I replaced my OEM boots with Riff Raff boots last year. The OEM's were stuck real good and I had to cut them off (they were leaking a little). I installed the Riff Raff boots, along with a metal cold side pipe and Riff Raff boots there as well. The hot side has blown off several times.


After the first time, I cleaned real good with brake cleaner, sprayed some hair spray on them, and tightened them down pretty tight (tighter than called for). The last 2 trips pulling my fifth wheel, the bottom hot side going to the inter cooler has blown off within 2 miles from my house. I repaired on the side of the road each time and had no other problems until they next time I left with the fifth wheel.


I am ready to go back to the OEM boots. I like the way they have the little "bump" to lock onto the tube.


Is there some really tacky spray that needs to be used? Should I add a second set of clamps? Should I go back to OEM? My truck is basically stock and they have blown off at about 24 to 26 psi.


We are going on a 4000 mile trip to Yellowstone, so I don't need this happening while trying to drive through the Rocky Mountains.

 

This is a very subjective thing. Since you are blowing the boots of at a lower boost than I normally see. I would suspect some restriction in the CAC itself. Too much air volume comeing into the CAC than the CAC can pass resulting in excessive back pressure at the inlet.

However tube in boot placement; clamp placement; under torque;over torque of the clamps can all play a part in this.

 

When I first put them on, I clamped them on, torqued them properly, and they popped off the first time I climbed a big hill at WOT. I read a little about them and decided to tightened them to where the springs are all the way tight (since they are not factory boots). The truck runs fine otherwise. And I have had it to 25 psi after reinstalling the boot without problem.


Some had said to get rid of the spring clamps and go with Riff Raff clamps and just tightened them tight.

 

I think dannyboy is on to something. I would check everything else as well. I have had Riffraff boot on my Excursion for about 6 years without an issue, and I am running almost 48psi daily driving it. The little rib from stock doesn't help hold the boot on, and from what I have seen it actually gets misaligned a lot and causes it to hold worse. Might try a new clamp as well as checking to make sure your tube isn't ovaled. Might also give riffraff a call and see what they say, but I have used them on a lot of trucks and the only issue I have had is when I don't clamp them tight enough or don't completely clean the oil off.

 

The first one that popped off was the curved one at the turbo. After I tightened them up tight, the only one to come off has been the clamp on the tube side, entering the intercooler.


Do you put the clamps toward the end of the boot, or more less centered over the tube? I have mine pretty much centered, but I may move it a little if it comes off again. I still have the spring clamps on the hot side. I may buy the non spring clamps to replace them with.


What about some kind of tacky spray or something before installing?


If I had blockage in the intercooler, wouldn't it just compensate and still keep the boost below 30psi? Essentially allowing less boost "through" the intercooler?

 

Clean with brake clean, wipe out, both sides. Then hairspray on the outside surface, so it's not being sprayed inside, slide boot over when tacky, then clamp down. Are you sure you are not having an over boost issue?

 

Shouldn't need anything at all on install except very clean surfaces that are oil free. All the stuff about harispray etc is only for junk stock boots. With good quality boots you don't need anything.

 

If it's blowing off on the tube side, I'd remove the tube and fully inspect it for roundness. If it was over tightened and crushed into an oval it will continue to blow off.

 

I don't believe I am having an over boost problem. I have the factory boost gauge and I have Torque Pro that I keep an eye on the boost with a min/max.


When in the garage, I cleaned with brake cleaner as absolutely clean as I could possibly get. Then I used hair spray on the tube and inside the boot. Tried my best to center the clamps and not have the curved one "crooked".


On the side of the road, I have not used brake cleaner, just clean with clean shop towels, then hair spray on tube and inside boot. I drive off with the hair spray probably still wet.


I may have the clamp too far toward the intercooler and possibly riding up the lip of the tube. I may pull it apart this weekend at the site so I can take my time with it (and it wont be scalding hot!).

 

I think, if anything, I haven't tightened the clamps enough. I have heard guys tightening them just about as much as they can. I have heard about egging the tube, but the way it is made on the end, with the lip, that's seems pretty hard to do (maybe not).


I will certainly check it for roundness though.

 

I use a Milwaukee M12 impact and hammer the clamps tight. You aren't going to yield the bolt in the clamps, the turbo and intake elbow are metal and won't collapse, and even the plastic CAC itself is more than thick enough to not crack because of a hose clamp. Just zip the buggers down tight, if you position them in the right place they won't go anywhere.

 

There is a metal sleeve inside the CAC tube connection.

 

Actually it does provide a mechanical lock, without it you only have friction to hold it on. If it didn't need the bead Ford and some of the other suppliers wouldn't have gone to the expense of molding a hose, they would have just cut a piece of smooth hose. I don't see how anyone can get one misaligned, they snap into place with the bead.

 

I have had the same issue. my truck runs fine and boost is under 30 but my riff raff boots would not stay on so I kept researching and decided to try the diesel site edition. man that thing with clamps was pricey but its been about 10000 miles without a blow off. I checked it to make sure it was not degrading on the inside wall because after getting it I had read that some of those diesel site tubes were coming apart on the inside. Mine has not and it stays on. Hope it continues to do so. I keep the riff raft that I took off behind the seat just in case.

 

My wife took this pic in a parking lot, hours from home, and I'm putting the lower CAC pipe back on for the second time, literally not a "happy camper" but at least my wife was amused - I feel your pain.



I also got the Riff-Raff tube and boot set and had problems to start with. Wish I had some pics but I'll try to describe what I ended up doing.

First the short boot with the ridge in the middle goes on top, the lower one is longer and straight. You may know already but the pics on the their website tripped me up. The tube is up side down in the pic. After limping to the campsite that night (after the picture was taken) , driving by the boost gauge and keeping it under 15 psi or so, I took a hard look at it and realized the lower boot was too long. Fully foreward on the tube at the cooler, and slid on the tube all the way into the first bend until it was trying to turn the corner and sticking up on the outside radius, left the tube pressed firmly against the front of the block and cylinder head. I positioned the tube where I wanted with the boot on the CAC and figured it was about 1 1/4 inch too long. After trimming, I ended up with the tube in the right position relative to the engine and the lower boot ending just before the curve in the tube. After cleaning everything spotless, I used my old clamp along with the new clamp on the forward end of the lower boot (double clamps) and no hairspray or anything. I haven't had an issue since.