Servicing Greaseable Ball Joints

[haydenm315]

I just installed some moog lower control arms. I went through **** with these things, as I initially tore the boots and had to get some more which was difficult. Anyways, I'm nervous about tearing the new ones. I injected grease until the boots started to bulge out some. Is it possible to inject too much grease and have them pop? How often should I grease them, and how do I know how much to inject?

 

[93rev2sev]

If the boots are removeable, grease them AFTER installation. This way, the knuckle will help keep the boot seated while the grease fills it.

Don't let them go more than a couple of thousand miles between re-greasing. This helps to flush out contaminants and makes those 1-year warrantied joints last a while longer. Your goal should be to push the old grease out with the new...so no you can't really use too much.

If the old grease is not oozing out...keep pumping...the BULDGING might mean that the boot is filled with air which will help to destroy the joint.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

Come-on, it's not rock science.

You know, just like anything else you get "serviced", pump it full until it starts "oozing" out . . . .

 

[haydenm315]

ok... so I can't overgrease the boots and pop them? They are pressed to the joint at the bottom, and it looks like the knuckle seals it pretty good up top.

I know it's not rocket science, but if you knew the unethical practices that I had to go through in order to get new boots, you'd understand my concerns.

 

[93rev2sev]

LOL buy control arms and return them with no boots? You...CHEATER!

 

[haydenm315]

LOL buy control arms and return them with no boots? You...CHEATER!

No boots would not have worked.. They opened the box.. I used some outer tie rod/sway bar link bushings as decoys. I feel bad for the guy with the sho who gets those, but I wasn't about to be out the money.

 

[Storm-Chaser]

I guess someone didn't catch the joke in my reply . . . .

. . . .

I know it's not rocket science, but . . . .

 

[haydenm315]

I got your joke now.... I have a 9wk old son.

I found this quote on another post about lower control arms in regards to overgreasing. Maybe I shouldn't mess with it a whole lot?

"Yes you can grease them too much. An indication of that would be the grease spewing out from around the boot or the boot breaking open. I usually check them every oil change, and if I push on the boot and it feels "flat" then I squirt like 1 or 2 pumps of grease from the grease gun into the joint . Just enough to see the boot swell a little bit. That is usually only once, maybe twice a year. The WHOLE purpose of a grease boot is to RETAIN grease, to keep it in the joint. If you grease it so much that it comes out you've defeated the purpose of it."