CV Joint Boots

[Straightliner59]

I needed some CV joint dust boots for the 914 I'm building. I used a 1/8" shank 'v' cutting bit in my lathe to make this little forming tool from aluminum. I bored it to accept the .052" aluminum wire I'm using for the half-shafts. Then, all that was necessary to do, was to slip a length of heat shrink over the half shaft, and the form, and heat it with a lighter. I think they're pretty convincing!

Edited August 7 by Straightliner59

[Beans]

Looks great!  I don't have a lathe but I'm sure I can come up with some way to make a form.  Great idea.  Time to experiment.

[Straightliner59]

2 minutes ago, Beans said:

Looks great!  I don't have a lathe but I'm sure I can come up with some way to make a form.  Great idea.  Time to experiment.

If you can hold your drill in place, somehow, maybe sharpen a dowel with a pencil sharpener, then chuck it in the drill, and use a triangular file, to cut the grooves? I was thinking about that, because, not everyone does have a lathe.🙂

[64SS350]

1 hour ago, Straightliner59 said:

I needed some CV joint dust boots for the 914 I'm building. I used a 1/8" shank 'v' cutting bit in my lathe to make this little forming tool from aluminum. I bored it to accept the .052" aluminum wire I'm using for the half-shafts. Then, all that was necessary to do, was to slip a length of heat shrink over the half shaft, and the form, and heat it with a lighter. I think they're pretty convincing!

This is a great idea! I'm going to try it myself!! Thanks for sharing!

[BK9300]

Another awesome idea, Daniel!

[Straightliner59]

9 hours ago, 64SS350 said:

This is a great idea! I'm going to try it myself!! Thanks for sharing!

Thank you, sir! Always glad when I can help!

 

7 hours ago, BK9300 said:

Another awesome idea, Daniel!

Thanks, Brian! It worked out, pretty nicely !

[bill-e-boy]

Heat shrink idea is cool

I have used it to make 4n1 header collectors in the past

[Straightliner59]

51 minutes ago, bill-e-boy said:

Heat shrink idea is cool

I have used it to make 4n1 header collectors in the past

Same, here! Versatile stuff!

[peteski]

Good idea, but to me the bellows shape is a bit softly defined.  There are many different types of heat shrink tubing available.  I suspect that using a thin-wall tubing would give even better results.

[Straightliner59]

1 hour ago, peteski said:

Good idea, but to me the bellows shape is a bit softly defined.  There are many different types of heat shrink tubing available.  I suspect that using a thin-wall tubing would give even better results.

I was thinking the same. I just used what I had on hand. I still think they look better than molded plastic. 

[bill-e-boy]

Shrink tube can be made to stretch a little some the wall thickness can be kept down. The amazing thing about HS is it will normally shrink to half of it's original size

Being an industrial sparkie I use it all the time 

[peteski]

1 hour ago, bill-e-boy said:

Shrink tube can be made to stretch a little some the wall thickness can be kept down. The amazing thing about HS is it will normally shrink to half of it's original size

Being an industrial sparkie I use it all the time 

That is true, but even after stretchering it, when shrunk, its wall thickness returns to the as-designed thickness (which is the same as if you shrunk it unstretched).  I too have worked with heat shrink tubing for decades and used it in  unconventional ways.

[Straightliner59]

11 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

I have used it to make 4n1 header collectors in the past

I did these, with it. I just pushed my thumbnail into the heat shrink, while it was still warm.

[Jim N]

Great work Daniel.  Looks very convincing, and I agree, it looks much better than plastic.

[Straightliner59]

13 hours ago, Jim N said:

Great work Daniel.  Looks very convincing, and I agree, it looks much better than plastic.

Thank you, Jim! I appreciate your kind words.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Great trick. Thanks for posting the idea.  

[Straightliner59]

17 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Great trick. Thanks for posting the idea.  

Thanks, Bill. I do agree with sentiments above, that they could be better defined, they're easier than cleaning up molded kit parts! More fun, too!