Ball Joint Grease (Zerk) Nipple (Fitting) Install (Pic Heavy

FreedomBuild

I got my ball joints pressed in and decided to install grease nipples so I can service them every year with the front beam.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Torsion arm with new ball joint freshly coated with Chassis Saver

Grease nipples from Canadian Tire

9/32 drill bit used to drill the holes.

Greased the drill bit to catch the metal shavings.

Drilling

Hole

Nipple installed

Torsion arm partially installed. I won't fill it with grease until it's all back together.
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1973 Campmobile rustoration in progress..

1700 Type 4 engine
Manual Transmission
Pertronix Mechanical advance distributor
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Weber Progressive

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MidWesty79 · Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:00 pm Post subject:

Did you tap that hole?
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1979 Westfalia, 1975 BMW 2002, 1996 Mazda Miata, 1979 Jeep CJ5, 2006 325 XI Wagon, 2021 M240i (all manual transmission... as god intended.)

greenbus pilot · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:29 am Post subject:

Well I would certainly tap that.......ball joint hole. As a matter of fact I did just that years ago- fitted my ball joints with grease fittings, or zerks for you "others" out there.....
I think mine were 1/4- 20 thread, for those of you keeping score at home.
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FreedomBuild · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:13 am Post subject:

busdaddy · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:04 am Post subject:

Hmm...time will tell, you may get a suprise when the pressure from the grease gun starts pushing on the back of the nipple.
Nice writeup nonetheless.
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dasdachshund · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:58 am Post subject:

Excellent write up, FreedomBuild. Applause

-dasdachshund

Wildthings · Samba Member Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50337

Get yourself an old worn out zerk adapter to use. A new one is likely to rip the grease fitting right out of the ball joint when you try to remove it. Very occasional lubrication should suffice as the boot has no way to expel excess grease. Maybe just a couple of pumps every 5 years or so.

Great to have if and when the boots fail though.

FreedomBuild · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:44 pm Post subject:

FreedomBuild · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 12:04 am Post subject:

Since the pictures disappeared and I can't edit them back in Mad

here is the link to the FB page where the album is. Enjoy! Very Happy

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.49253498...bfdeae1cfd
_________________
1973 Campmobile rustoration in progress..

1700 Type 4 engine
Manual Transmission
Pertronix Mechanical advance distributor
Pertronix Flame Thrower coil
Weber Progressive

Come visit our Facebook page!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Freedom-the-Campmobile/158775277473211

Click to view image

FreedomBuild

Pictures re-added! Smile

Wasted youth

I toyed with this idea last night. I started with the carcass of one of the old ball joints I removed as a test bed. Easy enough to drill a hole... and the tip of the drill bit seemed to make a nice divot in the top of the ball, too. Surprised

There does not appear to be much... or any useful... clearance between the cap and the ball. Not enough to think putting grease in there from a grease fitting will actually do anything useful. Insufficient clearance between ball and cap. I can only presume the new ball joints will have the same design. Not willing to make a divot into the top of the ball. Obviously, I could apply a collar stop to the drill so it stops at a prescribed depth, but the drill is pointed, so it will still need to travel to ensure the hole is large enough... that extra travel will pit the ball.

Anyone have another viewpoint?

busdaddy

tootype2crazy

I've installed zerks on a couple different ball joints including the ones they say you shouldn't. I just cut open a hole smaller than the zerk and jb weld it on. Works well.
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air-cooled or nothing for me
1978 Sunroof Deluxe Bus (daily driver)
1978 Transporter (mom's, making into a camper)
1970 Single Cab 2.1 turbo/EFI 6 Rib, 78 front beam, vanagon backing plates on rear (project)
2001 GTI VR6 (wife's)

lil-jinx

If drilling the hole leaves a mark on the ball,then the grease fitting will probably bottom out and bind the joint.
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620186
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1974 Bay Westfalia. she likes to be called Ethel.
1968 Dune Buggy
1974 parts bus
A smart man learns from his mistakes,a very smart man learns from other's mistakes.

FreedomBuild

AhnwS71

airschooled

I left mine in for their lifetime Smile

Zerk caps help preserve the check valves; I use brake bleeder caps because they’re cheap to add to any VW parts order.

Robbie
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