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Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:17 am

I would like to know more about the above. During the war leather was used for the axle boot.

I would like to know the dimensions of it's construction.
Length of the zipper.
Thickness of the leather, etc, etc.

Thanks,
Spanish Flea

Thu Mar 22, 2012 11:07 am

200+ views and no replies, I thought i would have a little interest here by few people.

I know the pix above are for a half track. But VW did use leather as boots in the early cars.

Any info would help,

Thanks,
Spanish Flea

Thu Mar 22, 2012 8:15 pm

Looks like you stumped the panel.

Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:10 pm

With rubber in critical short supply during the war, it's not surprising. The use of a friggin' ZIPPER, though, is a real surprise! How does it contain the oil? It's not sealed!

Thu Mar 22, 2012 9:18 pm

I assume it was installed wth zipper facing up. Possibly packed with grease?

Thu Mar 22, 2012 10:59 pm

KTPhil wrote: With rubber in critical short supply during the war, it's not surprising.
That's not why they used leather. They used leather because that's what worked.
A few years ago, a local shop did the restoration on a 39 Alfa Romeo. It has a 2.9 liter straight 8, with twin gear driven superchargers. This was one of the supercars of the day. It's rear swing axle suspension was very much like a Beetle, and it had leather axle boots. Cost was no object for this car, and there were no shortages of rubber in 1939.

The original inboard axle boots on the front of a Schwimmwagen were leather. Last year I had the chance to see one of these cars in the midst of it's restoration. The original 70 year old leather axle boots were in PERFECT condition. They were still very soft and flexible. VW didn't use zippers. They are sewn together.

Fri Mar 23, 2012 6:13 am

I don't have much to offer on this topic except this...

I had no idea that leather was used as a material for axle boots. So I Googled it...and to my surprise... Leather is STILL being used today on modern vehicles as an axle boot material.

just not on cars...

- Doug

Fri Mar 23, 2012 12:58 pm

dpeters60ghia, i think you mean to say "Just not our cars".

I'm only asking about the leather, because i would like to try it out on my car. So really design and thickness is really what i need to know. i was really intreaged by it that it was used on swimmers. But i guess the oil inside will keep the leather water proof and water tight. I will be taking a crack at making some in the next couple of weeks.

One question, does old flow through the boot down the axle tube to the hub?

Spanish Flea

Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:12 pm

Spanish Flea wrote: dpeters60ghia, i think you mean to say "Just not our cars".

I'm only asking about the leather, because i would like to try it out on my car. So really design and thickness is really what i need to know. i was really intreaged by it that it was used on swimmers. But i guess the oil inside will keep the leather water proof and water tight. I will be taking a crack at making some in the next couple of weeks.

One question, does old flow through the boot down the axle tube to the hub?

Spanish Flea

I think he meant "not just on cars" as in on trucks and other machinery.

Sat Mar 24, 2012 11:48 am

Bruce wrote: KTPhil wrote: With rubber in critical short supply during the war, it's not surprising.
That's not why they used leather. They used leather because that's what worked.

The original inboard axle boots on the front of a Schwimmwagen were leather. Last year I had the chance to see one of these cars in the midst of it's restoration. The original 70 year old leather axle boots were in PERFECT condition. They were still very soft and flexible. VW didn't use zippers. They are sewn together.

actually they did switch to leather because rubber was in short supply.

early schwimmers were rubber, later schwimmers got leather.

and the leather was actually glued together originally, not to say that someone later on might have sewn it back together.

Bruce from kubel korp by chance? i was the co-pilot of Randy's rig running around.

Sat Mar 24, 2012 12:38 pm

I have some original schwimmwagen leather boots, they are from the front differential to axle tubes joint. One has original dunkelgelb paint. They are constructed using 2 plys and are still in usable condition. There is stitching at the hem and a longitudinal seam on the outside of one of them but none on the inner ply of either, dunno how they did that? The plys appear to be glued together. They are of very high quality construction. The leather of one is thicker than the other. I was unaware that schwimmers ever came with rubber boots, and would like to see evidence of this. Personally I subscribe to the theory that they used it because it worked and was probably cheaper than rubber at the time, after all VW were building these things to make money, just like beetles.

I will dig them out tomorrow and post pictures.

Cheers!

Sat Mar 24, 2012 1:54 pm

Sorry about the poor quality pics

The dark one is thinner but has no stitching. The other has a single row of stitches along each edge and a seam the length of the outer ply only.

Cheers!

Sat Mar 24, 2012 3:04 pm

Sorry I have to say it but the only place zip up leather boots belong is on a long legged woman :wink:

Sat Mar 24, 2012 7:42 pm

Kapt. Q wrote: I was unaware that schwimmers ever came with rubber boots, and would like to see evidence of this.

let me see what i can turn up.

Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:55 am

Kapt. Thanks for the pictures, can you get me a clear shot of the seam line.

It looks like they formed the leather over a mold to get the shape. Nice to shed some light on this.

ZwitterND- I agree. :wink:

Spanish Flea

Tue Mar 27, 2012 2:43 am

Spanish Flea wrote: Kapt. Thanks for the pictures, can you get me a clear shot of the seam line.

It looks like they formed the leather over a mold to get the shape. Nice to shed some light on this.

ZwitterND- I agree. :wink:

Spanish Flea

Sorry, been away for a couple of days, will post some shots today. I think that they are definitely done over a mold. Is there some way they shrink leather? How do you make a tube for the inner ply with no seam?

As a side note I am sure that if you are able to perfectly reproduce these you could sell loads of them, I'd buy front and back sets myself.
Jacek in Poland does a reproduction of the schwimmwagen outer front leather/rubber boot already.

Cheers!

Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:50 am

how do you make the shape---use a cow leg, it comes that way -Ossobuco :lol:

Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:31 am

Depending on the type of leather you use, After wetting it with water it can take a any shape by working. (most companies use presses, but you can get the same results by hand.)

I'm not looking to do a production run on this, but if i were, i would create a mold and form the leather over it. Trim and sew together.

i would suspect with the real boots, the inner layer is sewn, it's just not seen because it is covered in grease/gunk.

I am however looking to make a set for my project. I'll keep this thread posted with my progress.

Spanish Flea

Tue Mar 27, 2012 1:24 pm

Sorry, can you also give me the thickness of the leather.

Spanish Flea

Wed Mar 28, 2012 1:33 am

Hello,

Please look at the link from my webpage. I make the joint rubber guards with rubber and lether. Like they were original for 166.

http://ww2vw.com/index2.php?str=e-shop.showone&pr_id=140&p_ir=28

regards,

Jacek