How / why do tie rod ends & ball joints lose grease?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 363
From: AL
How / why do tie rod ends & ball joints lose grease?
This may be a dumb question, but I'mma ask it anyway.
I recently redid the tie rod ends on my 99 and pumped some grease into them through the zerk fittings that came with the new ends.
I was warned by the guy that loaned me the grease gun not to overfill the boot. So I kept an eye on the boot, waited for it to swell just a bit while filling and gently pushed in the top of the zerk fitting with a pin to see if grease came out. All appears to be well...
If there is a seal that can be damaged by over-filling the tie rod end boot then why do the tie rods and ball joints etc. require additional grease "every other oil change" as I have read elsewhere online. I'd imagine that eventually they'd overfill if I continue to add grease to them. Don't want to bust open the boot by adding too much grease!
Do they weep grease somewhere? Are they supposed to lose grease over time?
I recently redid the tie rod ends on my 99 and pumped some grease into them through the zerk fittings that came with the new ends.
I was warned by the guy that loaned me the grease gun not to overfill the boot. So I kept an eye on the boot, waited for it to swell just a bit while filling and gently pushed in the top of the zerk fitting with a pin to see if grease came out. All appears to be well...
If there is a seal that can be damaged by over-filling the tie rod end boot then why do the tie rods and ball joints etc. require additional grease "every other oil change" as I have read elsewhere online. I'd imagine that eventually they'd overfill if I continue to add grease to them. Don't want to bust open the boot by adding too much grease!
Do they weep grease somewhere? Are they supposed to lose grease over time?
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 1,622
From: Long Island
Moog Problem Solvers have a release valve and are meant to be filled enough to see grease starting to weep. And STOP there. You can overdo it and loose the retaining capability the valve offers if you go all mental on it.
It would make sense that any Ball Joint or Tie Rod End with a zerk fitting would have a similar setup, but when you read about this in different forums, you wouldn't believe the answers. I'm stickin with Moog.
Use common sense with a healthy side of Moog Instructions. You'll be fine.
You did read the instructions..... RIGHT? This setup is how contaminated grease gets replaced with new grease for a longer life.
It would make sense that any Ball Joint or Tie Rod End with a zerk fitting would have a similar setup, but when you read about this in different forums, you wouldn't believe the answers. I'm stickin with Moog.
Use common sense with a healthy side of Moog Instructions. You'll be fine.
You did read the instructions..... RIGHT? This setup is how contaminated grease gets replaced with new grease for a longer life.
Last edited by KP11520; Mar 19, 2017 at 01:55 PM.
When you see the rubber boot start to swell, stop. Grease only needs to be in the bottom of the ball joint. Anything that goes in the rubber boot is excess.
Most brands of ball joints have an opening in the boot to allow excess to escape. But if you are using a powered grease gun, you can pump the grease in faster than the overflow hole can let it out. You can split the boot open this way.
Most brands of ball joints have an opening in the boot to allow excess to escape. But if you are using a powered grease gun, you can pump the grease in faster than the overflow hole can let it out. You can split the boot open this way.
