Pros and Cons of zipper boots

[my blood flows OD]

I replaced the ones in my bobbed deuce. I used non zipper. It wasn't at all a complicated job just a lot of heavy parts.14.00's on mraps with adapter plate to start. I used the standard rubber type from Boyce. I put 6k miles on in the 18 mos. that followed with no issues and then sold the truck.

 

[aleigh]

You could always prototype?

Does someone have an extra one to donate to the cause? Maybe Rusty will let me take a look at his truck and I could try to make up a set for him to try.

 

[rustystud]

Does someone have an extra one to donate to the cause? Maybe Rusty will let me take a look at his truck and I could try to make up a set for him to try.

Your more then welcome to come on over !

 

[rustystud]

I've never seen any of these in person but from the pictures I've seen on the Internet and given that they were originally coated leather I wonder if they could be made from heavy Cordura or one of the other ballistics. The abrasion resistance of that material is good, and it's waterproof / greaseproof. Could be doubled or tripled or backed with tarp if it needs foundation. Temperature resistance would be poor with Cordura though. I sew heavy things for other projects and these don't look that complicated but I am mostly just wondering out loud.

I still think silicone is the way to go. It just needs to be made from a heavier grade then the ones on the market now. Though a Kevlar material with a silicone layer might just be the ticket. Keep the silicone layer on the inside and the stronger Kevlar material on the outside.

 

[Nomad1]

Has any body found a current source that makes a high quality boot?

 

[cattlerepairman]

Has any body found a current source that makes a high quality boot?

Searching is your friend: https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?134421-Who-makes-the-best-hub-boot/page7

 

[rustystud]

I've never seen any of these in person but from the pictures I've seen on the Internet and given that they were originally coated leather I wonder if they could be made from heavy Cordura or one of the other ballistics. The abrasion resistance of that material is good, and it's waterproof / greaseproof. Could be doubled or tripled or backed with tarp if it needs foundation. Temperature resistance would be poor with Cordura though. I sew heavy things for other projects and these don't look that complicated but I am mostly just wondering out loud.

Hey I was wondering if you tried to make up some boots ? I truly think that idea of making them out of a 1000 Denier Cordura would be a fantastic idea ! I would buy a set right now ! In fact I would probably buy three sets from you. Remember temperature is not much of a concern on the axle there. The rubber ones held up OK. So I'm sure Cordura would work just fine there to.

 

[Jbulach]

Hey I was wondering if you tried to make up some boots ? I truly think that idea of making them out of a 1000 Denier Cordura would be a fantastic idea ! I would buy a set right now ! In fact I would probably buy three sets from you. Remember temperature is not much of a concern on the axle there. The rubber ones held up OK. So I'm sure Cordura would work just fine there to.

Be careful before you invest too much without a good test. I don’t think Cordura is water proof. I think they offer some water resistant coatings, but for water proof aplications it’s usually paired with other materials such as Gortex.

 

[aleigh]

Hey I was wondering if you tried to make up some boots ? I truly think that idea of making them out of a 1000 Denier Cordura would be a fantastic idea ! I would buy a set right now ! In fact I would probably buy three sets from you. Remember temperature is not much of a concern on the axle there. The rubber ones held up OK. So I'm sure Cordura would work just fine there to.

jbulach - neither leather or cordua is intrinsically waterproof, despite the adage about cows being waterproof, both require treatments. Treated cordura is waterproof at everyday static pressures, like if you made a bag out of it and filled it, it would work like a canteen. Not all cordura is the same. Another alternative maybe would be truck tarp, which is intrinsically waterproof, but has less abrasion resistance.

In terms of cost, this came up because I have a Juki and sew enough cordura that I have rolls of it laying around. I can sew leather for that matter. Rusty had mentioned the boots were made of leather, which I thought was kind of quaint, and so we were just sort of wondering what alternatives might work. But no I never sewed one up. I don't have a deuce so I've never seen more than a picture of one of these boots.

