does any company make a spray or an oil type conditioner that one can spray or rub on the cv boots to make them last longer?...like something that conditions the rubber to prolong cracking?...sorry if this has been discussed before!!...thanks

 

I've never seen a product marketed for it, but I have often thought of using silicone spray.

 

I wouldnt think so. If you really want to try though, you could wash them off and put armor all or something on it. But you would have to do that probably every two weeks, and theres no guarantee. Really, it's more work than what it's worth. The cv boots were made to take abuse over the years, so they should last around 10 years or so without any help.


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i know some people put silicone spray on them, but i was told its a myth. nothing you can really do to substantially increase their life

 

Armorall deteriorates rubber and should not even be put on tires.

 

Ive been using silicone spray for years without a problem, boots on my lowered car has 2.5 years and still going. An old time Jamaican tech I know that had worked on Toyota and Nissans for about 30 years told me that, and it works very damn well.

 

really the best thing to do is just to probably keep them clean.. any type of lube usually with just dry out the rubber if you dont constantly keep applying it.. another problem is that anything that lease a residue will promote sand and grit adhesion. all that will do is act like sandpaper over time and increase friction.. im not speaking from experience, but if you were to apply anything to them at all, i think your best bet might just be a degreaser from time to time and keep them clean.

i have heard of people using olive oil to condition rubber, but again - not for stuff on a car. you wouldnt put any of this stuff on your hoses, so i would stay away from the cv boots.. its a moving part - no matter what it will wear out, and honestly the things last years as it is.. i would think lowering the car would only help as your reducing the difference in angle from one shaft to the next. smaller difference in angle = less distance the bellow is moving back and forth. less travel would only mean less wear, although im sure the real world effects are minimal..

ive had this car for a LONG time - and MAYBE ive had to change them once or twice as it is..

 

they sell rubber conditioner but I dont know how well it would hold up under the car. Any product will eventually wear away. I inspect them and if they are bad I replace them. Already have too much maintenance to worry even a little about conditioning by CV boots

 

Silicone spray is advised for all soft rubber and it is not a myth. Even if your windows take some time to go up, they advise using silicone spray in the rubber on either end of the glass and you will notice the difference right away. Its a lubricant for the rubber.

 

most silicone sprays contain very little silicone. they are mostly oils, and the silicone is just a marketing tool. regardless of if you apply something or not, this is not like conditioning a dashboard or some hoses. these are moving parts that will wear out no matter what you do. you cannot compare people's experience's at face value. environment, weather, driving habits will all contribute.. of course the guy that spent 15 years driving on the highway will have rubber boots that outlasted the guy doing all city driving.

this question is impossible to answer - its all speculation anyway.. did the guys boots last 15 years cause he conditions them twice a year with silicone, or was it because he cleaned them before applying it? did the other guys crack cause he didnt do anything to them, or cause they were just a 10 year old piece of rubber that finally wore out?

really - if the boots last 8-10 years under normal service is there really a need to change anything? usually you dont hear about people having boots that old anyway cause the axles wont even last that long.

 

axles are different than windows though, axles are exposed to the elements constantly. silicone spray will hardly extend their life, and for the time it take to replace a axle every 5+ years its not worth it

 

Well I was changing aftermarket axles too much because of the cv boots being made out of crappy rubber that I bought the OEM CV boot kit and replaced all 4 of mine and it has been very clean thus far with not a single leak of grease. You can tell the difference in quality of rubber though.

 

cv boot repair kit at pepoys is $25. complete passanger side axle after core is $50.. that should tell ya something