Grease gun needle
- Thread starter rob0781
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Don't do it, you are asking for failed joints shortly thereafter. Even though the boots may look empty there is enough grease where it needs to be in the socket for them to last 20 years and more.
I haven't used greasable in many years except in off road application. The lubed for life will usually outlast the greasable many times over. I have seen some 20-30 years old and are still fine.
Edit: A greasable joint is a deal breaker for me unless a LFL isn't available when buying parts.
Edit: A greasable joint is a deal breaker for me unless a LFL isn't available when buying parts.
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Originally Posted By: Trav
Even though the boots may look empty there is enough grease where it needs to be in the socket for them to last 20 years and more.
As for me, and old school guy who cut his teeth on 50's, 60's and 70's cars....
it's been a hard thing to accept, but the truth is what it is.
Even though the boots may look empty there is enough grease where it needs to be in the socket for them to last 20 years and more.
As for me, and old school guy who cut his teeth on 50's, 60's and 70's cars....
it's been a hard thing to accept, but the truth is what it is.
Originally Posted By: Trav
I haven't used greasable in many years except in off road application. The lubed for life will usually outlast the greasable many times over. I have seen some 20-30 years old and are still fine.
Edit: A greasable joint is a deal breaker for me unless a LFL isn't available when buying parts.
Trav,
What brands are usually lubed for life or what specs need to be listed on the ball joints?
I haven't used greasable in many years except in off road application. The lubed for life will usually outlast the greasable many times over. I have seen some 20-30 years old and are still fine.
Edit: A greasable joint is a deal breaker for me unless a LFL isn't available when buying parts.
Trav,
What brands are usually lubed for life or what specs need to be listed on the ball joints?
Most Japanese and European cars are sealed and have been for the last 30+ years. US manufacturers are slowly adopting them but US consumers still believe greasable is better not because they really are its just they don't like change eg still using inches and feet instead of the simple metric system
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I usually use OE parts or at the moment Pro Forged, TRW, Lemforderer or SANKKEI 555 but that could change anytime if they cheapen the product. Disa/Deeza makes good parts in Turkey but for the USA market they outsourced a lot and the quality seemingly dropped.
Moog also reboxes some 555 parts but I don't use their other front end parts in general other than some bushings, the quality has gotten sketchy for some parts.
Look at the part if it has a sealed bottom its LFL, look for spiral rings on the boots.
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I usually use OE parts or at the moment Pro Forged, TRW, Lemforderer or SANKKEI 555 but that could change anytime if they cheapen the product. Disa/Deeza makes good parts in Turkey but for the USA market they outsourced a lot and the quality seemingly dropped.
Moog also reboxes some 555 parts but I don't use their other front end parts in general other than some bushings, the quality has gotten sketchy for some parts.
Look at the part if it has a sealed bottom its LFL, look for spiral rings on the boots.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Most Japanese and European cars are sealed and have been for the last 30+ years. US manufacturers are slowly adopting them but US consumers still believe greasable is better not because they really are its just they don't like change eg still using inches and feet instead of the simple metric system
.
I usually use OE parts or at the moment Pro Forged, TRW, Lemforderer or SANKKEI 555 but that could change anytime if they cheapen the product. Disa/Deeza makes good parts in Turkey but for the USA market they outsourced a lot and the quality seemingly dropped.
Moog also reboxes some 555 parts but I don't use their other front end parts in general other than some bushings, the quality has gotten sketchy for some parts.
Look at the part if it has a sealed bottom its LFL, look for spiral rings on the boots.
I got a Deeza Tie Rod end for a MK4 VW and it was a reboxed Lemforder. That was about 2 years ago when Deeza parts were all the rage around here, now that hype has gone down a bit.
Most Japanese and European cars are sealed and have been for the last 30+ years. US manufacturers are slowly adopting them but US consumers still believe greasable is better not because they really are its just they don't like change eg still using inches and feet instead of the simple metric system
.
I usually use OE parts or at the moment Pro Forged, TRW, Lemforderer or SANKKEI 555 but that could change anytime if they cheapen the product. Disa/Deeza makes good parts in Turkey but for the USA market they outsourced a lot and the quality seemingly dropped.
Moog also reboxes some 555 parts but I don't use their other front end parts in general other than some bushings, the quality has gotten sketchy for some parts.
Look at the part if it has a sealed bottom its LFL, look for spiral rings on the boots.
I got a Deeza Tie Rod end for a MK4 VW and it was a reboxed Lemforder. That was about 2 years ago when Deeza parts were all the rage around here, now that hype has gone down a bit.
