Long post but Please, please, PLEASE help me with my ball joints. 1987 4runner
#1
Long post but Please, please, PLEASE help me with my ball joints. 1987 4runner
I bought the mevotech front end kit. Neither upper nor lower ball joints came with grease fittings. Only a little brass screw/plug in each package. Yes, Im sure. I looked in all the packages.
The manufacturer website says they come factory greased but they recommend 2 pumps of grease before install and routine greasing with oil changes. But how would you do this with no grease fittings? Regardless, I installed them with just the little brass plug they came with threaded into the hole in the ball joint. I got everything assembled and when I was torquing the lower castle nut I started to get really uneasy about the no grease fitting situation.
The rubber ball felt bone dry and when I squeezed it there was no squishiness or slow bounce back like how it feels when the ball is full of grease. It just collapsed and I could hear air whooshing out. So I took out the brass plug and put in a grease fitting.
I TRIED to pump grease into and it all just spilled out. I tried multiple grease fittings and a different brand new gun. I cannot get a drop of grease through the fitting. Side note: I can get grease through the fittings themselves when they are not attached to the ball joint.
So now I am basically faced with disassembling all my work I already did (take apart sway bar link, detach shock and untorque the already semi-aligned cam bolts on the new lower control arm to drop it down) so I can seperate the knuckle from the control arm and properly access the ball joint and figure out how to try to get some grease in it.
What should I do? Leave it with no grease and no fitting? Or take it all apart and try to get grease in it?
The manufacturer website says they come factory greased but they recommend 2 pumps of grease before install and routine greasing with oil changes. But how would you do this with no grease fittings? Regardless, I installed them with just the little brass plug they came with threaded into the hole in the ball joint. I got everything assembled and when I was torquing the lower castle nut I started to get really uneasy about the no grease fitting situation.
The rubber ball felt bone dry and when I squeezed it there was no squishiness or slow bounce back like how it feels when the ball is full of grease. It just collapsed and I could hear air whooshing out. So I took out the brass plug and put in a grease fitting.
I TRIED to pump grease into and it all just spilled out. I tried multiple grease fittings and a different brand new gun. I cannot get a drop of grease through the fitting. Side note: I can get grease through the fittings themselves when they are not attached to the ball joint.
So now I am basically faced with disassembling all my work I already did (take apart sway bar link, detach shock and untorque the already semi-aligned cam bolts on the new lower control arm to drop it down) so I can seperate the knuckle from the control arm and properly access the ball joint and figure out how to try to get some grease in it.
What should I do? Leave it with no grease and no fitting? Or take it all apart and try to get grease in it?
Last edited by Nattygirl81; 06-05-2023 at 08:29 PM.
#2
Registered User
Perhaps the zerks have such long threads that their inner ends are seating on something inside the joint when they are turned down tight.
Try filing or Dremeling a notch in the zerks threaded bottom so that grease might pass even if the zerk is bottomed out in the joint.
Try pumping in some grease with the zerks only threaded part way in and see if grease will enter the joint...
Just spitballin here....
Try filing or Dremeling a notch in the zerks threaded bottom so that grease might pass even if the zerk is bottomed out in the joint.
Try pumping in some grease with the zerks only threaded part way in and see if grease will enter the joint...
Just spitballin here....
Last edited by millball; 06-05-2023 at 08:18 PM.
The following 2 users liked this post by millball:
Nattygirl81 (06-05-2023),
RAD4Runner (06-07-2023)
#3
Perhaps the zerks have such long threads that their inner ends are seating on something inside the joint when they are turned down tight.
Try filing or Dremeling a notch in the zerks threaded bottom so that grease might pass even if the zerk is bottomed out in the joint.
Try pumping in some grease with the zerks only threaded part way in and see if grease will enter the joint...
Just spitballin here....
Try filing or Dremeling a notch in the zerks threaded bottom so that grease might pass even if the zerk is bottomed out in the joint.
Try pumping in some grease with the zerks only threaded part way in and see if grease will enter the joint...
Just spitballin here....
The following users liked this post:
JoeS (06-16-2023)
#5
Idk if you're really just not supposed to put grease in these ball joints? Why wouldn't they have come with fittings? What are the brass plugs supposed to be for? I dont get it.
#6
YT Community Team
It’s not uncommon for joints to come with plugs, then removed and replaced with grease fittings. I never used a mevotech item, but I’ve read about varying degrees of quality. Replacing ball joints is just too much work for me to do more than once, which is why I always pony up for oem.
The following 2 users liked this post by Jimkola:
Nattygirl81 (06-06-2023),
old87yota (06-12-2023)
#7
The following users liked this post:
JoeS (06-18-2023)
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#8
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
I'd try removing the plug bolt and using one of these kind of grease gun tips and see if you can force grease in that way and then put the bolt back in to seal it up.
LUMAX LX-1415 Silver 3-5/8" Needle-Type Adapter Needle-Type Adapter, 5" (127 mm). Needle-Type Adapter for Flush or Hard-to-Reach Grease Fittings. https://a.co/d/hT0ZYau
LUMAX LX-1415 Silver 3-5/8" Needle-Type Adapter Needle-Type Adapter, 5" (127 mm). Needle-Type Adapter for Flush or Hard-to-Reach Grease Fittings. https://a.co/d/hT0ZYau
The following users liked this post:
Nattygirl81 (06-07-2023)
#10
Registered User
I agree with the OEM route. My 87 runner still has the original upper and lower. Still drives great, and tires don't show uneven wear, so I've never changed them in the 20 years I've been driving it. Some of the Rockauto and other discount stuff are lucky to go 30k miles. If not OEM, I'd go upper grade Moog.
#11
Addendum
I only replaced the upper ball-joints because they had play, AND they are the ones that carry the weight of the truck, while the lower BJ's are merely to keep the hub in position and follows the UBJ's. Unlike on the 3rd gens where the LBJ's support vehicle weight.
#12
YT Community Team
Whatever ball joint the torsion bar passes through is typically the one under the most stress.
I don't think Moog ball joints have been meeting expectations, either, judging by the various forums I read. When I did my research the only brand other than oem that seemed to deliver was Senkei.
I don't think Moog ball joints have been meeting expectations, either, judging by the various forums I read. When I did my research the only brand other than oem that seemed to deliver was Senkei.
Last edited by Jimkola; 06-18-2023 at 08:51 AM.
#13
Registered User
Whatever ball joint the torsion bar passes through is typically the one under the most stress.
I don't think Moog ball joints have been meeting expectations, either, judging by the various forums I read. When I did my research the only brand that seemed to deliver was Senkei.
I don't think Moog ball joints have been meeting expectations, either, judging by the various forums I read. When I did my research the only brand that seemed to deliver was Senkei.
#14
Registered User
Didn't use Moog ball joints on my FE rebuild, but did use them for the upper control arm bushings. Started cracking after 3 years. I believe it when they say the quality has gone down hill. Never using them again for anything. On a 2WD truck the ball joints are a simple easy replacement. Just three bolts not pressed in type.
Last edited by JoeS; 06-18-2023 at 02:18 PM.
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