When changing my wheels I took a closer look around the wheel well just poking around and noticed that the rubber shock dust cover is detached at its lower edge. Is this normal?

Same on the other side.

I checked the Bentley manual and in one of the line drawings it looks like it should be attached, but in one photo it appears like it is detached exposing the piston as seen in my photo below.

 

That's how mine look... I think it's normal...

 

It's torn

Normal???? Yea that's normal wear and tear.

If you manage to get it replaced under warranty let me know.

I had that same tear on my Miata when I had the dealer replace the shocks. I ended up with new shocks and the same torn boots.

One is torn on my 02 now, and when I replace the shocks/struts I'll plan to buy new boots too.

http://www.mossmini.com/Shop/ViewPro...37&SortOrder=1

 

Thanks, Blimey.

Kinda odd, eh? To have that accordion like structure and not have it attached at the lower end so that the shocks would actually be "playing" the accordion and have an enclosure to keep the dust out?

 

Yikes. Rats. Both are torn.

I was trying to see where they should be attached and really couldn't tell---things were dirty though ....

 

That looks like mine - though much dirtier - since day one. I don't think they were ever designed to be attached at the bottom and the top will easily pull out of the holder as well. Torn? I don't think so.

 

Yeah, rub it in!

 

I just had mine apart installing my Koni FSDs... and didn't see any way they could attach at the bottom.... so I put them back together just like that...

 

I did a quick browsing through some other threads and it looks like it is normal for the lower part of that rubber boot not to be attached. Or we all have torn boots!

Examples ...

 

Oh. I better check mine! I have a crazy amount of brake dust build up on the wheels regularly and always thought it was normal on the Minis!

 

When mine was disassembled, I didn't see any way the bottom part could have ever attached to anything.... now, when the car is down on the wheels and the spring/strut compress a bit, you see much less (if any) strut... then it serves its purpose to keep *most* of the dust out...

 

Yeah, I looked real carefully and I agree---didn't seem like any way to attach it.

Ok, looks like there was a change in the rubber boot in 3/2002 with the change in the suspension set up. The older ones have a longer rubber boot and hence in the line drawing that I saw it appears like it might be attached. After 3/2002 the rubber boot is shorter and looks to be detached.

 

Justin, the rubber element referred to would does not affect break dust at all.

 

Pretty typical thing to see on a lot of cars. The dust cover should be plenty functional when its on the ground, but once you put the car in the air its hanging low enough that the damper is pulled all the way out past the cover.

 

Normal then. Thanks!

 

Unless you are plan on going somewhere really dusty and getting airborne at all, those boots should be ok. But, if you were to do such things, you'd need a whole new set up.

Although I have no pictures of my boots, they are kind of crumpled at the bottom from being pressed into the shock. So it stands to reason they make good contact and block all the dust.

 

just get some black duct tape and extend the boot if you must.

but that appears normal. and as nabe mentioned that boot
is there for people that drive on gravel and such.

 

normal when you put the car back on the ground it covers the whole shaft.