Torn strut boots.

[san rensho]

The boots on the front struts have torn away from the rubber/foam piece at the top and are loose.

Is there a way of fixing this it doesn't involve removing the struts? How long can I expect the struts to last without the boots?

[RandallNeighbour]

I don't believe the strut boots are replaceable, but a quick call to a dealer's parts counter will verify this. If they are available, buy them from Sunset Imports in Oregon and save yourself a bunch of cash.

You will not be able to replace them (if replaceable) with the struts on the car. They must be removed.

If they're loose now, they probably need replacing anyway unless the looseness is coming from the top three bolts that are used for alignment.

Strut replacement is a slippery slope. The labor involved is substantial, and while you're removing the suspension parts, it's worth it to replace the control arms, etc. And if your wheel bearings have never been replaced, this is a good time to do those too.

Very slippery indeed. Welcome to my world.

[timothy]

The bottom lip of the bump stop fits securely into the top of the rubber boot. If the boot is not actually torn then you push the bump stop back in and go about your business. Strut boots are sold separately but as Randall says you're looking at hundreds of dollars in labor to replace a $20 part.

[san rensho]

Thanks. The front end is still as tight as a drum at 116k miles, so I'll just wait until something else fails before i dig into the front end. After just replacing the coolant tank, (8 hours and lots of cuts and bruises) I certainly don't feel like embarking on another big project for a while.