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Are rubber boots on rod ends worth it?
MikeR - 10/9/08 at 08:19 AM

Simple question, are rubber boots that cover rod ends worth it bothering with?

i've heard stories either way, so could you post if you're repeating a story or have actual experience?

Mr Whippy - 10/9/08 at 08:24 AM

I think it’s a very good idea and at least you can have a bit of grease in there too and it will keep grit out, how could it be a bad thing???????

I notice that the huge ones on the earth movers have lip seals to keep the bearing surface clean but even on those the chrome surface does get scratched.


[Edited on 10/9/08 by Mr Whippy]

irvined - 10/9/08 at 08:53 AM

I dont have them on mine, and no sign of wear yet, although i've only done 6k with them in.

Probably stick with not having them if i need to replace any either.

Mr Whippy - 10/9/08 at 09:11 AM

quote:
Originally posted by irvined
I dont have them on mine, and no sign of wear yet, although i've only done 6k with them in.

Probably stick with not having them if i need to replace any either.


any reason why? is it just they look better without the boots? even on supercars they don't bother but I'm sure they are replaced quite often. Perhaps the boots are more useful if used in offroad conditions rather for road use, but I'd still fit them just to hold some grease in there.

Peteff - 10/9/08 at 09:32 AM

Grit will still get in and if you have grease it will turn into fine grinding paste.

Mr Whippy - 10/9/08 at 09:40 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Grit will still get in and if you have grease it will turn into fine grinding paste.


hmm is a good point, thats why your not meant to grease leaf springs, though folk do and then wrap the springs up in cloth. Probably no right answer really, just a matter of preference.

[Edited on 10/9/08 by Mr Whippy]

MikeR - 10/9/08 at 10:08 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Grit will still get in and if you have grease it will turn into fine grinding paste.


I've heard this before - is this your experience or something you've heard? I'm trying to split peoples experience from stuff (like me) they've heard?

Mr Whippy - 10/9/08 at 10:31 AM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
quote:
Originally posted by Peteff
Grit will still get in and if you have grease it will turn into fine grinding paste.


I've heard this before - is this your experience or something you've heard? I'm trying to split peoples experience from stuff (like me) they've heard?


well I have seen leaf springs ground down to half their thickness due to this. Oil might be better on rose joints that don't have covers but if fitted with good seals grease is most likely to be just scraped of the ball. Why not do a test on your car, say one with a cover and one with grease and tell us all what the results are after all most seem to last only about 10k anyway.

irvined - 10/9/08 at 11:53 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
quote:
Originally posted by irvined
I dont have them on mine, and no sign of wear yet, although i've only done 6k with them in.

Probably stick with not having them if i need to replace any either.


any reason why? is it just they look better without the boots? even on supercars they don't bother but I'm sure they are replaced quite often. Perhaps the boots are more useful if used in offroad conditions rather for road use, but I'd still fit them just to hold some grease in there.


Call me a tight arse, but they where cheaper which was the reason i didnt bother in the first place.

Assuming they don't cause any problems in the immediate future i'd replace them with the same again purely because I'd know what to expect.

I'd like to think that the lack of boot might mean I'd check them more often for wear, but I think thats wishful thinking.

NS Dev - 10/9/08 at 12:06 PM

NOOOO!!!

They get wet inside and cause the rod ends to corrode, which then eats the liner the next time you use the car.

NS Dev - 10/9/08 at 12:08 PM

Further to that, most of the better ones have stainless or high chrome balls (ooh err) but they still don't last inside boots in my experience.

We tried them on our old forest rally mid engined Nova, and they were quickly trashed.

MikeR - 10/9/08 at 12:14 PM

cheers Nat (And David). Looks like i'll drop the boots from the rod end order (and save myself 20quid).

quote:
Originally posted by NS Dev
Further to that, most of the better ones have stainless or high chrome balls (ooh err) but they still don't last inside boots in my experience.

We tried them on our old forest rally mid engined Nova, and they were quickly trashed.

JonBowden - 10/9/08 at 01:19 PM

quote:

They get wet inside and cause the rod ends to corrode, which then eats the liner the next time you use the car.


this seems odd to me as all joints (eg track rod ends) in normal cars have rubber boots.
Why are your joints different?

Mr Whippy - 10/9/08 at 02:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by JonBowden
quote:

They get wet inside and cause the rod ends to corrode, which then eats the liner the next time you use the car.


this seems odd to me as all joints (eg track rod ends) in normal cars have rubber boots.
Why are your joints different?


hmm exactly...maybe ball joints don't really need any grease or rubber boots after all and its just an evil plot to sell us more oh that nasty bad grease!, except don't they last like 10 times as long as rose joints...ah ha slight flaw there