Shocks...To Boot or Not To Boot That Is The Question

[ntsqd]

snip.......
My rear shocks usually look like they have been run thru a sand blaster.

I hear that! I don't have to worry too much about rust as long as I make a couple speeds runs a year. I need to make the shaft protector strips I mentioned in the shock boots thread.

 

[Avery4jc]

I have boots and they just get clogged up and mess everything up...my dad's truck doesn't run them and he has never had problems...

So I vote no boot.

 

[gmc4cw]

but cut them so that they can not form a seal on the shock body. That way they won't trap water or mud, but they will protect the shafts.

this is what I used to do. it works. let the water and mud run out but protects from objects kicked up by the tires. now I don't run any boots but its trail only and I buy the scratch and dents from superlift.

 

[Cricket]

I was in favor of boots until I had a shock go bad about 6 weeks ago. Rusty hole straight through the top. There was a good inch of crap sitting on top of the shock body inside the boots holding moisture. That's in a generally dry Colorado environment.

The CO crew always razzed me about booties, they were right.

 

[mikey_d05]

Buy some Pro-Comp 9000's, mount them body-down, and leave the boots off.

 

[RockinChevy]

Mine are almost shredded from the exhaust blasts... Eventually they'll just fall off by themselves. My exhaust was cut back approx. 6 inches past the mufflers ( I did this to make way for the shackle flip and inboarding shock crossmember) so the exhaust just blasts all over everything. If I do take the boots off, I hope the exhaust won't affect the shock seals.