Protect Piston Rods with Bellows Extend the life of cylinder rods, seals, and other components by protecting them from abrasive, corrosive, and downright dirty environments. When dirt, grit, metal chips, scale, and other substances impinge on exposed hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder rods, these contaminants not only shorten the life of the seals, but often can damage the rods themselves. For almost all applications where contaminant-caused wear is a problem, installing the proper protective rod boot can make a big difference in rod and seal life. One manufacturer of automated welding equipment — which was exposed constantly to hot weld spatter — noticed a decline in service problems and achieved longer service life after the hydraulic cylinders were fitted with bellows-type boots fabricated from Hypalon-coated polyester material.