I made up an additional sheet shield for lower control arm and toe link areas

[HOOKED ON GT]

Seems like the total loss of the control arm and toe link boots is due to heat deg.

Now that I'm into doing the replacements and adding Scots suspension soon I wondered if adding an additional shield would keep heat soak much lower then the OEM function and make them last longer??

You think its a go...?

Stu

 

[HOOKED ON GT]

Got some high temp grease and managed to get about 90% to stay in boot. Getting the small ring on is a ball buster.
The smaller of the two rings that came in the replacement pack was never going to fit so used the OEM one.

 

[HOOKED ON GT]

The yellow/gold ring is way bigger then the small fella that was to takes it s place.
Once I got the OEM ring on it clammed back to about its size in the pic

 

[HOOKED ON GT]

Thinking of polishing the OEM plates for more reflectivity...

 

[HOOKED ON GT]

I ditched the stick on reflector and added some spring washers between the custom shield and the OEM one just for more air space and did polish both plates.

I couldn't add an additional (unless I curved the shield) for the lower A arm as the ball end would be almost touching the plate, so a spring washer there gave a few mm more air gap, plus polish.

I'll add photos when I get started on the otherwise today.

Stu

 

[Art138]

Many of the low mileage cars have had boot degradation with little exposure to heat, a lot has to do with lapse of time. BTW, I used a heat gun to get the boots to fit better.

 

[NorthwoodGT]

great idea! Ford actually used to do that on some of the old muscle cars especially where the steering pitman arm and steering links were super close to the exhaust manifolds and failed due to extreme heat.

 

[GT@50]

I think the heat, brake dust and material are the problem. The replacement boots are a different material, probably better, and won't likely have this problem. The rear inner link ends are the same bad material and they don't have the problem, less heat and dust. Other Ford's have this bad material and the same failures. Additional shielding probably wont hurt anything.

 

[HighHP]

Heat, light, oxygen and ozone are damaging to rubber compounds. Additives can delay the inevitable. The OEM rubber must lack typical life extender additives if the boots in parked cars are deterioratong. Apparently, the oxygen alone is attacking the rubber. Ozone is especially bad, so don't spend too much time at high altitude. Electric arcs or plasma arcs produce ozone. It has a distinctive smell that can be very noticable. Once it has been identified to you as ozone, you always will notice it. If your car is parked in a shop with frequent welding, maybe that is accelerating the deterioration???? Of course petroleum products will deteriorate rubber, if the rubber is not made for that use. Hopefully, it is not the grease.

Aging and Oxidation of Elastomers

Abstract. Natural rubber and synthetic elastomers deteriorate on aging as a result of the contribution of a number of factors. It has been generally recognized for many years that the changes in properties on aging are due primarily to the deteriorating effects of one or more of the following...

meridian.allenpress.com

 

[PeteK]

Those boots deteriorate over time regardless of use. Poor material specification. I have boots on ball joints, tie rod ends, CV joints, etc on other cars that are 40 years old and still holding grease. Hopefully the replacements last longer.

 

[HighHP]

I think PeteK has provided most probable explanation (In total).

 

[HOOKED ON GT]

Heat, light, oxygen and ozone are damaging to rubber compounds. Additives can delay the inevitable. The OEM rubber must lack typical life extender additives if the boots in parked cars are deterioratong. Apparently, the oxygen alone is attacking the rubber. Ozone is especially bad, so don't spend too much time at high altitude. Electric arcs or plasma arcs produce ozone. It has a distinctive smell that can be very noticable. Once it has been identified to you as ozone, you always will notice it. If your car is parked in a shop with frequent welding, maybe that is accelerating the deterioration???? Of course petroleum products will deteriorate rubber, if the rubber is not made for that use. Hopefully, it is not the grease.

Aging and Oxidation of Elastomers

Abstract. Natural rubber and synthetic elastomers deteriorate on aging as a result of the contribution of a number of factors. It has been generally recognized for many years that the changes in properties on aging are due primarily to the deteriorating effects of one or more of the following...

meridian.allenpress.com

Very interesting..... I found this on the poly boots web site.
Says "excellent" resistance to ozone.

Polyurethane Dust Boots

Ball joint boot, Dust Boots Manufacture, Tie Rod End Boot, CV Joint Boots, Replacement Polyurethane Boots for Standard and Heavy-duty...

polyboots.com

 

[MTV8]

Those boots deteriorate over time regardless of use.

This is correct. I have a brand new set of control arms that have never been installed, and the boots have still split.

 

[HOOKED ON GT]

Ive bought some boots for the toe links (both ends) from eBay few days ago.

Ive already fitted the outside link boots that I got from forum vendor here month/s ago.

Whilst doing the outside toe link boots I noticed one of the inside toe link boots that attaches to body has dry rotted, Ive installed the worst one back on for now full of new grease whilst I wait for eBay delivery..

Sad that you buy a new control arm and you've got to invest in more work to fix them considering the $1,500+ cost per side.