Are shock boots needed?
 

Some say it traps dirt, etc. and some it protects shaft. I just put on Bilstien 5100's and can decide whether to keep boot or not! I think the Bilstien 5160's come with out boots as well as Fox shocks. So, keep or remove?

I have Fox Reservoir Shocks, no boots.

I say you trash them... :thumbsup:

I removed mine. Pictures of rusted out shafts were all it took to convince me. The boots that came with my 5100s had breather holes (not sure if they all do), but still just don't like the look, personally.

Yep, that is I was thinking. Think I will remove

I have the 5100's and just removed the boots. Only had them for a month or so and can already see the dirt build up. Glad I took them off.

anyone in an area that uses salt a lot during winter time have any input on the no boots?

We have a lot of salt here in the NE. The shop that installed my lift told me they left them off because of the build up from dirt and salt.

I have hard plastic shields on my shocks. They look like boots, but are hard, and left open around the shock body. All the crap runs out, and the shock piston arm is protected from the massive amounts of road salt spray infused with rocks we have here. When I switch out my stock SS, I am rigging this up as well.

No boots for me either, not only do they trap dirt and moisture they seem to always slip off when you flex out and just hang there no matter how tight you get that zip tie.

For most people's use not needed. In high speed /horsepower scenarios like a koh car many will run to protect the 10s of thousands of dollars of shocks and such. But they also don't just plain Jane rubber boots so to speak.