Don't throw stones - Can you paint shock boots?
 

I ordered some skyjacker rear shocks and them come with red boots. I was going to order some black ones but the place I ordered them from wanted 8-11 bucks for them.

My question is: Do you think if I rough up the plastic and paint them with black plastic paint they would last?

hmm... i couldnt imagine talking my self into do this...it just plays out weird in my head...i guess you could paint them if theres going to be alot of move ment in them i doubt it would last.......

BUT... there might also be another choice... there is a way you could probably dye them.. i had had a dashboard dyed for my chevelle back in the day... and it looked great... you might try googling dyed plastics ...or something along them lines......

Yeah I know it's a weird thought and a buddy of mine explained to me how stupid the idea was but I was to cheap to order $11 boots (each).

Save some cash buy the color you want. You'll be much happier in the long run. Or better yet, don't run any shock boots at all, they trap moisture and can lead to rust problems sooner.

I would think that the time and $$ that you spend getting the paint, prepping, etc, would wind up being about the same as spending the $22, right?

...and that is what my buddy said, exactly to the T. Oddly enough I thought he might be wrong. I mean if you think about it, the boots claim to do the opposite.


@ camstng66 - Nah, I already have plastic paint, a ton of it and plenty of sandpaper.

They claim the opposite because they make money off of them because people think they look cool.
I see them and I think "poser", but thats just me.

i got mine for like a little under 6 bucks. ^^^ why do you think poser when you see them they come on the shocks

They do nothing for the performance of the shock, they are purely for looks. All they do is trap moisture. Why put bright colors under your truck if it isnt to draw attention to the fancy new parts. Ever wonder why they come with the shocks and suspension systems? Its to draw attention to their product.

you said they trap moisture but that's the exact reason why they sell them. to keep moisture out. mine seem to do that job, when i took my old ripped ones off my shocks looked brand new underneath.

oh and the rear shocks from my lift don't have the companies name on them anywhere so they don't use them to draw attention to their product.

x2... if they wanted to attracked attention they'd have leds in them...(im going to patend that)....

theres not many companys make parts that are made without trying to bring more attention to there product... and why wouldnt you want someone noticing there products??

Edit to keep the peace.

You're right, those boots are fantastic and they look totally cool.

to the OP you can get them from summit online for like 6 bucks for a pair.

oh and to rayh they are advertised to keep dirt/mud/sand/etc. out of your shock and away from the moving parts in your shock and they do that perfectly. that is their purpose and they do it. no arguing against it.

lol why thank you for the compliment in your previously edited comment but im intrested in what you had to say. it's just the internet, im a big boy, i can take it. haha

hahahahahaha, Now you know ray h ain't got the balls to step up. He's as yellow as yellow can be....hahahahahaha


I'm only starting trouble.

Hey ray h, I'm not trying to say anything but if I were you I wouldn't allow dilloncawthon to talk to me that way. I'm just saying....hahahhaha


GUYS GUYS GUYS...were talking about freakin boots and if they can be F**KING painted. Hi remember me, the OP who asked the question. This thread ended up being like an argument between my wife and I. It starts on one thing but before you know it you have no idea what the original topic was in the first place.

i can solve this....... one side of the paint the shock boots...
on the other side of the truck...."free ball" it... run it with no shock boots..... 6months post your finding....

COME ON....take one for the team... its science ...haha

Hey since you have the paint and prep stuff, can you come out to Kalifornia and paint my new light covers??? Black lights and they give me white covers....

I know there is no reason to argue because you will do and believe what you want. Just understand that Im not by myself in the off roading community. A short search came up with a few people who feel the same. I could find more but its really not worth it to me, which is why I was just going to let it go. It certainly wasnt because I couldnt defend my position.
Look at "to boot or not to boot" 3/4 way down the page
http://www.4x4review.com/Features/Te...7/Default.aspx

About 2/3 of the way down under "facts, myths and misconceptions"
http://www.off-road.com/trucks4x4/ar....jsp?id=275105

Toward the bottom of the page: "Shock boots, yes or no"
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech...ght_Shocks.htm

Theres nothing I can do about being retarded. There is something I can do about whether or not I win. No shame in being a retarded winner, it beats being a loser (retarded or not).

and i could search the net and find just as many stating the exact opposite. i have had shock boots on my rear shocks for about 50k miles and i go mudding at least twice a month. i compete in county mud bogs and have several local deep mud holes that i go to. when i took my old shock boots off to put my new ones on underneath them was spotless. it was cleaner than anything on my truck not a piece of dirt. that to me proves that they do their job of keeping out dust,dirt,mud,etc. also their is no rust in them and has never had water in them. the bottom of the boots is a tight fit on the shock it self then a thick ziptie is put around it and it makes a water tight seal even though it doesn't need to be water tight because no water ever gets as high as the boots. i say they work.

Wow dude you take everything personally. You should really learn to take it easy oh and before you start growing tits, because you're starting to act like every woman I know, it's OK to just voice your opinion. Doing so does NOT make you RIGHT or WRONG.

There is no such thing in this world.


Now considering "I'm" the one who started the thread, I recieved all the input I need and have made my own personal decision. So in closing, thank you everyone for all the valid points.

Ok, just for fun, lets see them. Its only fair, I took about 10 minutes of my life to make my point. No using resources that are in the business of selling you boots.

And more:
Here is an off road racing crew that mounts the shocks upside down and cuts the bottom of the boot off to allow debris to escape.
Half way down the page:
http://performanceunlimited.com/illu...ancho9000.html

No harm done, Im just being sarcastic and Im bored (actually Ive brought work home that Im trying to avoid doing). I dont expect that my internet aquantances actually care what I think so Im basically just amusing myself at this point.

ok i found many threads of some people that say put them on and some say put them off. all of the people that say put them off have no story of a shock actually corroding or getting dirt in it or busting a seal they just say that it will happen.

do you have any actual experience with shock boots or without them? what about mine that i've had on there for 50k miles and my shock shafts look brand new? and i can guarantee that mine are water tight so that means no mud or dirt could even get in mine and if installed properly other peoples should be too. plus the only water or mud that hits them would have to be slung on them because the truck would be stuck or shut off long before any water or mud reached the shock boots.

oh and i go through things like this: those pics are just from 3 times in the mud. i've been countless more through the same stuff and my shock shafts under the shock boots are spotless.
http://www.f150online.com/forums/mem...re29669-38.jpg
http://www.f150online.com/forums/mem...ure16479-a.jpg
http://www.f150online.com/forums/mem...ure21067-a.jpg
http://www.f150online.com/forums/mem...-aftermath.jpg

Not to join the debate, but we do offer shocks boots as an option to our shocks - designed for 2 3/8" bodies. 3.50/pc

http://zoneoffroad.com/product-shocks?ki=82

bond to plastic krylon paint works very well on my interior plastics never tried it on smooth plastic but should work pretty good but shock boots are cheaper than your time and supplies