Ball Joint Grease Hole

Hey guys. I just got in some Mevotech ball joints from RockAuto. The ball joints have a hole on top and come with a grease fitting. However, the hole is covered by a piece of the lower control arm once installed. There is no room to put the grease fitting in. Do you think this is bad to install? Will grease just seep out the top?

Also, I just bought new front shocks, tie rod ends, and ball joints. I have a crazy squeak coming from my front drivers side on bumps and just turning the steering wheel.

All rubber components of the steering and suspension on this truck are super deteriorated. I'm trying to replace everything over time. But I'm starting to wonder if the squeaking is coming from the control arm. And if that's the case, should I be sending back these ball joints because it seems like almost all control arms come with ball joints installed. The control arm bushings are toast. I can just peel off pieces of rubber. Can I buy the bushings individually? Is it a big job? If they are squeaking this bad should I be replacing the whole arm?

If you can't install the Zerk fitting get a "plug" to seal the hole. leaving it open will be a problem down the road.

If you install the Zerk fitting before you install the ball joint, there should be room for it to fit unless you dropped your truck, it should fit.

Dan

Squeak might be from the UCA, hold a screw driver tip on it while moving it up and down while placing your ear on the handle.

You shouldn't need to replace the control arm, just the control arm rod and bushings. It's not a big job but it does take some work.

Look here... post114358

Ball joints only come already installed in the control arm if you buy a kit where they are pre-installed.

So if it is the UCA should I wait to install the upper ball joint until I order in the rod and bushing or are they two separate jobs?

On my '88 B2200, to fix a squeak I removed the four UCA threaded plugs and threaded in four 6mm grease fittings (three needed to be 90 degree-angled fittings). Then I greased them up from my grease gun with flexible extension, and grease them every few years.

I also have had front end squeaks unrelated to this on both sides. A mechanic diagnosed/fixed a bad ball joint on my driver side to fix. Then a decade later I had a squeak on the passenger side, so I installed two new ball joints from Autozone on the passenger side. Those came with grease fittings, and I ised them. The upper ball joint fitting faces straght up, and for the bottom fitting I had to cut out a little notch for it to fit.



Really? Can you post a photo? I just had my B2200 up on jack stands Saturday (to check the brake pad thickness), and clearly remember no issue with the upper ball joint grease fitting, very accessible. So you're saying that even with front end jacked up you cannot access this? I think we need good photos posted here.

You can do them in separate jobs, the squeak won't hurt anything in the short term. It's just annoying.



As Cusser said, post a picture of your setup.

PS. Ball joints are easy, I'd do both lower and upper at the same time. Be sure not to drop the hub on you. Support it with a small jack.

Well I did the ball joints and tie rod ends on one side of the truck. Ran into a few snags. Nothing a torch couldn't handle.
The squeak was coming from the ball joints. No more squeak. Very happy.
I think I'm still gonna do the UCA bushings and rod sooner than later. The rubber on them is no good. Gotta do the exhaust first it's rusted so bad.

I did have to cut a notch to fit the grease fitting.

Thanks for the help!

Take a photo from the front and back at the ball joint level.