Steering upgrade, maintanance free?

[JeepinDoug]

2004.5 2500 4x4.
I had the old inverted Y steering and the joints were getting loose so I bought the Mopar upgraded parts.
Inverted T, the new corrected pitman arm and a Fox 2.0" stabilizer.
Went in super easy, all the geometry was almost correct on the first try. I had to adjust the drag link a tad to straighten out the wheel.
Then I noticed there are no zerk fittings, anywhere.
Are these maintenance free?
That doesn't sound right to me.
It can not be that you need to pack them before assembly because you can not do that everytime time you need to grease them and risk damaging the boots.
I don't see provisions for a zerk anywhere on the cap or housing.
Anyone have advice for me?

 

[cerberusiam]

Nope, no zerks. Nope, not maintenance free if you want them to last. About 80k and had to replace the drag link and tie rod end at the pitman arm due to slop in the joints. I now have greasable joints on the drag link. If it was me I would drill the existing caps for zerks. Damaging the boots is nothing but an excuse to cheapen the parts and sell more. None of the boots are toal seal and as long as they don't rip the grease will keep the water out.

 

[JeepinDoug]

Good to know, I'll drill and tap them for zerks next weekend.
Thanks

 

[The patriot]

I drilled, tapped and installed zerks at about 10K miles on my truck.
The only thing I've ever needed to replace was the steering box and the track bar.
All original.

 

[CVR222NV]

I drilled, tapped and installed zerks at about 10K miles on my truck.
The only thing I've ever needed to replace was the steering box and the track bar.
All original.

Can you post up some pics of how you installed the zerks? Did you tap the flat top/bottom of each joint for a total of four zerks?

 

[The patriot]

I did it about 15 + yrs ago. I dont have pics.
Both upper & lower ball joints were drilled and tapped (the best as could be done in confined space) and fitted with zerks.
It was particularly hard to get the upper ball joints, the 4x4 stuff takes up much of the area where you need to be, so getting them straight on the uppers is impossible.Just do as best as you can.
The lowers were easy.
My tie roda & pretty much the rest of the moving items had zerks on them from the factory.
The upper ball joints are a PITA to get to with a 4x4, you'll need a special fitting. I'll see if I can google up something. The little u joints have to be in just the right position.
The fitting looks like this:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.ih8mud.com%2Fthreads%2Fnapa-needle-lube-attachment.272209%2F&ei=5mNkVdziNevasATkxIOACw&bvm=bv.93990622,d.cWc&psig=AFQjCNGy_3QS2W5Zti6ydv7wzfc4sgUcjQ&ust=1432728923048784[ing]
I hope that worked.
It would be easier having 2 grease guns with the 2 different nozzles, but I just do the entire front end with the one.

 

[The patriot]

Sorry, it wont let me post a pic. I believe they referred to it as a K car fitting

 

[Jim W]

I have a 2008 Mega Cab with the 2003 to 2007 style steering linkage on the truck. The only two points for greasing are the two tie rod joints at the wheels. I grease these every 5,000 miles. Will my RH side tie rod had a catastrophic failure at 81,000 miles; lose all steering ability. The joint failed when crossing a set of very rough railroad tracks. I was only going about 30 MPH since the tracks were in town. I was able to get the truck to the side of the road safely but if I was driving any faster I could have been in accident.

The entire steering linkage and ball joints were replaced with MOOG steering linkage parts and they all have grease zerks in the replacement parts. I did not want the new style steering linkage because I knew that the grease zerks had been removed and some users are having issues with the factory steering stabilizer mounting now.

Jim W.

 

[Regcabguy]

Source Automotive offers the '08.5+ steering with zerks. I don't know if all four are tapped.

http://sourceautomotive.biz/2003-2009dodgeupgradedsteeringlinkage.aspx

 

[CVR222NV]

I did it about 15 + yrs ago. I dont have pics.
Both upper & lower ball joints were drilled and tapped (the best as could be done in confined space) and fitted with zerks.
It was particularly hard to get the upper ball joints, the 4x4 stuff takes up much of the area where you need to be, so getting them straight on the uppers is impossible.Just do as best as you can.
The lowers were easy.
My tie roda & pretty much the rest of the moving items had zerks on them from the factory.
The upper ball joints are a PITA to get to with a 4x4, you'll need a special fitting. I'll see if I can google up something. The little u joints have to be in just the right position.
The fitting looks like this:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.ih8mud.com%2Fthreads%2Fnapa-needle-lube-attachment.272209%2F&ei=5mNkVdziNevasATkxIOACw&bvm=bv.93990622,d.cWc&psig=AFQjCNGy_3QS2W5Zti6ydv7wzfc4sgUcjQ&ust=1432728923048784[ing]
I hope that worked.
It would be easier having 2 grease guns with the 2 different nozzles, but I just do the entire front end with the one.[/QUOTE]

I will be installing Carli ball joints in the next couple of weeks and they have zerk fittings both upper and lower. I was hoping to see how zerk fittings are installed on the upgrade 8.5 steering linkage.

 

[The patriot]

I dont have an 08, mine is a 1998.

 

[The patriot]

Can you post up some pics of how you installed the zerks? Did you tap the flat top/bottom of each joint for a total of four zerks?

Yes, I drilled/tapped about the only place you could. Into the flat ends. I believe this is where they'd be at if it was done at the factory.