Ball Joints not letting me grease them? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Hoods69BadBowTie · 01-26-2005, 02:34 PM

I went out to grease up my '88 LongBox Pickup yesterday. I think I was trying to grease the ball joints on it. I am not used to the whole IFS thing but they were in the same place that my ball joints on my Blazer are at.
Anyways I cleand up the nipple on them and got my grease gun on it, but there was alot of resistance so I figured I would just squeeze it really hard and it would work. But instead grese came squirting out of the rear end of the grease gun.
Anybody had this happen before or have any suggestions on it.
Thanx for any advice!
-Later

sneakysnake · 01-26-2005, 03:31 PM

Not a common thing, usually just squirts out around the nipple or if you have a old gun with a worn hose might rupture or leak.Never had one squirt back out the bottom.
You can try replacing the clogged zerk sometimes just wiping them off is not enough.

busterwivell · 01-26-2005, 03:51 PM

Just had that a couple of weeks ago on my 71. Rebuilt front end recently. All fittings took grease then, but with oil change 2 wouldn't take grease. Replaced zerks. Problem gone.

67ChevyRedneck · 01-26-2005, 03:56 PM

Are the nipple things called "zerks?" Sometimes the nipples get dirt in them and it hardens, even if you clean off the outside of them. I've had the same problem. If the nipple is called a zerk do what busterwivell and sneakysnake said

smokekiki · 01-26-2005, 03:56 PM

If You don't have a grease zerk handy,take Your pocket knife and poke the little ball,gently.It should grease then.

Fred T · 01-26-2005, 04:24 PM

Sometimes the pressure from the ball sitting in the socket will not allow grease to flow. If so, jack so the pressure is not on the ball joint and try again.

RON WOODGEARD · 01-26-2005, 06:01 PM

There is a tool that will clean out the ball and allow you to squirt the grease in,,, or do as said above and replace the Grease Jerks all together..
Don't be surprised if you find a counter person that doesn't know about the tool, it's one of those things that most people don't know about... BUT They are out there...............

**COBALT** · 01-26-2005, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred T

Sometimes the pressure from the ball sitting in the socket will not allow grease to flow. If so, jack so the pressure is not on the ball joint and try again.

I was just going to suggest that, but I've never had grease shoot out of the BACK of the grease gun. It usually balls up right at the fitting, and I have to have a cloth handy to collect it.

One thing to always try to do is have the grease gun fitting as parallel as possible with the fitting on the joint. Don't have it cocked at an angle.

What really sucks is breaking a grease fitting. I did that on an upper control arm bushing once. I had to take the pressure off of the bushing and replace it. That was a suck-y job.

john j · 01-26-2005, 07:04 PM

Not to suggest anything,BUT did you remove the metal opener from the grease tube?
Done that before, johnj

Longhorn Man · 01-26-2005, 09:18 PM

I see this quite a bit at work. You can poke the zerk with a small allen wrench. No need to get a tool you don't need. If you have an allen wrench set, then you're set.
If that doesn't do the trick, I heat the fitting and the imediate area with a small propain tortch. Then try...if that fails, I remove and stick the allen wrench in the hole and see if there is an obstruction there. I normally chainge the zerk at this point since the old one is already off.
On the high rail trucks (rail road pick ups that drive on the rail road tracks) it is VERY common for them not to take grease. We have had to heat them up with cutting tortches untill cherry red, crank up the compressor to 125PSI, and even then, sometimes it won't take grease. Hate it when it gets to this point, we have to start taking arms and stuff off the system.

Hoods69BadBowTie · 01-26-2005, 11:00 PM

Hey, thanx for the tips. I have used this grease gun for about a 1 1/2 years and had no problems. It sound like it farted but there is grease coming out of the right end now. I tried poking the little ball in the nipple and tryed it again but to no avail. I was thinking about just going and getting new ones but did n't have any money or the chance to yet. Only 2 more days till payday, Luckily. I will try some of your ideas tommorrow and if they don't work I will just replace them.
I have never heard of them being called zerks either, just nipples.
-Later

cduster · 01-27-2005, 02:26 AM

Try the propane torch trick. Works wonders for me.

Dan

01-26-2005, 02:34 PM	#1
Hoods69BadBowTie Chevys Kick A$$ Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zootown, MT Posts: 12,699	Ball Joints not letting me grease them? I went out to grease up my '88 LongBox Pickup yesterday. I think I was trying to grease the ball joints on it. I am not used to the whole IFS thing but they were in the same place that my ball joints on my Blazer are at. Anyways I cleand up the nipple on them and got my grease gun on it, but there was alot of resistance so I figured I would just squeeze it really hard and it would work. But instead grese came squirting out of the rear end of the grease gun. Anybody had this happen before or have any suggestions on it. Thanx for any advice! -Later __________________ HOODS is what I answer too -'79, '77, '88 Pickup Sold, '85 Camaro, '83 T/A, '81,'83,'90 K5 Blazer All Sold -'79 3/4 ton "Big Yellow Bananna" Lifted 4spd. 39.5 TSL Swampers, The money Pit -'86 K5 Blazer Silverado 6.2 4" lift 35"s -'95 Ext. Cab Shorty 4" Tuff Country rolling 35" M/T's -'83 Monte Carlo T-Tops. 126,500 Original Miles -LATER I would rather push a Chevy then drive a ford!!

