Has anyone tried to use a needle tip on your grease gun to lube the ball joints? By poking it through the rubber boot and greasing it that way? I was wondering if it would be effective at all, or just a waste of grease.

 

I would say its a waste of grease.
Nissan used 1/8" pipe plugs in place of a grease zerk ($.02 instead of $.04), most of us have replaced them.

 

It has been done and I think it is a good idea. But with the early failure that some are reporting I wonder if it will do any good or if there is a weakness in the design. I haven't done mine yet but will soon. I got the needle at Pep Boys. Too bad these new trucks are not set up like the first gens with zerk fittings on everything.

Wetspirit

 

I think you can extend the service life of the joint by injecting grease into them. Works good on sealed bearings too.

 

I am also considering trying to inject grease. When I had my '02 Ford FX it was the same siutation and many guys injected grease into the greese boots. Seemed to help. Fords had ball joint problems to. But you had to replace the whole A arm.

pete

 

Well I'm thinking if you poke a hole to put grease in, then there's a hole for the grease to get pushed back out. Plus your making the joint more prone to the elements. I've put 125,000 miles on greaseless joints & bearing both without a hitch.

 

Your better off drilling a hole and installing a zerk fitting, and then apply the grease. Doing it this way pushes lube through the joint and not just filling the boot.

 

Injecting grease into the boot is not going to help the joint at all. the grease needs to be pushed through the ball joint sp that it actually lubracates the area where the ball and socket rub toghther.

 

Any amount of grease injected into a sealed joint is going to help. And besides, it will never hurt it. Yes a grease fitting on the bottom forcing grease thru the joint is best, but if it is a sealed joint the only way to put grease in it is with a needle. As far as the little hole goes, you put in more grease than will spill out.

 

how soon are these going out?

 

The Ford guys seal the hole with black RTV. I don't know if it seals well enough, but they say it definitely extends the life. These joints seem like a crap shoot; some get poor performance other great. So, far I have 27K and all is OK (at least today ). Decent roads.

Pete

 

Can this actually be done? Seems like this would be one of the more worthwhile mods we could do. Would only cost whatever the zerks cost. Anyone?

 

Thanks for all the replies. I know that having a zerk would be far better, but can that be done without disasembly? The hole would have to go all the way through so that the grease could get to where it needed to go.

Reading these posts about ball joints, lift pumps, u-joints, etc. makes me think I need a spare parts cabinet in the back!

 

I dont see how anything can be drilled and tapped without removal.
1. you gonna have to remove the shavings.
2. its a PITA to drill while laying on your back under your truck.
3. drilling is easy compared to taping.

 

mine have 320k on them and they are still tight. R/S wheel bearing is getting some play. Left side tierod end is trashed. The tierod has a zerk.