Boot the OME strut

Maximum Carnage · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 11:39 am

So I finally installed my lift. I like many others did not put the boot on the struts. My cousin was helping me install it, everything went well but he kept telling me that I HAD to put the boot on the strut. I told him about this site and that I have not heard of anyone putting it on due to some rubbing/noise. He kept telling me about the dirt and possibly of moister, water, mud, ect, ect…When we were compressing the springs he again asked are you sure? Last chance. At this time he got me thinking but I still followed my fellow L.O.S.T. members and didn't put the boot on. Has anyone had any problems with their struts due to possibly not installing the boot? How about the longevity of the strut?
Picture below of the strut and the "boot" next to it.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 12:10 pm

Mine have them and Ive never heard any noises. I would rather have them to keep all the mud off the shock.. Most people do no put them on and Ive never heard of any thing bad happening.

elephantrider · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 1:08 pm

i have the same struts, didnt put the boot on, and have had no issues whatsoever.
most of the guys ive wheeled with do without the boot.

never heard anything bad...

Jeger · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 1:11 pm

I dont know about noises. But generally speaking boots are okay to put on.....UNTIL they get ripped, split or otherwise compromised, then they become perfect container to hold IN dirt, and moisture, or rocks etc. Then they are very bad. Unless you feel like inspecting them often like I'm sure jeepjeepster does I would just leave them off.

Endurance · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 1:46 pm

I dont really understand how that strut is working. Where does the spring rest on? The stock strut has a ring/plate/washer type looking on the bottom where the spring isolator and spring sit on.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 2:16 pm

Endurance wrote:

I dont really understand how that strut is working. Where does the spring rest on? The stock strut has a ring/plate/washer type looking on the bottom where the spring isolator and spring sit on.

Hes not put the plate on yet.

steepcreekfreak · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 5:18 pm

I put the boot on. Couldn't hurt. I think it does rattle around inside the coils a little. Other than that no problems. I live is saltsville, aka Ohio. I guess they figure cause they have so much under the lake that they need to spreed it graciously and thickly over the roads. I do not want that crap around the seals on the strut. Hence boot on. Peace of mind. I need that.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 6:09 pm

Leave boot off
more harm than good
mud can get in places that you cant clean ,like under that boot, then when all you do is drive on paved roads for a long time the piston may become dirty ir pited and that can cause problems

I live in south Louisiana and no boots for 4-6 months and no problems yet

csukoh78 · **Joined:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:34 pm **Posts:** 501

Leave the boot OFF!!!!! :shock:

This thing has a brass plate up top which will strip, then that boot moves like nobody's business, making noises that made me want to rip them out of my jeep. Taking them off is the best thing I did with that suspension. No problems, and you can easily clean them as opposed to keeping the boot on and having stuff cake up inside, doing far more damage. Just my Buck oh 5.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 8:48 pm

My KJ is wearing the boots on Rusty's Struts....over two years and no problems.

lilmatty · **Posted:** Tue May 08, 2007 8:49 pm

No boot. No problems after 35,000 miles.

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Wed May 09, 2007 9:41 am

I have the boots on. They don't rattle but they do squeak off-road. I think. Could be the sway-bar, also. If I go out to the ORV park this weekend and it's not soaking wet again, I plan on disco'ing so I'll figure out which it is. Not that it really bothers me, though. Squeaks are a lot easier to deal with than clunks.

Boot the OME strut

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