Well folks, I am the fellow that developed this trick over the last 7 years so the following is straight from the horse's mouth and can be considered not stuff from the other end. I'll just list some things that come to mind about the process that folks have a little trouble with and some misconceptions that have developed.
Original thread from TTORA, note the 3 links to previous threads in the beginning for the whole story.
http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158695&highlight=boot+slide
I have zero
first hand knowledge of how it works on late Tacos or the FJC but folks seem to be having success (see sticky on Tacoma World). Everything I mention will pertain to the first gen Tacoma/4R platform and is from actual experience.
I only use OEM inner boot "kits". The kit, for about $25, has the boot, new clips for the tripod joint and the end of the shaft plus lube and new clamps. Hard to go wrong there.
This trick was/is
not intended to allow "more lift" than the max practical 2"-2.5" at which point the "fins" of the inner boot are getting real close. Indeed for years the accepted method for determining max practical ride height was to go no higher than the point where the inner fins on the inner boot "just" do not touch, at rest, with the wheels straight. This method is accurate and still applies (for many more reasons than boot wear). The issue is, as the suspension cycles and/or steering is turned the fins will touch and eventually wear a groove, even in "normal" street driving.
More is not better. The "old ring and 1 clip" method gives more than enough clearance between the fins. About 3/8" of "slide" is all that is needed but at that point the boot clamp is over the chamfered edge of the groove on the shaft. I prefer to locate the clamp area "just" up on the straight part of the shaft. One fellow on TTORA is now tearing boots at the inner "valley" between 2 fins from stretch not wear. I feel he went too far and/or is lifted to high. I have done 40-50 of these with no failures, some in service for 7 years and 170K miles.
I do not feel that simply removing the OEM clamp, sliding the boot and clamping with a conventional clamp is a permanent solution. That was how I first did it and they always slipped back over time. Some folks seem to be having success doing this but they are tightening the clamps way beyond what I would be comfortable with. On the other hand if one goes this route the worst case, other than causing trauma to the boot from over clamping, would be that the boot just slides back and you wasted 15 minutes.
Using an adhesive is pointless unless the surfaces of the boot and shaft are absolutely clean and free of lube. Here I mean surgically clean and the only way to do that is with the boot off. In the beginning I used adhesive and a clamp. The boot would only stay put if I scoured the life out of the boot/shaft with solvent, and then did it again. The boots come with a "release agent" from the molding process that prevented any kind of bond. I used "3M Weather Strip Adhesive", black or amber. I also used an OEM clamp, it was tough to get in place but it worked. The first three I did this way are still in service. The only drawback is the adhesive must be given 24 hours before the boot is filled with lube and assembled. If anyone goes this route be sure to orient the 3 lobes of the boot to the corresponding lobes of the tripod "bell" or you will need another 24 hours. All that is why I came up with a "mechanical" method to guarantee no slipbackification and no 24 hour wait. Heck once a shaft is on the bench I can do a boot swap/slide in 15 minutes.
Questions, just ask.
