Would I get away with it?

[chilly]

I had the front suspension replaced under 3 years ago. I've been going over the car in readiness for it's MOT which is due.
Due to the crap quality of the rubber nowadays, the dust seal on the top of the bottom trunnions has completely disintegrated, one has gone altogether (it was an advisory last year).
Rather than take the suspension apart just to replace two seals I was wondering whether I'd get away with a bodge.
Get a new seal and slit it top to bottom, put it in place and then tape round it with black insulation tape.
The car only does about 200 miles a year and doesn't go out in the rain so it would still do it's job of keeping dust out.
It seems daft to have to strip down the suspension every two and a half years just to renew seals made out of rubbish rubber.
Your thoughts?

[aupickup]

cant see why not

[philthehill]

You might get away with it but why not do the job properly even if you have to strip it down. At least you would have the satisfaction of knowing the job had been done properly.
Replacing the seal with the correct item will at a minimum give you a chance to examine the threads even though you say the suspension was replaced quite recently. Once crud has got into the threads (and dry crud is just as bad as wet crud) it will do its worst so better to strip, examine and clean the threads and put new grease into the trunnion.

[simmitc]

I did the same thing, but with self-amalgamating tape rather than insulating tape. All three cars have been through 4 or 5 MOTs with no problems at all. It's not a bodge, it's an effective dust seal.

[les]

Don't use tape, a right giveaway! If you make a clean cut through the rubber you can superglue it back once in place. Ive done this on mini drive shafts, before I realised there's no substitute to the satisfaction of 'the right way' !

[bmcecosse]

Any worthwhile MOT tester will see through that out right away - and as an 'advisory' last year he will be bound to fail it this year. You may have better luck with self amalg tape - but as above - fit new ! Just buy them from a more reputable supplier...perhaps MOSS.

[chilly]

So, Moss would be better than ESM?

[bmcecosse]

Well -you know where you got the last lot! I would try MOSS - generally better parts quality.