Tips and tricks - zippered front knuckle boots

[maddawg308]

Was helping peecook today on his M109 shop van, he is getting ready for the ECC and the trip to Aberdeen. One of the things that was on the list of things "to do" was to replace the zippered front knuckle boots on his truck.

I have never in my MV owning life had a more pain in the a$$ job than that task! I removed the existing ripped boots okay, but getting them on was another matter. The smaller inner clamp was a pain to put on, but I managed that. The outer one is almost impossible, and I gave up, to return to the task when I have more patience and perhaps a couple tips you all may have. Trying to put the outer clamp on, my hands are greasy, the clamps and boot are greasy, and I'm trying to reach around the knuckle and the axle housing to hold the clamp in the "groove" and as I move around the groove, the clamp keeps slipping out of its position. I need 14 hands to hold it in position while I tighten the screw on the clamp!

Is there a better way to do this?

On the way home, I thought about a bunch of small Vise-Grips or C-clamps holding the outer clamp in place around the circumference of the knuckle, so that I could tighten the clamp with the screwdriver, but not sure if that is realistic...

Oh, I did a search on this topic - I found tips for the solid, non-zippered boot, but not the zippered one. I am not disassembling the entire hub to get this on.

 

[Heavysteven]

It took me, my dad and brother inlaw to hold and tighten the new ones on.

Wish I could be more help but we tried to do it with two guys and it kept coming off.

 

[jasonjc]

I do them by myself. They HAVE TOO BE CLEAN no grease. You need to clean all of it frist befor you try to put it on. Thats all the more I can tell you.

 

[topo]

I cleaned off all the surfaces and used some rubber cement to help hold it together next time I will try weather stripping adhesive it should hold better then the rubber cement . kenny

 

[WillWagner]

ABSOLUTLY clean and dry, no nothing on them. It's a PITA to do by yourself but it can be done. I try to get Jake to help. When you're done with them, come do mine...just 1

 

[maddawg308]

Just a question - why must it be completely degreased and dry? They are going to be refilled with more grease, what's the hurt in having the parts semi-greasy already?

 

[tractorpuller1]

I used brake cleaner on a rag. All steel is wiped down then dried off. Then the new boot will stay put. Did mine in one hour. They are still in place and tight.

 

[Floridianson]

Clean yes and most of the bolts are to short. Get longer and just hold the ring with needle nose. No problems here by my self.

 

[clinto]

Ok, here's the trick:

I too, no matter how hard I tried, couldn't keep the ring and groove and boot grease free. This is just one of those jobs where you will end up with grease everywhere.

After the inner is on, I pull the outer part of the boot on as best as I can. Start tightening the clamp. As the boot slips out from under, I push it back in with some kind of a tool with a blunt end (like a worn out flat blade screwdriver).

Basically, as you tighten the clamp, it tries to squeeze the boot out. Keep sticking it back under the clamp and slowly tightening. Eventually, the ring will be tight enough that the boot can't slip out from under it.

It took me a few of these to figure this out. Now that I know this, I am not wasting my time trying to keep everything spotlessly grease free and I can do a boot in 10 minutes or so.

That being said, the groove for the boot and clamp does have to be clean.

 

[Floridianson]

Ok, here's the trick:

I too, no matter how hard I tried, couldn't keep the ring and groove and boot grease free. This is just one of those jobs where you will end up with grease everywhere.

After the inner is on, I pull the outer part of the boot on as best as I can. Start tightening the clamp. As the boot slips out from under, I push it back in with some kind of a tool with a blunt end (like a worn out flat blade screwdriver).

Basically, as you tighten the clamp, it tries to squeeze the boot out. Keep sticking it back under the clamp and slowly tightening. Eventually, the ring will be tight enough that the boot can't slip out from under it.

It took me a few of these to figure this out. Now that I know this, I am not wasting my time trying to keep everything spotlessly grease free and I can do a boot in 10 minutes or so.

That being said, the groove for the boot and clamp does have to be clean.

I still trying to understand why there is grease anywhere at this stage. Everything should have been cleaned . Grease is not needed in the knuckle unless you have the old style axle joints and I have not seen one yet.

 

[bassetdeuce]

I still trying to understand why there is grease anywhere at this stage. Everything should have been cleaned . Grease is not needed in the knuckle unless you have the old style axle joints and I have not seen one yet.

Besides, if you have weepy front axle seals like I do, the knuckles are probably plenty lubed.

 

[badgmc56]

I did the boots twice on my truck. The first ones I did by myself in no time at all and lasted only a couple of months. The rubber was very soft so it made them easy to put on. The second set I bought from another company and the rubber was better quality. I could not get those on without a little help from my son. So I think it depends on what quality boots you buy weather you need help or not.

 

[Floridianson]

Or maybe how many beers? Two ways of doing it when you have the whole knuckle apart or you just doing boot! Just doing boot is harder.

 

[Floridianson]

Just one more thing to add then I might shut up. If you carry no grease in the knuckle and you find that you night have taken on water then just drop one of the four lower cap bolts and if there is water there it will drain out.

 

[AceHigh]

I have only done one, a yellow silicone boot, and it was not a problem. It was clean but after reading the problems I was worried, but it went on just fine.

 

[gringeltaube]

I still trying to understand why there is grease anywhere at this stage. Everything should have been cleaned . Grease is not needed in the knuckle unless you have the old style axle joints and I have not seen one yet.

Zippered or not, grease helps seating /distributing the outer rubber lipp evenly around - and fully down into the knuckle's groove for better sealing and also prevents later rust building from moisture trapped. Also the clamp must be able to slip in the boot's groove. If installed dry the outer boot lip tends to concentrate and wrinkle under the clamp ends once you start tightening, leaving an open gap there.
Some brands are really tough to get installed correctly... Clinto's procedure is what I found to work best (for us two-handed.... )

G.

 

[M543A2]

I got totally frustrated trying to put some on. Slipping all over the place like is described. Can't completely clean the grease because it kept creeping out. I finally got a needle and heavy thread, proceeded to stitch the round clamp to the boot crease in about six places. I put RTV sealant on the stitches for sealing, let it set up, then proceeded to put the boots on with no problem.

Regards Marti

 

[ARYankee]

I followed banshee's step x step post but I too found the zipper a pita. I ended up doing it all by myself. I do agree about having it clean. I used a little bit of silicone type sealant on the groove it sits in along with putting it on the zipper. I ended up using some channel locks to bring the ends together. I watched the seal while doing that. I did have part of it slip out but I used a blunt ended flathead screw driver to slide it back in place.

 

[maddawg308]

Thanks to all those who gave some tips and tricks - I did what you all said, took everything apart and degreased everything I had to work with, with brake cleaner, then tried it again. While I wouldn't say it was easy, it was a lot EASIER. The boots are on peecook's truck and everything is 100%.

 

[wsucougarx]

I've done this task once. I tighened my ring little by little to the point where I was actually feeding the boot under the clamp. This positive pressure on the clamp helped to keep the boot from scooting out. At about midpoint I ended up having to loosen the clamp to free up a little space so I could continue feeding the boot under the clamp.