# A-arm Gaurds and CV boots.



## Waddaman (Oct 3, 2010)

This is something that im noticing now and ive never seen a thread on it before.. As some may know I have had ALOT of CV boot issues... and what seems to happen every time its not sticks or rocks that i hit that do it.. its junk that lands on my A-arm gaurds has no where to go and beats around in there until it rips a boot.

I am wondering.. is this true is that why a lot of people don't run any gaurds at all? it seems much more likely that big mud tires will chuck something in there and let it bounce around then for the cv boot to actually hit something in mud or on land.. true or false? looking for opinion and or experience here.

I WAS running aluminum products skids and really they don't drain mud or debris at all.. I was thinking cutting the entire bottoms of them out but still.. the back part is still there and is still going to hold stuff in.. if im cutting part of the back off and the bottoms whats the point?

Let me know what you guys think.. all I can say is ive changed enough cv boots on axles on my brute alone then all of my riding buddies for the last 3 years combined..if you include cv rebuilds and cv boots that fell/pushed off then im pushing 30-40..


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## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

I agree. I've never ran aftermarket ones, just the cheap plastic guards that come from the factory. And even they hold too much crap for my taste. 

If I was going to design my own they would have big holes all around so they would drain better.


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## Waddaman (Oct 3, 2010)

Yup i just can't believe i never did anything about it before. it seems to always be outter cv boots due to angle/closer to tire as well. I do like the look BUT idk if I can cut enough out of the bottom.. ive had logs and pretty big sized rocks in there that would only get out through sides or even top not bottom..

I'll put em back on mark out what i can cut and keep all the mounts. also see what i can cut off the back without mutilating them and post it up and maybe after some time running them like that post the results. But that wont be for a few weeks due to being so busy so for now there staying off.


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## 2010Bruterider (Jun 20, 2010)

I see a lot of bikes at CCC without any cv guards on them. The son n law took his off last year. I guess if you ride in an established park with trails and holes you don't need them. If you like to go through the woods or make blaze new trails, you should probably keep them on. Maybe just check them more often for foreign objects.


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## lilbigtonka (Dec 30, 2008)

seems i have better luck having them....i seem to never have sticks or anything in them but i have bumped stumps where i slide across them and if it werent for them im certain i would have messed a axle or a arm up...i have stick stoppers btw


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## Mudforce (Dec 11, 2009)

I have the back ones off, way easier to clean out grass and what not. I am running the front factory ones.


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## DaveMK1 (Nov 8, 2009)

I've got a full set of warn skids and a arm guards on mine. Yes they collect a lot of junk. They used to love to scoop sand from sandy bottom holes until I modded them. 4 3/4" holes in each on the bottoms. They are self cleaning now!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk when I should be doing something more productive.


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## BrutemanAl (Jul 3, 2009)

I took mine off 1 time just because of the reason that they hold sooooo much crap and they are a pain to get in there and clean the area out ..... went for a ride the first day i took them off , drove across the road to the trail , climbed up the hill , stopped because there was a clicking noise , looked under the bike and sure enough.....there was a stick stuck in the front left cv boot lol , have not had them off ( other than for cleaning) since the repair of the boot.


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## rmax (Nov 21, 2009)

i made a set out of expanded metal , with the rear spaceing i have most guards would not cover the outer cv anyway ,they seem to be working out good so far ,i was haveing problems with mud pileing up around the lower cv with the extended al products guards ,but no the water will keep most of the mud washed away from them


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## Waddaman (Oct 3, 2010)

Back again.. BRAND NEW Cobra axles in the rear.. 45 mins in inner boot rips. No mud not woods sticks etc etc just dirt road trail riding. replaced went out next day it lasted the day then on the way home rip again. and these aren't crappy boots either.. not thermoplastic or anything but there pretty thick.. 

I don't understand whats wrong. I think the only thing left to try is thermoplastic boots but i think finding them for that size will be a challenge. OR a rubber compound boot with a lot of ridges. Im not sure what else to do.


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## sloboy (Oct 11, 2010)

Give the guys at rockford cv a call and try their boots. I have been using them and have had no problems.


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## Waddaman (Oct 3, 2010)

I guess i will have too.. ive tried emailing both of them in the past with no dice. Before I call them though I would like to get a better understanding of why so i can properly fix it. Also im not even positive i have dealers for them up here but ill have to try.

I think if I could find almost a "can am" style thermoplastic cv boot for mine it would work.. but again these cobras are huge and ive never seen a thermoplastic boot that big..


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## lilbigtonka (Dec 30, 2008)

waddaman you might have bigger issues is something possibly bent or what not causing the boots to rip and is it same axle all the time or different ones


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## sloboy (Oct 11, 2010)

Measure the cup and bar size, number of ribs. Ask to talk with Rich he can fix you up. But I am thinking like tonka there is a reason you are eating up boots, unless the axles are just at a steep angle and the heat is the issue.


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## Waddaman (Oct 3, 2010)

no bends not hitting anything. running 2" bracket lift with 07 shocks maxed (somewhat sagged) so angles are relatively high but not i guess you'd call it "full sized" lift angles. and with the cobras its been left rear inner both times but only been on 2 rides. It happens all the way around did same when i had the rhino rears.. think its just coincidence that the same one happened twice.

ive been fighting with this for a while and its just ridiculous.. i tryed lower shocks yesterday to lower angle.. no difference obviously.. tried taking off A-arm gaurds.. no difference. I was thinking the same thing that i have another issue thats causing it but.. it can be all different boots and all different types of cuts. ive never had a heat/melting issue though.

The only thing i can think of.. is that 1. the boots are weak.. but also 2. the size of the ridges them selves.. im thinking with them being soft as well as the high angle if a pebble stick what ever landed on a boot and gets stuck between the "ridges" then as it rotates to the acute angle of the CV it crushes itself in there and just rips through.. other then that i think ive elimnated every other thing that effects it but the boots themselves.. that why im so confused..


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## sloboy (Oct 11, 2010)

Try the Rockford dura boot, the are not expensive. Last time I ordered I think they was about 7 bucks apiece. That's for boot only. I'm sure a "kit" would be more. But I had ordered bands and grease previously so all I needed was boots.


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## Waddaman (Oct 3, 2010)

do you know if they use thermoplastic or rubber compound?


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## 2010Bruterider (Jun 20, 2010)

This is straight from their website:
*Rockford's Duraboot is made of a Monsanto blend of special thermoplastic materials which resists temperatures from a frigid low of -65 F up to a scorching high of +475 F. The Duraboot is the ultimate joint protection against variable operating temperatures and destructive road abrasion.*


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