01-26-2005, 03:51 PM	#3
busterwivell Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sahuarita, AZ USA Posts: 2,033	Just had that a couple of weeks ago on my 71. Rebuilt front end recently. All fittings took grease then, but with oil change 2 wouldn't take grease. Replaced zerks. Problem gone. __________________ Bill - Tucson, AZ 47 Chevrolet 2 dr sedan 56 Chevrolet 210 2 dr sedan 66 Chevrolet Malibu 2 dr 4 speed 71 Chevrolet C30 Longhorn 86 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS (Sold) 01 Chevrolet Tahoe IM - BUSTERWIVE@aol.com

01-26-2005, 03:56 PM	#4
67ChevyRedneck Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 23,090	Are the nipple things called "zerks?" Sometimes the nipples get dirt in them and it hardens, even if you clean off the outside of them. I've had the same problem. If the nipple is called a zerk do what busterwivell and sneakysnake said __________________ Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride American Born, Country by the Grace of God 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications!

01-26-2005, 03:56 PM	#5
smokekiki Mike Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: west chester pa Posts: 2,474	If You don't have a grease zerk handy,take Your pocket knife and poke the little ball,gently.It should grease then. __________________ 70'c/10, 71 suburban4x4 402bb, 72suburban 4/6 drop, 72k/5 4x4 blazer 4" lift 35 tires

01-26-2005, 04:24 PM	#6
Fred T Cantankerous Geezer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Bel Aire, KS Posts: 6,264	Sometimes the pressure from the ball sitting in the socket will not allow grease to flow. If so, jack so the pressure is not on the ball joint and try again. __________________ Fred There is no such thing as too much cam...just not enough engine.

01-26-2005, 03:31 PM	#2
sneakysnake It's a catastrophic success. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,077	Not a common thing, usually just squirts out around the nipple or if you have a old gun with a worn hose might rupture or leak.Never had one squirt back out the bottom. You can try replacing the clogged zerk sometimes just wiping them off is not enough.

01-26-2005, 06:01 PM	#7
RON WOODGEARD Resident Young Old Dude ! Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Nevada Posts: 1,948	There is a tool that will clean out the ball and allow you to squirt the grease in,,, or do as said above and replace the Grease Jerks all together.. Don't be surprised if you find a counter person that doesn't know about the tool, it's one of those things that most people don't know about... BUT They are out there...............

01-26-2005, 07:04 PM	#9
john j Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Newport NH Posts: 216	Not to suggest anything,BUT did you remove the metal opener from the grease tube? Done that before, johnj __________________ you laugh at me cause i'm different ; i laugh at you cause you're the same

01-26-2005, 09:18 PM	#10
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,693	I see this quite a bit at work. You can poke the zerk with a small allen wrench. No need to get a tool you don't need. If you have an allen wrench set, then you're set. If that doesn't do the trick, I heat the fitting and the imediate area with a small propain tortch. Then try...if that fails, I remove and stick the allen wrench in the hole and see if there is an obstruction there. I normally chainge the zerk at this point since the old one is already off. On the high rail trucks (rail road pick ups that drive on the rail road tracks) it is VERY common for them not to take grease. We have had to heat them up with cutting tortches untill cherry red, crank up the compressor to 125PSI, and even then, sometimes it won't take grease. Hate it when it gets to this point, we have to start taking arms and stuff off the system.

01-26-2005, 11:00 PM	#11
Hoods69BadBowTie Chevys Kick A$$ Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zootown, MT Posts: 12,699	Hey, thanx for the tips. I have used this grease gun for about a 1 1/2 years and had no problems. It sound like it farted but there is grease coming out of the right end now. I tried poking the little ball in the nipple and tryed it again but to no avail. I was thinking about just going and getting new ones but did n't have any money or the chance to yet. Only 2 more days till payday, Luckily. I will try some of your ideas tommorrow and if they don't work I will just replace them. I have never heard of them being called zerks either, just nipples. -Later __________________ HOODS is what I answer too -'79, '77, '88 Pickup Sold, '85 Camaro, '83 T/A, '81,'83,'90 K5 Blazer All Sold -'79 3/4 ton "Big Yellow Bananna" Lifted 4spd. 39.5 TSL Swampers, The money Pit -'86 K5 Blazer Silverado 6.2 4" lift 35"s -'95 Ext. Cab Shorty 4" Tuff Country rolling 35" M/T's -'83 Monte Carlo T-Tops. 126,500 Original Miles -LATER I would rather push a Chevy then drive a ford!!

01-27-2005, 02:26 AM	#12
cduster Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: S.W. Michigan Posts: 403	Try the propane torch trick. Works wonders for me. Dan



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