F350 SD Ball joints - Diesel Forum

jbos · 08-14-2006, 07:37 PM

My manual keeps refering to lubing my ball joints but I do not see any provisions to do so . What am I missing? Thanks Jbos [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

dslfumes · 08-14-2006, 09:45 PM

Factory ball joints in SD's are non-greasables. Replace with aftermarket ones that are greasable. P.I.T.A.

edwin · 08-14-2006, 10:02 PM

Or you can drill and tap the lowers like I did. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

dslfumes · 08-15-2006, 03:30 AM

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Or you can drill and tap the lowers like I did. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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Never thought of that.....good idea. Mine were toast though, had to be changed anyways.

frobozz · 08-15-2006, 09:21 AM

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Or you can drill and tap the lowers like I did. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

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I did the same thing on my '03. They were creaking like mad, but didn't have *any* play, so they just needed grease, but no way to put it in there! Since I had nothing to lose (they were going to have to be replaced soon anyway if the creaking turned into grinding), I drilled and tapped and put in little grease nipples. On one when the bit went in, it came back out with the grooves filled with what looked like rich soil. Yep, that was the former grease. On the other, I actually got a puff of *dust* that came out as the bit went through!!

Needless to say, she's a happy camper now, and I'm good until the top ones start to creak. No way to get a drill up in there!

Duncan

jbos · 08-15-2006, 03:57 PM

Thanks much for the info folks but you say the uppers can't be done this way? Were you able to drill through the cap or side of the body somehow? Also did you just use a small zerk for this or an alternative product! I am having no problem yet but would rather be ahead of the curve! Thanks again J-bos

edwin · 08-15-2006, 07:51 PM

On the lower you drill right where a grease fitting should of been. Actually the metal is pretty soft. On the uppers you cant drill because the axle is in the way, but I still grease mine with a hypodermic needle looking thing. Ive seen them at pep boys. Ive been greasing non greasable parts for almost 30 yrs. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

frobozz · 08-16-2006, 08:53 AM

I bought the tiny zerks at Ace Hardware, and bought the matching tap there too. Just drill straight up in the center of the soft metal cap on the bottom of the lower joint.

The soft metal cap on the bottom of the upper joint has all sorts of things in the way, like a Big Darn U-joint, that would prevent you from getting a drill in there without major disassembly. And even then I think you'd need a right angle zerk to clear the u-joint once it was reassembled.

The "grease needle" is an interesting idea. Those boots look way too sturdy and locked in place to allow you to slide a needle under them, and yet once I'd put the fitting on the bottom, that boot popped right open to let the new grease out once it got filled up (with an astonishing number of pumps; do they put *any* grease in these things from the factory?!) So maybe that's worth a shot when the uppers start creaking. I'll have to look for that needle thingy at Pep Boys.

Duncan

jbos · 08-16-2006, 09:46 AM

Thanks a great lot to all of the posters for the very valuable info ! Thanx again I will need to get going on this as I do not want premature failure on this !j_bos Have a [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/warmsmile.gif[/img]great day or week too