Tie rod boots

UglyDuck

UglyDuck

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2021
Messages
404
Location
Goodyear AZ
So last year I replaced my steering components (Crown /RT off road, heavy duty steering).
Very happy with the results.

Currently rebuilding my front axle and it’s all apart.
I noticed the dust boots have taken already started to crack and deteriorate. Not surprised being their plain rubber and under constant stress.

Here’s the question(s) I have: (correct me if I’m wrong)
I suspect this is a rare instance where a polyurethane option is better than rubber.
That said, which ones are recommended?
Also, the tie rod ends are easy because they just slip on/off. (Driver side tie rod and pitman arm location)

There are two more on the passenger side that don’t appear to be the same though. Are these replaceable as well? (Drag link to tie rod and tie rod to steering knuckle).
They don’t seem to be cracking now but since it’s all apart, I’d rather do them all at once if able.

It’s sort of crazy to see how smashed down these boots get right away from normal installation.

Any and all help much appreciated, as always.
TIA

BD6988A9-4E94-459F-B3BA-E174E40A7887.jpeg
 
I'm at the same spot with tie rod dust boots (although my garage floor certainly doesn't look like yours :) ). I did a ZJ tierod conversion 3 months ago, with Moog parts. I now have two tie rod ends where the bolt taper goes in too far. The cotter pin is within the castellations on the nut, but just barely, and the dust boots are smashed more than they should be. I expect those two tie rod end boots to split. But surprisingly, the first one to split was on the lower drag link end, a not-smashed dust boot. I found a sharp casting ridge on the drag link, which might have started the split, and filed it down. But now I need to get replacement boots, and probably will again in the future. Do yours look like this?

Smashed_Seal.jpg


Split_Seal_01.jpg
 
I've had this happen every now and again, where the hole will sit above the embrasures*. Will throw a grade 8 washer in there, seems to do the trick w/o issue. It's weird though...I've replaced tie rod ends multiple times, and this last time I had washers from the previous install but didn't need them on the current install.

* yeah, I said embrasures. I had to google it.
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/38080/what-is-the-name-of-this-castle-part
 
OldBuzzard said:
I'm at the same spot with tie rod dust boots (although my garage floor certainly doesn't look like yours :) ). I did a ZJ tierod conversion 3 months ago, with Moog parts. I now have two tie rod ends where the bolt taper goes in too far. The cotter pin is within the castellations on the nut, but just barely, and the dust boots are smashed more than they should be. I expect those two tie rod end boots to split. But surprisingly, the first one to split was on the lower drag link end, a not-smashed dust boot. I found a sharp casting ridge on the drag link, which might have started the split, and filed it down. But now I need to get replacement boots, and probably will again in the future. Do yours look like this?

View attachment 381358

View attachment 381359
Click to expand...

Ya pretty much
 
hear said:
I've had this happen every now and again. Will throw a grade 8 washer in there, seems to do the trick w/o issue. It's weird though...I've replaced tie rod ends multiple times, and this last time I had washers from the previous install but didn't need them on the current install.
Click to expand...

Washers under nut or on tapered shaft? I’d never think to use washers on tapered shaft…
 
hear said:
Under the nut.
Click to expand...

That fixes the cotter pin problem, if it's sitting above the nut. But the smashed dust boot problem remains.

I have a couple of Prothane 19-1714 boots ordered. I don't even know if they'll fit, but they were the only ones even close, on this list:
https://www.suspension.com/universal-dust-boots.asp

With UglyDuck, I'm wondering if these will fare better than the Moog rubber(ish) ones.
 
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