Hi all,

Last weekend I replaced the rear shocks and shock mounts on my 2003 Jetta but I re-used the old shock boots as they appeared fine and I hadn't bought any new ones. After completing the work I noticed that my shocks squeaked loudly. I was able to identify the boots as the problem. I tried lubricating them with with white lithium grease but it didn't make much of a difference. I'm thinking of just getting rid of the boots. My question is are they really necessary? Would leaving them off leave my shocks vulnerable to extra wear and tear?

Thanks!