How To Lubricate Steering And Suspension Ball Joints

The front suspension and steering of a vehicle comprise ball joints. A ball joint connects the control arm to the steering knuckle, allowing the wheels to soak up the road’s undulations. Usually, vehicles with a lower control arm use a MacPherson strut suspension system with only one ball joint. However, SUVs and some vehicles have two control arms and two ball joints- upper and lower control arms and upper and lower ball joints, respectively. The outer tie rod also consists of a ball joint, which is attached to the steering knuckle.

Much like the joints in our own bodies, ball joints allow your vehicle to move in desirable directions while still restricting undesirable movements. The ball joints allow the wheels to steer and move up and down at the same time. They are constantly exposed to the external environment and repeated operations, which causes them to eventually wear out. Read more about ball joints in our ultimate ball joint buying guide.

Ball joints comprise a ball stud that is locked into a socket, allowing the ball joint to be locked in place while still allowing it to rotate freely. Providing a pivot for the suspension to move up and down and allowing the wheels to steer. There is a rubber boot that keeps out dirt and water and seals the grease inside. As the joint is constantly moving as you drive, it puts a tremendous force on the ball joints, and eventually, all this movement wears down the ball joint, creating a tiny space between. At this point, the ball stud and socket do not have a tight fit, creating extra space that we often refer to as “play”.

Some car manufacturers release specifications for ball joint wear limits on how much play is considered acceptable. Once the play or movement in a ball joint exceeds the specified limit, the ball joint is considered worn out and should be replaced. However, greasing and periodically maintaining your car’s suspension systems can increase the life of a ball joint and improve your car’s handling. Learn more about ball joint replacement costs and how to replace ball joints.

When you drive your vehicle, the ball joint is in constant motion and stress. Over time, the ball joint and the factory-installed grease wear out and deteriorate. Therefore, greasing the ball joints at regular intervals with fresh grease can dramatically increase their life. There are two types of ball joints: one with zerk fitting and one without it. Zerk fittings are provided so you can easily grease your car’s ball joints. However, ball joints are also offered without grease fittings. Read on to learn how to re-grease both ball joints - with and without a zerk fitting.

Before starting this job, you may need certain tools.

1. Grease Gun

A manual, hand-operated grease gun is recommended as it has a better feel and feedback on how much grease goes in and gives a better idea of when to stop.

2. Grease

Use the OEM-suggested grease. It can be heavy-duty lithium, synthetic, or marine grease. This will serve you better and longer.

3. Flexible Hose

A flexible hose can make the job of pumping grease very easy because, in some cases, the grease zerks on many vehicles’ ball joints are almost impossible to connect to directly, even with a mini grease gun. 

4. Rag

A simple rag to wipe off the dirt before connecting the hose to the zerk and to wipe off excess grease after pumping the required amount of grease.

Instructions:

1. Lift your vehicle on jacks and jack stands and remove the wheel by loosening the lug nuts.

2. Once the wheel is off, inspect the dust boot for leaks. If it is cracked or possibly even gone, replace the dust boot. Since dirt and contaminants can easily get inside the smooth metal joints and cause the ball joint to fail prematurely.

3. Clean off the zerk to prevent the contaminants from going inside with the grease. Ensure the zerk fitting is shiny and clean before you attach the grease gun. If it’s too rusted or damaged, then you should remove the grease zerk and install a new one. Save yourself from dealing with a damaged zerk fitting, which is almost impossible to remove, the next time you want to grease the ball joints of your car.

4. Attach the grease gun to the zerk fitting. Try to make the fitting as snug as possible and press down until you hear a snap and the adapter has perfectly grabbed the zerk fitting. Ensure the nozzle of the grease gun is perfectly seated on the zerk fitting, or else the grease will come out.

5. Pump the grease gun slowly until you see the boot swelling with grease. Make sure you stop pumping any more grease once the boot swells. If you keep pumping, the seal that holds that grease in the ball joint can get damaged, and you will have to replace it soon.

6. Remove the coupler from the fitting and make sure not to damage it. Carefully remove it by tilting it before detaching the coupler. If the zerk fitting gets damaged, you might have to carry out the whole process with a new ball joint again.

7. Lastly, wipe off the excess grease with the help of a rag and take the vehicle off the jack stands.

   
   

The tools needed for this job are the same as those required in ball joints with zerk fittings. You only need an extra grease zerk needle adapter.

Instructions:

1. Check the boot if it is damaged or has cracks. If it is torn or missing completely, replace the dust boot with a new one because the contaminants might already be inside the ball joint and can damage the smooth metal innards, calling for a replacement soon.

2. Clean the boot with a rag to inspect the condition of the ball joint and the seal so that the grease won't ooze out when you begin pumping grease into it.

3. Attach the zerk needle adapter to the grease gun carefully. This can be tricky, so take your time and do it with caution. If your grease gun coupler is adjustable, try loosening it to make the process easier.

4. Insert the needle into the side of the boot just near the housing of the ball joint. This will help you pump new grease into the bearing easily.

5. Pump slowly until the boot begins to swell. Make sure you can watch the dust boot while you are pumping grease into it because once it swells, there is no need to pump any more grease into it. Doing so can damage it.

6. Remove the needle and clean off any excess grease, as it can attract contaminants and cause other problems.

7. Take the vehicle for a short spin. Once done, look at those wiped-down joints and see if any grease is leaking. This could mean a busted seal, but if everything looks good, then the process is successfully completed.

   
   

Every part faces wear and tear and eventually deteriorates and needs replacement, even after regular maintenance. Ignoring regular maintenance and not greasing your ball joints can cause them to wear out and damage other components such as the control arm. The cost of replacing a ball joint can be somewhere between $400 and $800. If the damage is serious, it can damage the control arms, and the cost of replacing your control arm can go up from $500 to $700. Therefore, it's necessary to watch for the following signs of ball joints so they can be replaced timely.

• You hear a knocking or clunking noise when driving over bumps or irregular road surfaces.

• You hear a creaking or squeaking noise when turning the steering from side to side. 

• You feel the steering wobbling at high speeds.

• One or more of your tires is wearing unevenly. This can be caused by a variety of factors. Therefore, it's best you visit your mechanic and have a professional look into it.