Hi All, What is the story on Ball Joints? In 1998, I bought a new E350 and it had grease fittings on all four ball joints. I pumped grease every 3 mo/6000 miles for a total of 364,000 work miles and never replaced a ball joint. In 2001, I bought a used 1999 E350, with 20,000 miles on it, and it had NO grease fittings on the ball joints, and I had the right top joint go bad at 77,000 miles. I found only rust and plastic inside the bad ball joint, no grease.

I Replace the both right side ball joints with aftermarket ball joints that came with grease fittings. At that same time, I drilled the Left side ball joints and installed a grease fitting in each, while on the vehicle, and greased them every 3 mo/6000 miles. I sold that van, at 139,000 miles and I had no additional trouble with the ball joints.

I just bought a used 2012, E350 with 68,000 miles on it. There are no grease fittings on the four ball joints. Will I have trouble with the ball joints? Should I drill and install grease fittings in the 2012 ball joints?
Thanks Kenny
goldwingracingproject.info

 

Vehicles are reaching maintenance free, because people are lazy, what they would really like is a vehicle they can just get in and drive without touching it until they trade it in for a newer model. There are many out there without dipsticks on the transmission, heard another coming out without a way to change the oil in the engine.
The sealed ones are said to hold out water better, and the selling point is they last as long as the ones with grease fittings, which I partially agree, ignoring one that requires grease likely will make it last the same time. BTW, you haven't noticed U-joints haven't had grease fittings for years?

 

No moving suspension component should be built or left grease-less. Do what you need or want to add Zerks---it can not hurt at all.

Interestingly enough Ford offers both versions of their replacement ball joints, greasable and non-greasable too; same with the aftermarket too I'm told. I recently changed my E250 with Moog, with Zerks naturally.

I'm sure there are "reasons" manufacturers don't make their parts maintainable---none of which are any less foolish IMHO.

 

Thanks JWA, After reading your post, I went ahead and drilled and tapped the Ball Joints for grease fittings. Each joint took a lot of grease. 7 to 8 pumps with my grease gun, when a tie rod end takes only 1 to 2 pump to push grease out. I am guessing that the factory does not put any grease into the ball joints.
Thanks Kenny
goldwingracingproject.info

 

I'd like to see a picture of what how and where you drilled the upper ball joints for the grease fittings.

What size fittings did you use?

My '09 E-250 (580 miles when I bought it) had grease fittings in the bottom joints but not in the top. Like you, took 7-8 good pumps on the grease gun to fill them. Took 4-5 pumps to fill all the tie rods, pitman arm!

Year ago I tried drilling a non greasible/greased for life ball joint, and after drilling through the top, the 'ball' was right under the thin metal cap, no room to get the tap in.

Wondering if these vans are the same way?

Thanks

 

Hi, I used the 1/4-28 taper thread grease fitting. I drilled the top ball joint on the lower side, (flat bottom of joint) forward of the center line of the joint. The metal there was not thin, plenty of thickness for a thread. With the taper thread you do not want or need the tap to go in very far. Or they make a press in grease fitting, where you use a smaller diameter drill bit. Sorry, have not been able to post photos on this forum. Thanks Kenny
goldwingracingproject.info

 

Can you send me a couple of pictures to my email addy, please? Thanks

alumcantandthd@aol.com

 

Try this for posting photos: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...he-forums.html

BTW many Zerks are threaded into relatively thin metal, choosing one intended for a self-threading install would be optimal. Keny's method is outstanding assuming the grease cavity cap or cover is thick enough to hold a thread or two.

If in doubt it would hold use LocTite #272 or "red"----there is a similar formula that is more grease/oil resistant, the number escapes me at the moment.