a bellows for protecting a u - joint in a marine stern drive includes a flexible , hollow body defining an interior space and open at opposite ends , the body formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material to be self - supporting , having a first mating end and a second mating end and being pleated therebetween , a first sealing cuff formed of an elastomeric material , softer than the thermoplastic elastomer material , bonded to the first mating end and , a second sealing cuff formed of an elastomeric material , softer than the thermoplastic elastomer material , bonded to the second mating end .