Steering Knuckle Boots, Again

[Big Mike's Motor Pool]

even though that daniel charecter is not the best at being a business man, i would deffinetly buy the boots he has now. the new verison of his boots are made of neoprene. i had a set of the new ones and a set of the old rubber ones that were never installed on a truck. after doing a comparison i see why the old ones ripped. the old ones are rigid and will stay almost strait when held out paralell with the ground. the new ones are more flexible and act in a similar manner to a piece of paper when held out paralell to the ground.
i for one will deffinetly be putting the new ones on my junkers

 

[jwaller]

I dont bother turning them inside out no need. just wrap it around the axle tube(zip it up), put on the inner clamp and then install the outer clamp. you may need 4 hands on the outer as it sometimes like to jump off the lip, but thats the only issue I had.

 

[m35a2cowner]

how full is full?

After changing the boots I noticed some gear oil dripping ever so slightly from the bottom. The differential is full to the plug level. In typing this I remember I for got to check the vent. Is filling to the plug the proper level, or should it be a bit lower?
Thanks.

 

[cranetruck]

Gear oil level should be just below filler opening of the diff housing.
Gear oil in the steering knuckle boot is not a good sign. The axle seal will need to be replaced, both sides most likely. I'm afraid you'll have to start over.
If you didn't glue the zippers, you should be able to use the boots again.

 

[cbvet]

I took off the old boots & cleaned out all the old sludge.
Had so much trouble installing them, that I called a buddy. I figured out it was a LOT easier to take the wheel off & use 4 hands.
I used 7 tubes of grease per wheel. 276 "pumps" per tube.
Eric

 

[m35a2cowner]

I didn't want to hear that

Well on the bright side I had not gotten around to sealing the zippers. Was in a hurry to get things back together for the Memorial Day Parade. Any harm in letting it drip a bit? I would like to enjoy a bit if driving before the next repair.

 

[cranetruck]

Probably no short term harm, but the gear oil will eventually wash the grease off the steering knuckles and if the deuce sits around for a period of time, rust will set in.

 

[clinto]

OK, I am doing my boots right now and there must be a trick I don't see.

I finally, after many hours and no small amount of profanity have gotten the inner clamp on. After enlisting a helper to hold the boot on, I start putting the outer clamp on. I almost had it tight several times and right as the outer clamp starts to tighten down, it forces the boot out from under the ring.

I have the Saturn zipper style boots and they do lack an inner "wall" or ridge to keep the boot from doing this; is there a better pair of boots out there with a pronounced trough or groove for the clamp ring to sit in?


Also, the notes I see that mention trimming the zipper (PS Mag) don't make it clear-am I supposed to be actually cutting the zipper, or just the fabric sewn on each side of the zipper. I did not Gooop my zippers, as I figure they are gonna pop off and I am gonna have to redo them. So if I cut the zipper, I can't take the boots off. And, do I cut the zipper that is on the inside, facing the knuckle or on the outside?

Thanks

 

[Deuceswild]

Clint,

Are the recessed groves in the steering knuckle totally grease free , if not that will cause the boots to slip off the knuckle when thightning the outer clamp, also the inside mating surface of the boot must be equally clean or the same will happen. I have found when installing the outer clamp that it MUST be done in increments,, Tighten the clamp a little and adjust the boot, tighten some more and adjust the boot again and so on......
Just be sure that you get the clamp centered in the clamp GROOVE of the boot.
Take your time, You'll get it .

Jeff

 

[clinto]

Are the recessed groves in the steering knuckle totally grease free

I cleaned it out good when I started but it may have gotten some lube on it since I started trying to install it. I will reclean it judicously.

also the inside mating surface of the boot must be equally clean or the same will happen.

Boot probably has some lube on it now from trying to install it. Will go clean it.

I have found when installing the outer clamp that it MUST be done in increments,, Tighten the clamp a little and adjust the boot, tighten some more and adjust the boot again

I was tightening slowly, as we held it in place and it didn't move at all anywhere until I got close and then it POPPED. There was no movement whatsoever until it popped out.

 

[Deuceswild]

I was tightening slowly, as we held it in place and it didn't move at all anywhere until I got close and then it POPPED. There was no movement whatsoever until it popped out.

Sounds to me like there was enough grease / or lubricant to cause the shift, peel the boot back, and clean the mating surfaces Real Good. You can use your helper on one side of the knuckle while your on the other side tightning the clamp. And again MUST monitor the boot for shifting while tightning and adjust as necessary.
Also the boots are directional, there should be a indication of which way is up.

Good Luck, Jeff.

 

[clinto]

I think perhaps I am over tightening them, wish there was some way to have/utilize a torque spec.

I cleaned the groove and I cleaned the boot and I have it on and it feels pretty tight, but I know if I really yanked on it, it would come off. How tight are you guys putting these clamps on? Perhaps if you overtighten it to such a degree it has no choice but to pop out........

 

[Barney-the-Duece]

What do you use to seal the zippers? Also, which end of the zipper do you cut off once it is installed? Do you leave the base of the zipper alone and just cut off the actual moving part and the excess zipper? I noticed in the PM article on the boots it also said to secure the zipper with a thin wire or something like that. Any hints on this? I am about to attempt to change the boot on my Duece for the first time.

 

[devilman96]

Black RTV for sealing and ether cut the zippers handle off and or wire it but the RTV will keep it glued reguardless...

 

[MATT]

Also, remember to position the inner bolt clamp straight up, or when you turn, the bolt will catch on the steering kuckle and rip everyting apart. I found out the hard way...

 

[houdel]

Correct position is zipper to the rear on the right hand boot and zipper to the front on he left hand boot. DO NOT cut the zipper off! I learned this the hard way! I installed a new boot on the left knuckle, yes, the boots DO NOT turn inside out like the TM shows. It took a lot of effort to get the boot sealed with the inner clamp, i could have used about six extra hands it finally got it done. After I had in in place, I carefully felt around the inner clamp to make sure it was fit properly. The outer clamp was a piece of cake compared to the inner clamp. Too late I realized the original outer clamp, which I reused, had a lock nut, the new inner clamp did not.

After about a week of driving, the inner clamp nut loosened and the boot became unseated from the inner boot seat, time to redo the job! I reused the old boot, and this time used a jam nut on the inner clamp (a lock nut would have been better, but I didn't have the proper one on hand at the time). During the course of reinstalling the boot, the zipper opened slightly at the outer edge. Once I had the outer clamp securely in place (it had a locking nut), I liberally doused the open part of the zipper with silicone sealant to preclude leaks.

Lessons learned:

1. Regardless of what the TM says, the boot WILL NOT turn inside out in order to fit the inside clamp (at least with the new style neoprene boots). You will have fight with the SOB to get the inner clamp in place. Once you THINK it is in place and the inner clamp is firmly secured but not fully tightened, carefully feel around the entire perimeter to make sure it is properly seated. Adjust as needed before fully tightening the inner clamp.

2. USE SELF LOCKING NUTS ON BOTH THE INNER AND OUTER CLAMP! If the clamps did not come with self locking nuts, stop what you are doing, go to the hardware store, and get the proper sized SELF LOCKING NUTS! If you do not do this, the nuts WILL loosen, and you WILL do this job all over again!

3. DO NOT cut off the end of the zipper! The free end of the zipper is not in the way of anything and there is no need to cut it off. If for some reason you have to redo the boot install and have cut off the zipper, it WILL try to unzip while you are trying to reinstall the boot, creating a major PITA for you! Leave the damn end of the zipper as is!