Hotchkis Adjustable Strut Rod Boots

[Toxic Orange 493]

Has anyone that installed the Hotchkis adjustable strut rods used the boots that they offer for covering the Heim Joint? I got a set with my strut rods. I know they are made to be tight around the threads of the Heim Joint and bolt securing it, but I don't think I could stretch them enough to go over the Heim Joint and not rip them while doing so. Has anyone actually installed these?

Thanks in advance!

 

[68Moparmaniac]

Soak in hot assed water then WD-40 the inside and have at it...
Brute strength and shear stupidity is the call here.

 

[Toxic Orange 493]

Soak in hot assed water then WD-40 the inside and have at it...
Brute strength and shear stupidity is the call here.

Awesome...sounds like it will be a fun time just as I thought

 

[steve340]

There are special greases for rubber that may help. I have one for assembling rubber brake parts and I have used that a few times on suspension rubbers.
It does make holding things a little tricky - your fingers get covered in the stuff.

 

[SureGrip]

Soak in hot assed water then WD-40 the inside and have at it...
Brute strength and shear stupidity is the call here.

:hold my beer:

LOL!

 

[Jonas Nordstrom]

Yes, i installed them without any lube. Put the threaded heim part through one of the holes where the bolt goes and then through the hole for the threaded part, then taped some pliers with duct tape for protection, turned the boot 90 deg on the heim joint and pulled the rubber boot (the side with most rubber.) over the polished heim surface.

 

[Toxic Orange 493]

Soak in hot assed water then WD-40 the inside and have at it...
Brute strength and shear stupidity is the call here.

I decided to attempt them today since I had some help from my brother. I put the boots out in the sun for a couple hours to let them soften up get nice and hot. Thank you for the idea of getting them hot!

Yes, i installed them without any lube. Put the threaded heim part through one of the holes where the bolt goes and then through the hole for the threaded part, then taped some pliers with duct tape for protection, turned the boot 90 deg on the heim joint and pulled the rubber boot (the side with most rubber.) over the polished heim surface.

After I let them sit in the sun for a few hours. I did exactly as you said slipped the threaded part through the hole for the bolt and then was able to easily slip them over the heim joint. Thank you also for this suggestion.

It actually was not that hard at all with my brother helping me. In about 15 minutes we had both strut rods apart, boots installed and the strut rods back together.

 

[Toxic Orange 493]

Do anyone know what the bolt through the heim joint should get torqued to? I didn't see any information in the Hotchkis instructions.

 

[blue69runner]

Sound's like replacing the bushing's on a front sway bar. Lot's of fun. My strut's did not come with that cover. where did you get them.

 

[Toxic Orange 493]

Sound's like replacing the bushing's on a front sway bar. Lot's of fun. My strut's did not come with that cover. where did you get them.

Hotchkis sells them separate from the strut rods for only $17. I got mine through Summit when I ordered the strut rods.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hss-14366-bk

For the couple dollars they cost, and how expensive the strut rods are, I don't know why they don't just include them with the adjustable strut rods.

 

[blue69runner]

Thanks I did not get the boot with my set. Have you run these before. I had a heck of a time tightening the bolt at the K member. Was not a lot of room.

 

[Toxic Orange 493]

No, I have not run them before. I still have a long way to go before I will be driving the car. I am currently trying to get the entire front suspension back together so I can put the car back on the ground and move on some other stuff.