2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Greasing the lower ball joints

[Silver Bullet Ram]

My 01 lower ball joints are not greasable. They don't come with zerks even the replacement ones. I guess the zerk would get ripped off by the axle shaft I guess. Has anyone tried drilling through the knuckle into the joint and installing a zerk there?



Gary

 

[FourBarR]

Drilled mine when new. now have 443700KMS on the originals or 275700K.

 

[Silver Bullet Ram]

98. 5 ball joints are different than the 01. I can't get a drill in there.

 

[ASimpson]

Silver bullet im wondering the same thing. I have a loud popping noise that i can feel in the floor when it does it. I have replaced everything on the front end including the ball joints but they were done about 80,000 miles ago. I does it turning left setting still or if i jab the brakes while moving forward slowly. The ball joints are the only thing i can think it would be. When it does it its hard and loud hard enough to feel and loud enough to hear over the motor only problem is everything looks and feels tight. Hopefully ill find it someday.

 

[CumminsPower98]

See pictures and info on my installation of zerks in my front wheel bearings and lower ball joints here at the bottom of the page: http://www.mark74.com/ram_modifications.htm

It is a '98 so probably isn't quite the same. I wish I could put zerks in the uppers but I would have to have the axles out and use an angle drill to do it or take the knuckles off.

 

[Silver Bullet Ram]

Silver bullet im wondering the same thing. I have a loud popping noise that i can feel in the floor when it does it. I have replaced everything on the front end including the ball joints but they were done about 80,000 miles ago. I does it turning left setting still or if i jab the brakes while moving forward slowly. The ball joints are the only thing i can think it would be. When it does it its hard and loud hard enough to feel and loud enough to hear over the motor only problem is everything looks and feels tight. Hopefully ill find it someday.

My truck is doing the same thing, thats why I started this thread.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I bought and have used a cheap and simple hypodermic greasegun attachment commonly available at NAPA to inject grease directly into the balljoints and other non-greaseable suspension parts thru the rubber boots:



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Many owners - me included - have found there is VERY little OEM grease installed into these joints direct from the factory, leading to premature failure. The needle route so far has been totally effective, at least on my truck with 50K miles, and a full suspension still tight as new.



Some alarmists get all excited and critical over the "danger" of piercing the sealed boots to apply grease by the above method - but make your choice, lovely and unspoiled pristine boots and prematurely failed joints, or pierced boots and joints that will last MANY tens of thousands of miles - besides - don't forget that the greasable joints for many decades were UNsealed, and seemed to last quite well with decent service!



Here's a shot of the needles I refer to:



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Ya pays yer $$$ in life, and make yer choices! :-laf

 

[Silver Bullet Ram]

I always thought doing it with a needle is just filling the boot and none of it makes down into the joint itself.



Gary

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I always thought doing it with a needle is just filling the boot and none of it makes down into the joint itself.



Gary

Believe me, it gets circulated - and the old grease that slowly leaks out the pierced spot shows evidence of doing it's job - I always make it a point to insert the needle as far into and to the backside of the boot as possible, so what grease does leak back out is the old stuff, not what I just pumped in - I also make sure to just inject enough new grease to barely fill out the boot. excess will only leak back out anyway.



As I said, 50K miles, and still a tight suspension...