Extending Life of Bellows

CAVU V

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Joined

Feb 28, 2008

Messages

108

• Feb 28, 2009

• #1

I keep my Regal 2860 (volvos) trailered and I was wondering if spraying the bellows and hydraulic lines with silicon spray would extend their longevity?

Dale

 

Bondo

Moderator

Staff member

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Apr 17, 2002

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70,524

• Feb 28, 2009

• #2

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

Nope,... Leaving the drive as Low as possible, Helps...

 

A

a70eliminator

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Sep 9, 2007

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3,694

• Feb 28, 2009

• #3

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

Regal 2860 said:

I keep my Regal 2860 (volvos) trailered and I was wondering if spraying the bellows and hydraulic lines with silicon spray would extend their longevity?

Dale

Click to expand...

A happy bellows is a clean and pretty bellows, can't hurt..

 

JustJason

Vice Admiral

Joined

Aug 27, 2007

Messages

5,319

• Feb 28, 2009

• #4

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

Silicone is used to treat all sorts of rubber parts from door seals to radiator hoses. I can't see it hurting bellows at all.

1 thing though.... make sure you use pure silicone spray.... don't even think about "armor alling" your bellows.

 

mthieme

Captain

Joined

Oct 6, 2007

Messages

3,270

• Feb 28, 2009

• #5

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

I had a boat mechanic tell me once to never tilt it up.
Always leave it down.
Not very practical advice, but you get the picture.

 

Dirty Dawg

Petty Officer 2nd Class

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Sep 7, 2008

Messages

172

• Mar 1, 2009

• #6

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

JustJason, could you please elaborate on the no go for ArmorAll. I have not used it for the bellows , but use it on just about everything else that is vinyl or rubber. Is there something I should know? Thanks Ike

 

JustJason

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• Mar 1, 2009

• #7

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

Armor all in the long run deteriorates rubber and plastics.

 

X

xxxflhrci

Chief Petty Officer

Joined

Jun 14, 2008

Messages

637

• Mar 1, 2009

• #8

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

I love the Armorall kills replies.

Right or wrong, I spray Armorall on my bellows everytime after I pull the boat out of the water. They were last replaced in 1995 and still look great.

My boat is a 1985. The previous owner sprayed the vinyl upholstery with Armorall after every trip. I took up his method when I bought the boat in 1996. The seats in it are still soft and look great.

 

A

a70eliminator

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• Mar 1, 2009

• #9

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

Sure beats lake mud and suface funk drying up the bellows aya...

 

Dirty Dawg

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Joined

Sep 7, 2008

Messages

172

• Mar 1, 2009

• #10

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

I am new to boats, but have seen this argument with ArmorAll before, involving cars, seats,rubber and old leather goods. I do not have any technical knowledge, only my first hand experience, but I have brought back leather from the 40s that was near death and used it on auto vinyl and everything that is rubber or plastic for years. Never had and issue, but I may be missing something.
Is this one of those never ending rumors, or does someone have a true source of info? Thanks Ike

 

Howard Sterndrive

Rear Admiral

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Nov 5, 2008

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4,603

• Mar 1, 2009

• #11

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

xxxflhrci said:

I spray Armorall on my bellows everytime after I pull the boat out of the water. They were last replaced in 1995 and still look great.

Click to expand...

Me too.. not every time, but 3 or 4 times a season I armorall the soft parts.
my boat is a 92 and I just replaced the original bellows last summer. They actually looked fine but I was doing the gimbal and lower shift cable so I changed them.
The original water hose was looking quite cracked...

 

W

weider1717

Petty Officer 1st Class

Joined

Sep 2, 2008

Messages

315

• Mar 2, 2009

• #12

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

armorall doesn't hurt plastic and rubber....thats such bs

years ago probably before my time even! I THINK armorall was silicon based and people said after awhile that silicon dried and cracked their dashes...well people even if that was true in the 70's don't you think thats corrected now?

I'm pretty sure armorall is water based now or uses a different approach.

I use 303 aerospace protectant..best stuff known to man for such stuff!

or you could do what I do with my weather stripping on my cars smear dielectric grease on them.....works like a champ

EDIT: Removed comment..... Don S

using a rubber conditioner will prolong the bellows life. just think about it...it's common sense

 

Last edited by a moderator: Mar 2, 2009

A

a70eliminator

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• Mar 2, 2009

• #13

Re: Extending Life of Bellows

Wow man you need to chill, Bondo didn't have anything to do with this one. When I first joined I too thought "whats with this guy" sorry Bondo it was just first impression, but i now have come to respect everyone here eventually you will if you can pull your head out.