 

[rustystud]

jbulach - neither leather or cordua is intrinsically waterproof, despite the adage about cows being waterproof, both require treatments. Treated cordura is waterproof at everyday static pressures, like if you made a bag out of it and filled it, it would work like a canteen. Not all cordura is the same. Another alternative maybe would be truck tarp, which is intrinsically waterproof, but has less abrasion resistance.

In terms of cost, this came up because I have a Juki and sew enough cordura that I have rolls of it laying around. I can sew leather for that matter. Rusty had mentioned the boots were made of leather, which I thought was kind of quaint, and so we were just sort of wondering what alternatives might work. But no I never sewed one up. I don't have a deuce so I've never seen more than a picture of one of these boots.

Some of the "early" boots on my 1954 REO's had rubber coated leather. All the boots after have all been rubber I believe.
So "aleigh" , if you had a pattern you could make up some boots out of "Cordura" ?

 

[Floridianson]

My .02 don't replace you boots with leaking or older style axle seal that leaks gear oil into the boot and sits there. Don't fill you knuckle with grease that sits in the boot / knuckle and breaks down the rubber if you have cross style U joints. Don't use any boots made in China.

 

[77 AMG]

Pretty much what I am getting out of this as well. So, those of us that are running the old "ball" style shafts are going to get pretty darn GOOD at doing a "boot job", it seems....

 

[rustystud]

My .02 don't replace you boots with leaking or older style axle seal that leaks gear oil into the boot and sits there. Don't fill you knuckle with grease that sits in the boot / knuckle and breaks down the rubber if you have cross style U joints. Don't use any boots made in China.

Spot on ! Especially the China part !
I only use "Synthetic" grease anymore. It takes a long time before it even starts to think about separating.

 

[RhinoTAC]

So how good is the quality of the eastern surplus zippered boots?

 

[rustystud]

So how good is the quality of the eastern surplus zippered boots?

Never used them, but if there like all the others they are made in china too. Not many OEM boots left anymore. The newer silicone ones are really good. Just be careful as they can rip real easy !

 

[Wolfgang the Gray]

Never used them, but if there like all the others they are made in china too. Not many OEM boots left anymore. The newer silicone ones are really good. Just be careful as they can rip real easy !

Ok, what about this idea? Put the silicone boots on and then put the Chinese rubber ones over that. Silicone boot keeps in the juices and the rubber keeps things that tear away from the silicone.

Any chance that would work?

 

[Menaces Nemesis]

I believe you'd really struggle to get one stretched over the other, let alone lined-up over the grooves well enough to get good contact with the rings. Then, if you had rings large enough, getting the rings over both boots and lined up with the grooves... oh man.
As others have said, keep the grease off of them as best you can. Also, try not to park the truck with the wheels turned to one side or the other, as that will stress the boots and can make them tear in short order.
I still believe boots made of sunbrella/nylon material would be best. Next time I need one replaced, if Bulldogger doesn't beat me to it, I plan on making that happen, as I stated here on 11/16/18; https://www.steelsoldiers.com/showt...ce-this-week&p=2175011&viewfull=1#post2175011

 

[Nomad1]

Also when replace boots make sure to at least put the factory boot gaurds on. There is a company that make a 2 piece gaurd the covers more of the boot.Also proper clamp placement is a must and lock them down!

 

[davidb56]

thats odd to claim grease breaks down the rubber boots, when there is a hundred million axle shafts packed full of grease in most newer automobiles on the road. The life expectancy seems to be around the 5 year range for mine, which considering that they are also rotating too, unlike the deuce. My old Jeep wagoner boots lasted many years too. Must be the cheap chink material used on the deuce now. I switched to silicon boots a week after I bought the truck.

 

[frank8003]

There is, Oh My, 900 places to read about zipper boots.
I did find the TM
I noticed that nomenclature is "dust boots", means no oil or grease and water is suspect but for sure not mud.
So everybody pulls the plug (as in the TM) when greasing the front end so as not to get grease in the dust boots?