drive shaft boot

[DJK]

Just noticed my rear boot is cracked on the driveshaft, has 3k miles on it, front one looks great(original??). The boot came from Andy Bernbaum. Does anyone have a more durable boot suggestion w/o changing the whole driveshaft to modern joints. Tried the search function with no luck. Thanks in advance.

[RobertKB]

I currently have two old Mopars that originally had those rubber boots and I sold another one. I have had varying degrees of success with replacement boots. I’ve had some fail and I ended up replacing them with leather boots. I found it impossible to change the rubber boots without disassembling the joints. This is not required with the leather boots. I highly recommend them for not only the cars that came with them but also for the later cars. My ‘53 Plymouth currently has one rubber and one leather boot. I just don’t think the new replacement rubber boots are very good quality. 

[DJK]

I didn't have to disassemble the cross pin to replace the boot(lots of lube). Just not happy with the early failure of the rubber. Do you have a part number or application for the leather boot? Thanks again for the info.

[desoto1939]

I have the leather style covering that attaches to the ends the drive shaft and the housing.

 

Send me you email address and I will send you pictures of what I have the leather covering number is 42083

 

Rich Hartung

desoto1939@aol.com

[RobertKB]

I believe Robert’s carried them or did. I got mine from Rovon Auto Parts here in Canada. I can supply a phone number if you PM me. 

[greg g]

I posted a while back off road shock gaiters being used as u joint protectors.  Use the search for shock gaiters or search my content by member name.  Was within last 90 days.

[Sniper]

 

https://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/shock-boots-and-bellows/product-line/daystar-mx-fork-boots

Edited July 28, 2021 by Sniper

[Kilgore47]

I put new boots on the P15 drive shaft less than a year back.  Rebuilt the u joints at the same time.  Not more that a couple of hundred miles on them.  I was under the car a few weeks back checking something else and noticed that both the new boots are starting to crack.  Guess I'll go with leather when I have to replace them again.  That was one of those jobs that I didn't think I would have to fool with again.  

[TodFitch]

14 minutes ago, Kilgore47 said:

I put new boots on the P15 drive shaft less than a year back.  Rebuilt the u joints at the same time.  Not more that a couple of hundred miles on them.  I was under the car a few weeks back checking something else and noticed that both the new boots are starting to crack.  Guess I'll go with leather when I have to replace them again.  That was one of those jobs that I didn't think I would have to fool with again.  

I installed a set of rubber boots on my driveshaft and, due to other things going on, it was about a month before I got around to installing the driveshaft. I found that in that month of sitting one of the boots had cracked. My take was the boots were decades old and had been sitting on the shelf long enough for the rubber to deteriorate. So I went with leather boots. That was some years ago now and last I checked the leather ones are still in good shape.

 

Using a modern CV joint boot (if you can find one that fits) or a MX fork boot as suggested by greg g shouldn’t have the issue with being old and deteriorated. Won’t look correct if that bothers you, but should work.

[Go Fleiter]

I stock several sets from Bernbaum´s and don´t have problems with their age.

The use to last 2-3 years or 3 kmls.

It is annoying to install them, while forcing them over the pin and through the hole. I usually kill 10%.

My mechanic has a simple but precise hand press rated 20 to, at 2 or 3 to the pins come out.

To put the pins back several approaches are needed to have them exactly symmetrically positionend.

+/- 1 mm doesn´t make vibrations, I tried it intentionally up to 85 mph (not recommended: car may begin to sway heavily!...).

Pressing out is easy, needs only a couple of minutes and provides a predictably good result.

I never will try to force the boot through as before!

Gretings from Düsseldorf!

Go

 

 

[DJK]

Got a couple of leather boots from Rich Hartung.

[Polsonator2]

I used this modern cv boot on mine, just cut it down.  The nice thing about it is you just slip it right on as it is split. I used hose clamps to secure it and it comes with tiny bolts that stitch it shut across the split seam.  I have put a few thousand miles on them and they are still holding up.  I tried those new reproduction leather boots and they shredded.  And I dont want to use the new old stock rubber boots as they are super difficult to put on and heard they also fail.

 

Here is the exact one  I used:

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/dorman-help/cv-driveshaft-axle-16804/cv-boot-12852/246d80e5eb6e/dorman-help-cv-joint-boot-kit/mtm0/03609

 

I cut and trimmed it about halfway into the third rib.  I would recommend putting it on first and figure out exactly where you would cut it for your application.  They even have them in stock at the store.

Edited July 30, 2021 by Polsonator2