How long do those split boots last? Have you used them yourself? If so, when how long have they been in use?

Dorman makes one that they sell in local stores.

BTW, first link did not open.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

Here's the fixed link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuEgTqUCBDI

Have not used it myself but have read about a hundred comments which range from "Failed right when I first drove off" to "Has been on 5 years, still good when I sold the car"

Like anything it probably has more to do with how well you execute the install - follow instructions to the t and cleanliness is godliness and all the rest of it rather than the quality of the product or concept.

Though I'd definitely choose the single glue joint over the one where you have 2 halves requiring 2 glue joints.

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'83 SD, 2x '85 SD
You are entitled to your own opinions, you are not entitled to your own facts.

That record doesn't compare too well with originals still good after 48 years on my 107 and 35 yrs on 123 (not split, but just replaced with new axles)

The new GSP axles cost US47 each and that includes two new boots! Don't know what those Bailcast sticky boots would cost in USA, but maybe saving would not be significant considering fix is kind of temporary.

I do want to reboot my old homokinetic axles, but given the work to R&R, I think stretch boots might be a better bet. This even although my old axles are out. Can't see doing that stickyboot install on car without hoist.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

If you manage to seal them properly they're O.K., not great .

The deal is : the seam must be cleaner than a heart surgery O.R. or they'll leak and fail and getting the sufficient amount of grease inside and still not fouling the seam is difficult and maddening, you only get one chance .

I avoid these things like the plague .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Well, folks haven't exactly been carrying on internet fora threads for the last 35 to 48 years on a topic so a bit hard to get records to compare let alone compare well

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'83 SD, 2x '85 SD
You are entitled to your own opinions, you are not entitled to your own facts.

I can see how these wouldn't work out for you since you're putting the grease in before gluing the seam...What concern would there be with getting grease on the seam ( grease is expected everywhere) after it's been glued...

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'83 SD, 2x '85 SD
You are entitled to your own opinions, you are not entitled to your own facts.

I throught about that .

You need the grease to be mushed in between the ball bearings, races and cages, not simply filling up the boot out side the joint with a grease needle after gluing a clean boot to a clean axle....

At first I was thinking of using a needle to fill the boots with gear oil after gluing, that might work .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Don't know what you said, but we don't need internet records if boots are still on car after 35-48 years

Re grease - The joint is packed with grease before a boot of any kind is installed. Then additional grease is added when the boot is in place but not yet clamped. I think that is what Nate said too.

But these are our personal cars - we use what ever turns our cranks.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

again for the cans (85' 300TD), I used dorman 614001 for all 4. They can be had at rackauto or advancd (w/ 25%off code) for about 15bucks each.
I got the black transmission funnel from HF, cut the snout and smoothed the edges. Put the axle, straight up, in a vice on the ground or whatever that will hold where the cone is about waist high so I could push straight down using my weight.
Grease the funnel, then wash the grease off your hands
Put the boot in hot water to get it extra pliable.
With clean hands, and some cloth for extra grip if you need it, hold the base of the boot and walk over to axle and push it (hard) straight down the cone.
It has to go on fast. The boot super-stretches for just a moment, and it's on.
Leverage, good grip, warm boot, and a proper greased cone is all you need.

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1985 300TD 1981 Scirocco 1.6D conv 1986 Golf 1.6D 2003 Golf TDI

That’s great you got them on using the funnel. I tried that and I just didn’t have the muscle or finesse to pull it off.

Dorman tried to make good on my 614001 disaster (splitting boots on Dorman Pneumatic expander) and they sent me ten boots free. Apparently they were having a big problem a couple of years back when I posted about this several pages up.

Oreilly clerks said they were coming back as fast as they could sell them. By the time the 614001 replacements came in I’d already mounted my Astorias. I have a big pile of the 614001 now. I guess I’ll just have to get another Benz!

I used the Dormans on my 300sd and 240d and had great results. Somehow there was some kind of a snafu in their Chinese plant. It doesn’t take much of a Knick or a bubble in the boot to make it tear open during expansion.

I imagine they fixed the problem by now.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

After 5 years of use the Dorman's started cracking in the small end clamping area.
I don't have the car here to look and can't remember if I just overlaid them with silicon sealant or replaced them.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I 'member seeing a thread where someone successfully used silicone to repair and reinforce a cracked boot(s). There are some great polyurethane caulks today, too, but those generally take a long time to cure.
The thing about our RWD boots is they don't have to flex much.
One of my CV's w/ torn boot (hermetic) actually was clicking on turns. After cleaning it out and putting in moly grease w/ a new boot, it has never clicked again.

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1985 300TD 1981 Scirocco 1.6D conv 1986 Golf 1.6D 2003 Golf TDI

I posted for a few years about how my boots were holding up after coating them with 3M 5200. A marine polyurethane adhesive/sealant that is very tenacious. The standard type does take a while to cure, so I had to leave car jacked up and rotate the wheels every 1/2 to 1 hr until the sealant had firmed up. They also make a fast cure version, and that might be a better choice. Like every coating, preparation is the key. Wash, degrease, abrade with wire brush, clean with acetone. Then coat.

After 3 years the areas I coated were still good, but some new cracks had appeared in untreated areas. I decided to install new GSP axles - At about US$47 each, they are cheaper than re-booting. The boots they come with "look" like the OE boots and are quite substantial, but no doubt are Chinese knock-offs.

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Graham
85 300D,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5

Hey now there’s a thought. I just used some black loctite PU roof flashing cement on a shoe repair. It was super sticky and very flexible rubber when cured. And it took forever to cure...like five days. Smelled like chocolate cake all that time.

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79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

Polyurethane is also what they use for surfing leashes. Stretches, hard to break.


I used that loctite PU roofing stuff to seal off my sunroof, gave up on it. It does smell like weird imitation chocolate for days.

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1985 300TD 1981 Scirocco 1.6D conv 1986 Golf 1.6D 2003 Golf TDI