To Seal or not to Seal??? (Axle Boots)

[Veefan]

Replacing my axle boots, do most guys use sealer on the bolt seam??? What type of sealer is best?

[clubford00]

You shouldnt have to use sealant if you use new boots and nuts and bolts. I also dont ever put the seam at the bottom. I put mine just a little up from horizontal with the seam facing to the rear. Make sure your axle tube is clean and in the horizontal position when you start. Put the boot on and make sure it is together with the rubber male part into the female grove part on its other side. You might need to start all the bolts to keep it in place. Make sure you have a little washer on the head and the nut side!. once they are all started and you have the large side over the flange on the tube, tighten the large hose clamp so that it holds everything in the proper position. Then go ahead and tighten all the little nuts and bolts then the small hose clamp. then go back and tighten the large clamp all the way. (pretty tight) You dont need to tighten the little nuts and bolts so much that the boot starts to open up the seam again. Just a little squish is what your looking for. tada all done. Have fun, and dont drop any of the little washers they have a tendancy to roll copletely out of your garage and fall into the black hole of hell never to be heard from again!

[Veefan]

Thanks clubford!!!! All done... so those little washers are even harder to find when you're doing it in the dark with a spot light in the driveway! I was changing them because the boots had oil/grease on them, it was actually from holes on the tops of both boots. They sit real close to the header tubes, and even with heat wrap on them they developed small holes.

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[brian]

Make sure the joint of the hose clamp is on the seam of the boot. Thaat way the hose clamp will close the boot tightly.