shock shafts stainless?

[Cornfield creations]

This might be a dumb question but, are the shafts on shocks stainless? I am wanting to run no boots on my tuff country shocks and everyone is telling me not to becaue it'll rust, or that looks stupid.

The reason why is because its on a restored blazer and I like the look of raw shiny shaft sticking up, and plus the boots never stay clean and are hard to clean.

Should I just put them back on?

 

[ryoken]

"Everyone" is probably running pink booties too...

Ditch them suckers, all they do is trap mud, etc... You wont find many here running em....

 

[bryanrash]

My understanding is that the boots mainly help keep dust and debris from getting inside your shocks and building up. I suppose they could rust, but so can everything else on a truck.

Based on the answer above, I might be wrong.

 

[Cornfield creations]

THe shocks were white and the paint chipped off and started rusting real bad, so I painted them ralley wheel gray, looks nice with raw shaft.
I'm not a personal fan of the booties.

 

[79k20350]

the problem with boots is once mud and water gets in it cant get out. no the shafts not stainless and can rust but it takes an long while because if the quality of steel used. also the action of the shocks moving keep them from rusting

 

[sled_dog]

spray your shaft with some lube...


ok wd-40 your shock shafts every once in a while and it won't be an issue. Shock boots hold water, mud, dust, and other such things in next to the shaft and contribute to killing shocks. Ever cut off a shock boot and have a pebbles and mud come out? I have...

 

[southernspeed]

Hard chrome (industrial chrome) generaly.

 

[ntsqd]

Second, usually hard chrome on high strength steel, not stainless steel.

As to the booties, anothe thing they do is keep rocks from hitting the shafts. When the rocks hit they'll usually leave a tiny dent or pit. That pit usually pierces the chrome. That is when the rusting starts more easily.
With montube shocks that can be run body up I leave the boots on the body, but cut the bottom such that they can't possibly trap and hold anything - dirt or water.

 

[Leper]

With montube shocks that can be run body up I leave the boots on the body, but cut the bottom such that they can't possibly trap and hold anything - dirt or water.

That's a good idea.
I don't know anyone who runs boots. If you drive your truck the shafts won't have much time to rust.

 

[K5er4Life]

boots suck ass, when I swapped in my d60 I took a look at my shocks and there was all kinds of crap in there under the boot, they were only on a few years. I got a knife and cut those suckers off. All they do is trap junk!

 

[wildmouse216]

I think the more high end shocks are Chromoly but I could be wrong.