2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission 415,000 miles on Ball Joints?

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I put new ball joints on my '96 today and the mechanic friend who helped and has done several Dodge Cummins trucks was pretty sure they were original Didn't have grease zerks, they were really wasted. Interestingly they didn't start getting loose until about 410,000 but I didn't get them changed until now. I've had the truck for 65,000 miles and the front end components looked old then, but it could be they did get changed out once in the past.

The new Spicer pieces I installed have grease zerks, but the angled ones for the upper ball joints barely clear the front U-joints. Was worried about getting them screwed in far enough to clear. Anyway I'm set to see if I can get 415K out of the new set

 

[Missouri Mule]

That is a lot of mileage on them!

I just repalced mine with greasable ones at about 210,000 miles on them in December (08). I'm happy about the years and mileage I got out of them.

 

[ILIANBG]

Who makes the greasable ones guys? It's good to know when the time comes. Thanks.
Ilian

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

ILIANBG the ones I used were Spicer brand. I would guess Moog ones are greaseable too.

 

[Missouri Mule]

Don't know what brand just told my mechanic I wanted greasalbe ones. I had a coice between cheap ones (non greasable) and the expensive ones(greasable).

I would check with the parts stores.

 

[CumminsPower98]

Yes Moog joints are also greaseable. I have installed a couple sets of those on customer rigs. I agree, that top zerk clears by a hair width. I do believe its possible to get that kind of mileage. I have personally put 335k on mine. The axle is not original to the truck though so I don't know the history before that. I do know that the donor truck the axle came from had 126k on it. So if they are the originals they now have about 461k miles. I did install zerks in the lowers back in 2003 so they were greaseable for a lot of those miles. The top joints have not had any grease and all four are still tight. Believe me I have pried and shaken several times and I can't get any movement at all.

 

[kenny61]

I didnt even know the zerk cleared. On the moogs I use I put the plug in the uppers and then swap em out with the zerks to grease em

 

[kenny61]

I only get about 50 0r 60 k out of the joints but at least moogs are lifetime warranty

 

[DieselDoghouse]

They clear (the uppers) you put in a very shallow zerk and use a right angle gun nozzle. I still find it best to jack up each side and spin the wheel to get clearance - also seems easier to grease from the rear than the front. I'm on my 2nd set of Moogs and yes they honored the lifetime warranty. "course they got a customer for life too!! (Moog owns National for hubs etc).

 

[DonTX]

I was wondering if anyone had experience with the boots. My rubber boots have been rotted off for a couple of years now. I rarely drove in wet, they seemed to be holding up well. This winter I had to drive in salty slush for several days, not sure if they got a dose of salt water or not. Since I cannot grease them, all I can do is wait for failure I guess. How long will they last after the rubbers are gone, anybody know?