned either. I'm just sayin...
I recently did some (unplanned) submersion testing on some Bilsteins, holding them in ice-water for a couple hours and they seemed to come through fine. Now let's say they had boots and the little drain holes got plugged (or frozen shut). It's possible little ice cylinders would form around the shafts and then I would flex the truck...would be an interesting thing to study on somebody else's rig.
Cut them off, much cleaner look.
I was gonna say "the 80's called, they want their shock boots back"...
it's such a dated look that serves NO purpose but to potentially cause probs IMO.....
mullet and a chrome rollbar and you'll be set 
You don't have an option for PURPLE!!!!
-- A
-- A
you just might
I like the covers on my shocks, they are an abs material and bolted to the lower part of the shaft, but they are open top and bottom. Best of both worlds IMO, protect the shaft, but never hold any crud.
Id say remove yours. But why run the shaft on the bottom instead of on top? Id think it'd stay safer up top from anything nicking the shafts.
Id say remove yours. But why run the shaft on the bottom instead of on top? Id think it'd stay safer up top from anything nicking the shafts.
This
I wouldn`t use them on mine because of dirt and salt...but you don`t drive in that crap so your call.
I ran them tube up so the "Bilstein" stickers are readable...
But also mostly so the body wouldn't contact the lower shock mount.
If the piston rides on the inside surface of the tube then I'm sure it would destroy the piston. But I think if he is gettin stuff that high above his axle tube in a situation that dents the shock body on that perdy truck, he's gonna have a lot bigger concerns than a blown bilstein 
I'm sure your shock will work fine any way you look at it Glenn.
I'm sure your shock will work fine any way you look at it Glenn.
I wrapped mine in coils to protect them.
Well the body of the shock is a lot bigger than the shaft, so if the shock mounts are set up close to vertical the body will hit the axle tube. This is actually pretty likely with one of the stock mounts in the rear. At any rate, it should be set up so the shock body CAN be mounted up - in case you want to switch to reservoirs or 5150 shocks later.
Best possible solution.