Yah, the big catch to grease-able stuff is that they require periodic greasing. LFL stuff does better. People still use cedar shingles for roofing too. About the only time to re-grease is when a boot fails.
Most, maybe all the problems with greasable joints, come from service where the tech is too [censored] lazy to clean the grease fitting prior to greasing it. I have seen lube tech press on the coupleler over a big dirty wad of grease. If that is the way you do it then yes you are better off with sealed for life joints. If you clean the grease Zerk, this includes a squrit of carb cleaner to get the residual dirt out of the crevice between the ball and body, that greased joint will outlast the sealed ones.
Rod
Rod
This is a myth, it doesn't matter how well you clean it the problem with greasable is still the boot.
The boot has to be able to let the old grease out either by a loose fit (old style) or some sort of tiny flap so the boot doesn't rupture when pumping new grease in.
If grease can get out water can get in, its that simple, of course it depends on the operating conditions. In dry areas of the country its not a issue but in the salt belt or wet climates it is common to find rust in the worn out joints no matter how well they were maintained.
I have a good friend in the middle east, the very fine sand finds its way into greasable joints and wears them very quickly, once he moved to LFL no more problems.
The boot has to be able to let the old grease out either by a loose fit (old style) or some sort of tiny flap so the boot doesn't rupture when pumping new grease in.
If grease can get out water can get in, its that simple, of course it depends on the operating conditions. In dry areas of the country its not a issue but in the salt belt or wet climates it is common to find rust in the worn out joints no matter how well they were maintained.
I have a good friend in the middle east, the very fine sand finds its way into greasable joints and wears them very quickly, once he moved to LFL no more problems.
I agree ragtop.
Servicable zerks I think will never need replacement if handled perfect (ie. Clean, not too much to pop, but not too dry, good quality grease, maybe gently clean the boot, regular checks with every oil change).
One less thing to worry about and no lawsuits or comebacks for lube shaks as I think they quit caring about greaseable alemites before I was born and even if they do hit it, can you ever really be sure if it is a boot made to ooze out old grease -OR- is it sealed and will pop with too much?
Servicable zerks I think will never need replacement if handled perfect (ie. Clean, not too much to pop, but not too dry, good quality grease, maybe gently clean the boot, regular checks with every oil change).
One less thing to worry about and no lawsuits or comebacks for lube shaks as I think they quit caring about greaseable alemites before I was born and even if they do hit it, can you ever really be sure if it is a boot made to ooze out old grease -OR- is it sealed and will pop with too much?
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Seriously? I guess we were changing imaginary ball joints and tie rods for the last decades before LFL entered the picture.
Most of them were lubed every 3K not 10+ like today. LOF was standard operating procedure.
Most of them were lubed every 3K not 10+ like today. LOF was standard operating procedure.
This is one of the main reasons we like the GM vans. Tons of zerks.
LFL is not always a very long life. I own two different sizes of greasing needles, occasionally you need to shut up a noisy ball joint on some "greased for life" front end!
LFL is not always a very long life. I own two different sizes of greasing needles, occasionally you need to shut up a noisy ball joint on some "greased for life" front end!
Trucks, large vans, off road vehicles do better with zerks. LFL is better for light duty use on cars. One size does not fit all, common sense.
I wish my 1950 Chevy truck didn't have grease zerks on it, because that is todays project, before I take it on it's first voyage after sitting for over a dozen years. It has over 20 grease fittings on it that are supposed to be lubed every 2000 miles. The truck only has 2300 original miles on it, so it should be fine. Tires will be an expensive project next. I think the rear tires are 68 years old.
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Cool truck! Is that Athol where you are or Athol MA?
Originally Posted By: Trav
Cool truck! Is that Athol where you are or Athol MA?
It came from my families hometown 7 generations back in Athol Kansas, from where the song "Home on the Range" came from. Didn't need it, but too cool to let disappear.
Cool truck! Is that Athol where you are or Athol MA?
It came from my families hometown 7 generations back in Athol Kansas, from where the song "Home on the Range" came from. Didn't need it, but too cool to let disappear.
Originally Posted By: Traction
Originally Posted By: Trav
Cool truck! Is that Athol where you are or Athol MA?
It came from my families hometown 7 generations back in Athol Kansas, from where the song "Home on the Range" came from. Didn't need it, but too cool to let disappear.
Definitely way too cool to let disappear.
I hope you post the progress on it.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Cool truck! Is that Athol where you are or Athol MA?
It came from my families hometown 7 generations back in Athol Kansas, from where the song "Home on the Range" came from. Didn't need it, but too cool to let disappear.
Definitely way too cool to let disappear.
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