How to fill ball joints with no grease fitting.

[Scuba_Steve]

Do you just fill the boot with grease, then slip it on?

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

I guess you could do that, but normally they are just nongreasable. If they don't have a grease fitting then you can't grease them.

 

[Scuba_Steve]

They came with the boot detached. There is no grease at all in them.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

I would just put some grease in there and put them together.

 

[pur97tsifwd]

they make a fitting that you can put on a grease gun that will slip in the top or bottom of the rubber boot and insert grease on the ball joint you might have to take the nut off. This is after the ball joint is installed.

 

[ramsack]

Those needles for grease guns are for tiny tiny grease fittings, such as those you find on small heim joints, not injecting grease into a boot. If the joint doesn't have a fitting, you are never going to get grease to go into it. Joints that are meant to be greased have clearance for the grease and channels in the socket to allow grease to flow around it. I'm afraid you are SOL.

 

[snowborder714]

When I installed a new OEM boot on my eBay compression arm a weekend or two ago, I just slathered grease in/around the ball joint and then put the boot on.

 

[JusMX141]

I've always drilled, tapped, and installed my own fittings in the non-greaseable tie rod ends on DSMs; never been faced with changing a ball joint on my own yet (dealer replaced the last ones under recall), but they would get drilled and tapped as well.

 

[bjmauck]

I say drill and tap or just use the grease needle.

 

[2slow4now]

Ok I like the drill and tap idea but how do you know you get all the shavings out?
I have done that with different bearing housings before but the bearings were removable. No chance of contamination. maybe run a vacuum right at the point of drilling and taping but I still don't know.

 

[cutty2fast]

thats what i was about to say it dont matter just drill a hole in it and screw in a zerk fitting!

 

[gieri002]

yup you just use the needle....

 

[ricktb]

I say drive the thing until the ball joint becomes loose, then replace these whole assembly.. will come pre-lubed and ready to install from the factory. Good to go for another 100K

 

[Rummy636]

to keep the shavings out, put some thick grease on the drill and tap in the grooves. the shavings will stick to the grease and keep most of the shavings from entering the ball joint.