What is the correct way to lube a ball joint or tie rod end?

When I ordered the parts, I talked to my local Dodge dealer and he said to buy Moog brand from any parts house. He said that Moog took the original design and improved it, at least by adding the zerk, possibly in more ways than that. He said that Moog does this often for many vehicles. They take the stock part and make it better, but still within specs of the original.

I assume that the dodge dealer would have sold me Moog, but I am not sure. Either way, likely cheaper at O'Reilly.

So, I got Moog all the way around.

 

OK you guys are spoiled...Ball joints that go 90 to 150 K!!!! before you have to change em???? Heck around here...If they go 60K you did allright.I will say though...my 99 Durango had its original ball joints at 100K but I greased them religiously.(most people dont)
They were non greasable but that didnt stop me

 

If the boot is good how can you see if the grease is not stiff and dry, the heat of the vehicle and asphalt roads eventually dry out grease. The boots are not air sealed. If that truck is and was a daily driver for the past 20 years i bet those ball joints are not as tight as they were 20 years ago.

 

All parts wear out. Too much grease will be as bad as not enough. If you are putting one or two pumps into each grease fitting every 3000 miles then you are greasing it enough. If you pump grease into the joint until the grease comes out then you have torn the boot and dirt can get in and mix with the grease - makes a great "lapping compound" that will destroy the joint.

 

Paul, hopefully you catch this before you get offline.

How much should they be greased upon installation?

And, over time, won't the 1-2 pumps eventually work their way out the bottom of the boot?

Also, the boot is not rupturing, it is just squeezing out between the boot and the metal, which I guess amounts to the same thing.

 

If the parts do not have grease zerks just add them yourself, a few dollars will save you hundreds and they sure beat hand greasing them. zerks go for around $0.30 each and a 1/8" 02 1/4" bit are about $3 depending on size of zerk. Always use pipe thread (coarse), much easier to install and the thread will not strip. drilltaps are about $10-$20.

http://www.fittingsandadapters.com/greaszerfits1.html

What You Need

 

Better have the grip of steel to turn it I guess

 

Hey Scooper, you forgot to mention to PaulS --> "I like the "squeeze and wipe" idea as it lets the boot close back up and shouldn't get to overflowin' as things get hot and start moving and squishing around"

 

Oh, I am sure Paul read that.

Of course, we are now at page 4, so he may have skipped to just read the last page.

 

Hmmm i did post a pic of a cordless drill, grease gun, and grease tube too.

 

Yeah, but no (whatever that tool is called that cranks down on the tap) tool.

This thingamabob...

 

Of course, being a cheapa$$, I use one of these instead...and it works in a pinch. Most of the time.

 

cheap a$$ or not, both of those would actually be better for the folks that have never or little experience in tapping, they won't break the drilltap as quick. But a drill will tap for all really quick

 

I remember when I was young we used to weld a spliced flat washer on the ball joints , heat and shape it snug, when they were really worn out and ready to pop. Bought you a few months until you purchased new parts.