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View Full Version : Any other good options besides Mecatech?


nfpgasmask
07/21/2011, 10:45 PM
After 100,000 miles, my outer CV boots finally cracked and sprayed grease all over everything.

I'm going to call Indy4x tomorrow, as it seems they are the only ones who can supply the Mecatech boot kits in the US.

My question though, are there any other options that folks have used that seem to last?

Thanks - Bart
Ldub
07/22/2011, 08:35 AM
After 100,000 miles, my outer CV boots finally cracked and sprayed grease all over everything.

I'm going to call Indy4x tomorrow, as it seems they are the only ones who can supply the Mecatech boot kits in the US.

My question though, are there any other options that folks have used that seem to last?

Thanks - Bart

I can't comment on their longevity, as they're still NIB, but I bought a set of 4 that are virtually identical to the mec-a-techs off ebay...under $60 for the set IIRC.

I can't find the source right now as I'm away from home base, but I have it bookmarked back home.
MSHardeman
07/22/2011, 08:49 AM
Bart, I haven't used them, but I've heard that the Mecatech's actually don't last as long as you think they would given their price. Talking to people out in Moab, it sounds like stock Izusu boots, or the AutoZone/Napa/O'reily's replacement boots work just fine and last a long time.

I think Marlin when through a set of Mecatech's fairly quickly and then went back to stock style boots and hasn't had a problem. Hopefully he will chime in to give his opinion.
JHarris1385
07/22/2011, 08:51 AM
I have the PepBoy brand and they have got a good 30-40K on them.
nfpgasmask
07/22/2011, 09:55 AM
OK, thanks guys. I will give the Mecatechs a go and see how they last. The good thing is, I don't do any hard wheeling in my VX too often any more, and after Moab 2012, I will be throwing some ATs on there and she will be even more spoiled than she is now.

Bart
VXorado
07/22/2011, 01:30 PM
All my CV issues (from the haft shaft thread) were caused by brand new mecatech boots ripping the first day in moab. Personally I will never buy mecatech again.
nfpgasmask
07/22/2011, 01:42 PM
All my CV issues (from the haft shaft thread) were caused by brand new mecatech boots ripping the first day in moab. Personally I will never buy mecatech again.

Wow, that sucks. How high are you lifted up front?

Bart
JoFotoz
07/22/2011, 02:25 PM
Hiya Bart

I use Dorman brand..from Auto Zone.

Outer.....# 614-001 Dor

Inner.....# 614-002 Dor

I thrash them pretty hard...and they last well.

Changed my first one in two years at Moab this year.

jo
VXorado
07/22/2011, 07:31 PM
Wow, that sucks. How high are you lifted up front?

Bart

about 2.5" at the time so the CVs had a good angle on them. For the record, I replaced the boots with EMPI brand at the same lift and had no issues with boots tearing. Now I have the diff drop to eliminate the issue all together.
LittleBeast
07/22/2011, 11:24 PM
My mecatech's were MecaCrap. Tore upon instalation.

I use $10 ones from RockAuto.com now, they are awesome :-)
nfpgasmask
07/22/2011, 11:49 PM
Wow, are they really that bad? For $150 is the kit some sort of sham?

WTF? Bart
Gizmo42
08/01/2011, 10:39 AM
I've had Dorman boots on mine since I first bought it in '05. Its been lifted 3" in front all except the first year (about 40k miles on the rodeo since I bought it). I do have manual hubs on mine though so they are only turning in 4wd but you know how often I go wheeling. They also spend quite a bit of time locked in during winter cuz I'm lazy. So far no signs of failure in the near future.
nfpgasmask
08/01/2011, 10:41 AM
Yeah, my Mecatechs came in last Friday. They look at feel ok to me, I tried to pull on them and twist them to see if they would rip and they seemed ok. If all goes well, I am going to install them this weekend. If they rip, they rip, and I will install something different the next time around.

Bart
Ldub
08/01/2011, 05:23 PM
Sorry I wasn't able to get this out in time for you Bart, but near as I can tell, these look JUST like the Mecs...http://cgi.ebay.com/A-L-O-E-Z-Boot-21-3000-Premium-Universal-CV-Boot-Kit-/400181348673?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d2caac941

http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/acebiz/ALO_21-3000_1_EB.jpg

http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/acebiz/ALO_21-3000_3_EB.jpg

If you can take some approx measurements (big end dia, small end dia, & overall height) off the Mecs, I'd be happy to do comparo meas on the ones I received.

If they're the same, $ 50.35 for 4, with grease, clamps & shipping included, is ridiculous...:_wrench:
Marlin
08/02/2011, 11:28 AM
I will never use the mecatechs again. They tore after a few months. The tearing isn't the issue, its how fast they tore, and the fact that they cost 4 times more than other boots!
Now that I have lowered the diff, no worries, I just use the cheapest boots I find, or get em at the yards.
nfpgasmask
08/02/2011, 11:36 AM
Well, they are bought and paid for, so I will give them a try. A lot of you guys are lifted way higher than me, so I wonder if that contributes to some of the failures also.

Its crazy, my factory boots lasted over 100k.

Bart
Marlin
08/02/2011, 12:09 PM
I replaced my OEM boots, I have to assume the originals at 120k miles, no tears. I did it while I had it all apart for the locker install in Jan10.

The mecatechs are that weird sticky rubber, where as the OEMs are a stiffer smooth rubber. Hard to explain, but for those that have handled them, you know what I mean.

I am back at factory height now, it handles offroad far better, and I fit 34s at that height with some pounding and cutting.

Good luck Bart, if you aren't lifted that high, you probably will have no problems!
nfpgasmask
08/02/2011, 12:16 PM
Thanks, I hope they last a few years at least. I don't do that much hard wheeling in the VX anymore, so hopefully that will help as well. Moab 2012 will be the "last hurrah" for my VX hopefully, and then its garage living from there on out!!!

Bart
tom4bren
08/02/2011, 12:18 PM
Still waiting to hear from any who have installed their Super Flexy IFS components as to whether it causes premature boot failure as well.
SilverBullet75
08/02/2011, 04:12 PM
I used Autozone Dorman boots.... broke after 3 wks.
Ldub
09/27/2011, 10:42 PM
I'm gonna weigh in with a few "experience generated insights"

From what I've seen...:_wrench:

It's easy to install mec-a-techs, & other "universal CV boots", improperly...I've done it...:yesgray:

First off, they're longer (from big end-little end),than OEM, & probably aftermarket boots designed to fit our application, that means you should ignore the factory indent on the 1/2 shaft, & go past it, fastening the band closer to the center of the 1/2 shaft.(I'm not sure the ones I bought on ebay would even need a band on the small end, they're TIGHT)

Second, don't "burp" too much air out of them, they will deform & suck into themselves, causing a lot of rubbing on the pleats.
After my latest install, I looked at them a few days later & noticed they were all wonky lookin'...no bueno...:(
I carefully removed the bands from the small end, then moved the small end in from the indent just a bit. They STILL looked all sucked in & stuff, so I stuck a 1/16" pin punch between the shaft & the small end of the boot, & watched as the pleats "re-inflated"...SWEET!

While operating in a vacuum might be a great thing for CV joints in theory, it's not too good for "da boots".

That's my story, & you know how to finish the sentence...:yesgray: