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FreedomBuild Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2010 Posts: 385 Location: Calgary, Alberta
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:06 pm Post subject: Ball Joint Grease (Zerk) Nipple (Fitting) Install (Pic Heavy |
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I got my ball joints pressed in and decided to install grease nipples so I can service them every year with the front beam.
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. _________________ 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!
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MidWesty79 Samba Member
Joined: October 19, 2011 Posts: 485 Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin, US
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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Did you tap that hole? _________________ 1979 Westfalia, 1975 BMW 2002, 1996 Mazda Miata, 1979 Jeep CJ5, 2006 325 XI Wagon, 2021 M240i (all manual transmission... as god intended.) |
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greenbus pilot Samba Member
Joined: March 14, 2008 Posts: 1285 Location: Wisconsin: Rustbelt, USA baby!!
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:29 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Sent from a white van down the street. |
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FreedomBuild Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2010 Posts: 385 Location: Calgary, Alberta
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:13 am Post subject: |
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MidWesty79 wrote: |
Did you tap that hole? |
No, the hole is just big enough to accept the grease nipple. It's remarkably
easy to thread in. When you remove the nipple the threads are cut and could replace the nipple easily. _________________ 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
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51145 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:04 am Post subject: |
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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. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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dasdachshund Samba Member
Joined: March 29, 2010 Posts: 728 Location: Vancouver, WA USA
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:58 am Post subject: |
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Excellent write up, FreedomBuild.
-dasdachshund |
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Wildthings Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2005 Posts: 50349
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:39 am Post subject: |
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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. |
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FreedomBuild Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2010 Posts: 385 Location: Calgary, Alberta
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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dasdachshund wrote: |
Excellent write up, FreedomBuild.
-dasdachshund |
Thanks! I try to post how-to's that I can't find. I hope people find this post useful! _________________ 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 |
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FreedomBuild Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2010 Posts: 385 Location: Calgary, Alberta
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FreedomBuild Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2010 Posts: 385 Location: Calgary, Alberta
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Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 6:24 pm Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Grease Nipple Install (Pic Heavy) |
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Pictures re-added!
FreedomBuild wrote: |
I got my ball joints pressed in and decided to install grease nipples so I can service them every year with the front beam.
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. |
Come visit our Facebook repair blog for Freedom! Click Like!!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Freedom-the-Campmobile/158775277473211 _________________ 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 |
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Wasted youth Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2012 Posts: 5134 Location: California's Hot and Smoggy Central Valley
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Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 5:35 pm Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Grease (Zerk) Nipple (Fitting) Install (Pic Heavy |
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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.
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? |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51145 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:16 pm Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Grease (Zerk) Nipple (Fitting) Install (Pic Heavy |
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Wasted youth wrote: |
Anyone have another viewpoint? |
Well you learn something new every day here, I learned this a few weeks ago:
_________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Слава Україні! |
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tootype2crazy Samba Member
Joined: October 08, 2007 Posts: 1276 Location: St. Louis Missouri
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Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 6:18 pm Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Grease (Zerk) Nipple (Fitting) Install (Pic Heavy |
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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. _________________ 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) |
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lil-jinx Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2013 Posts: 1109 Location: New Brunswick,Canada
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FreedomBuild Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2010 Posts: 385 Location: Calgary, Alberta
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Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2019 5:28 pm Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Grease (Zerk) Nipple (Fitting) Install (Pic Heavy |
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tootype2crazy wrote: |
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. |
Bravo!
** UPDATE **
So far it has been 7 years after installation with multiple road trips. No issues with the grease fitting/zerks. Ball joints are right and tight _________________ 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 |
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AhnwS71 Samba Member
Joined: January 31, 2018 Posts: 215 Location: Huntsville, AL
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2021 9:21 am Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Grease (Zerk) Nipple (Fitting) Install (Pic Heavy |
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FreedomBuild wrote: |
tootype2crazy wrote: |
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. |
Bravo!
** UPDATE **
So far it has been 7 years after installation with multiple road trips. No issues with the grease fitting/zerks. Ball joints are right and tight |
I have the original joints on my bus. this past weekend i pulled the plugs and installed 6mm zerks on the joints after installing new boots. Based on the statement above, I assume it is ok to leave the Zerks in place after filling with grease vs trying to find some plugs to replace the ones that crumbled when i took them out.
if not ok, anyone know a source for the plugs? _________________ '71 Westy
Sometimes you eat the bar, and sometimes the bar eats you. the Stranger |
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airschooled Air-Schooled
Joined: April 04, 2012 Posts: 12722 Location: on a bike ride somewhere
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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2021 9:48 am Post subject: Re: Ball Joint Grease (Zerk) Nipple (Fitting) Install (Pic Heavy |
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I left mine in for their lifetime
Zerk caps help preserve the check valves; I use brake bleeder caps because they’re cheap to add to any VW parts order.
Robbie _________________ Learn how your vintage VW works. And why it doesn't!
One-on-one tech help for your Volkswagen:
www.airschooled.com |
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