Shocks+Shock Boots= Premature failure???

[Dieselwrencher]

Hi guys. Last week I ordered shocks for my Longhorn from Top Guns Customz. They are Rough Country Nitro shocks. When I got them, I opened them up and found there were no boots in the box with them. I thought I ordered boots with them. I called and got the same sales guy that I ordered them from. I asked him what was up with my shock boots missing, and he told me they do not recommend them because the boots cause premature shock failure. He said it's better off to let the shock wipe the mud and crud off the piston rather than have the boot contain the moisture created from the work of the shock. He said heat builds up and can not escape and this will cause moisture build up and rust to form on the piston taking out the seals. I didn't order any boots yet. I got thinking about it and he may be right. 90% of OE shocks have a shield welded to the upper half, but the bottom is open. I have ran all of my after market shocks over the years with boots and they never seemed to last a real long time. Maybe I'll make some shields for them out of polished aluminum tube instead. What are your guy's thoughts on this subject of shock boots causing shock failures?

[freakshow108]

I dont have an answer, but i just installed mine with boots. I would love to hear some real world experiances. Subscribed

[Stocker]

Ryan, I have heard repeatedly, over many years, the exact arguments against shock boots that you listed. The problems are magnified if you off-road and get mud inside the boot. True or not, I tend to believe it because it makes sense to me. I won't run 'em.

[rcbildr]

I've heard the same things, I didn't put boots on the shocks for my burb.

[k5xjfiles]

Its true, leave em off unless its a trailer queen or mall crawler.

[Burt4x4]

Shock boots are so 1985

There are drain holes that should be positioned to the lowest point but if the lil holes get cloged then you may have moisture staying on the seal area..
I think nowa days the seals are way better and you can run boots just fine if you like that look and when washing spraying take a second to ensure the boots are draining.

[Dieselwrencher]

I plan to leave them off. But my biggest deal is, IF I drive this truck in the winter. That liquid rust BS will get all over the pistons. That's why I may try to make shields for them.

[76stepsidechevy]

I've had the tops of more than one set of shocks get all rusty under those boots but no real problems with the seals going. Maybe the paint they use is just lousy. I'm kinda tempted to leave them off but I think it looks better with them on espcially with a lifted truck where there in plain sight.

[Dieselwrencher]

Personally I haven't been real happy with any of the regular rough country shocks I got except the last set of 8000's I got. They're on my F-350 and been going good for a year and who knows how many miles. I got the Nitro ones because I'd like to try to get a little better ride if I can. I wanted Bilsteins, but I also want to drive the truck this year. Bilsteins were going to be almost triple the price. I said no thanks.

[76stepsidechevy]

yea, rough country is pretty much bottom of the barrel. I bought a rough country lift for a jeep I had and most of it was swapped out within 6 months. shocks rotted out in a year and springs sagged within a few months, one was so bad it was down to stock height in one corner.

[Dieselwrencher]

The skyjacker shocks I got were the same though, didn't last long. I'm betting that most of these shocks are made by the same manufacturer and who ever's stickers go on them, or they go in their boxes.

[76stepsidechevy]

lol I hear ya, I went to the skyjackers too. My parts guy told me the skyjackers were made by gabriel, I think the rough countrys were heckethorn. They did look damn near identical when new though. I wonder if painting them with a good paint before installing them would help at all.

[Dieselwrencher]

It couldn't hurt. The guy at Top Guns Customz said the rough country and skyjacker ones are Gabriel, so it makes a guy wonder huh?

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

It couldn't hurt. The guy at Top Guns Customz said the rough country and skyjacker ones are Gabriel, so it makes a guy wonder huh?

My Rough Country shocks are Heckethorn.

[TheWhiteElephant]

For whatever it's worth, my Skyjacker steering stabilizers (made in USA) developed nasty surface rust within a matter of weeks. I did not use boots on them, and even the part that is normally covered by the boot developed surface rust. I recently repainted the bodies with Rustoleum, coated the exposed piston areas with grease, and put boots on them. My Rough Country (Heckethorn, made in Mexico), which I installed at the same time, show no signs of rust whatsoever.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Redcap

My Rough Country shocks are Heckethorn.

Typical sales man huh? Thanks for the correction.

[Redcap]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Typical sales man huh? Thanks for the correction.

Kinda what I was thinking. Only reason I piped up was that I was under the truck today and noticed.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Redcap

Kinda what I was thinking. Only reason I piped up was that I was under the truck today and noticed.

I only pulled one of mine from the box and glanced at it. I'll have to look it closer to see if it has a name on it. I might repaint them too. We'll see, that's low on the list right now.

[Mr. 250r]

Whatever shocks came with my 03 fabtech lift didn't rust for a few years and I didn't clean them once still a little rusty at top but its not harming anything
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[The Grand Pooh-Bah]

I'm getting ready to order new shocks for the rear of my K10. Think I'm going to go with the Rancho RS5118 I've been running the RS5000 series on the Jeep and they work good.

[mknittle]

I have never had that problem in over 30 years! I would worry more about a rock trom a tire nicking a shaft.Then tearing up a seal.

[McMurray76]

IDK about the boots, but, stainless covers would be bad@ss!

[Dieselwrencher]

My brother ordered some bilsteins last week but they were too long. It's too bad because they were either aluminum or stainless and looked awesome!

[special-K]

Sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo on shock boots being bad. I have never had issues and have run them with/without and used more brands than I can remember over the past 35 or so years. Shocks don't get hot unless you're running an off road race. If the truck sits a lot the shafts can rust. I've taken boots off shocks and never found any debris or rust. GM puts boots on yokes and I've never seen a problem from that. All I know is many many aftermarket parts are made for "I gotta have it now" and don't necessarily hold up to the long run. My theory is they figure it's about wow factor and bragging rights and must who fix up vehicles end up selling them off before wearing anything else. I've had good luck with a lot of parts,but seen more chrome rust,shocks blow out,distributors grenade...you name it,from aftermarket "speed equipment".
Mall cruiser or trailer queen? What magazine did you learn from? The same ones pushed chrome roll bars/shocks/driveshafts,15 Daylighters,velour seats,and graphic paint jobs when I was building trucks to tear up the terrain.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by special-K

Sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo on shock boots being bad. I have never had issues and have run them with/without and used more brands than I can remember over the past 35 or so years. Shocks don't get hot unless you're running an off road race. If the truck sits a lot the shafts can rust. I've taken boots off shocks and never found any debris or rust. GM puts boots on yokes and I've never seen a problem from that. All I know is many many aftermarket parts are made for "I gotta have it now" and don't necessarily hold up to the long run. My theory is they figure it's about wow factor and bragging rights and must who fix up vehicles end up selling them off before wearing anything else. I've had good luck with a lot of parts,but seen more chrome rust,shocks blow out,distributors grenade...you name it,from aftermarket "speed equipment".
Mall cruiser or trailer queen? What magazine did you learn from? The same ones pushed chrome roll bars/shocks/driveshafts,15 Daylighters,velour seats,and graphic paint jobs when I was building trucks to tear up the terrain.

Do you ever tow heavy? My F-350 with gooseneck and a extended cab long box 4x4 dodge cummins weigh 22k. I hauled one not long ago around 75 miles each way. Half way through I stopped and crawled under the truck to check how hot the shocks were. The fronts were just luke warm. The rears on the other hand were pretty hot. So, yeah they do get hot other than an off road race.