Help with finding "quality" valve handle boots

[trikepilot]

I recently added a rear hydraulic toplink and front third function to my tractor. OK... admittedly I went cheap with a Vevor valve - but the black rubber gussetted boot on the valve handle has not even seen a full day of sunshine and it is dryrotted to the point of being useless. I am aware that I got one made of pure Chinesium, but the poor quality of the materials is shocking.

Do any of the OTT sages have any advice on where to find a good quality boot that will last? Surely someone else here has had to replace a boot and knows where to find a good one? I have searched the web and can find examples to buy but am not convinced that I am not getting the same crap I started with.

Here is the boot in question.

 

[Dustball]

Search Google for silicone rubber shift boots. Silicone holds up to UV much better than plain rubber does.

 

[jimh406]

Shifter boots are sold all over the place. I don't have one to recommend over the others.

I think I'd go with a John Deere (sold at Tractor Supply) or Kubota. Or, try looking for something that's made for off-road vehicles (atv, sxs, or utv.)

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I have heard of people using automotive CV joint boots too.

 

[trikepilot]

I need to get the exact measurements of the ring on the valve body to which the boot attaches when I am next out there. It is roughly a 2x2 square with rounded corners, but I want to make sure whatever I get will fit. Thanks for tips on adding "silicone" to the search and/or using CVT joint boots. There are lots of boots out there to peruse online, but the hard part is determining from an online photo/description if the boot is of better quality than the one that came with the valve. Luckily this is non-emergent so I can take my time on the hunt.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

7K52261250 is teh Kubota one for the backhoe levers for the BT603 on my BX23S, Only $7.01 CDN. Might work ????

 

[JohnDB]

@trikepilot that looks like the same as my Chinese brand. Same problem - the boot didn't last long, the valve has been great.

If its the same... the handle has a 10mm dia shaft, the joystick base is nearly square -60x65 with rounded corners and the lip above the base the boot fits over is 2mm bigger in each direction (62x67). A round boot that fits a 72mm dia. circle should approximate. Your post reminded me, I'm still looking too.

 

[trikepilot]

@trikepilot that looks like the same as my Chinese brand. Same problem - the boot didn't last long, the valve has been great.

If its the same... the handle has a 10mm dia shaft, the joystick base is nearly square -60x65 with rounded corners and the lip above the base the boot fits over is 2mm bigger in each direction (62x67). A round boot that fits a 72mm dia. circle should approximate. Your post reminded me, I'm still looking too.

Thanks! That's good info. I am headed out to property where tractor is for the weekend and had it on my list to make those measurements. I can find plenty possible boot candidates with some basic Googling but the holdup is trying to determine if the replacement boots are made of the same paper-mache that the originals consisted of. With little direct experience and feedback, I may just have to take my chances.

Armed with those measurements, I found these silicone drive shaft boots at Amazon that I may give a try. They are silicone and being "drive shaft boots," they are likely a bit more robust. I think I can cut them down (as per below specs) to the appropriate level where they can slide over the base and get secured with a ziptie. And at the handle end, I can slip a spacer over the 10mm shaft to fit the 24mm diameter boot. At $8 apiece, it is not too terrible a risk.