While pumping grease in the the zerks (for the first time) on steering rods ends of my f250 4x4, I noticed the old black grease escapes through a tiny pin hole in each of the boots. Haynes tells me to keep going till the boot is 'firm to the touch', but the more grease I put in, the more comes out the hole.Is this normal or are they all poped!

 

If you got grease coming out the holes, I'd say you got enough grease in there. Those holes are weep/vent holes so moisture won't build up in the joints and cause damage. If you grease all the joints a few "squirts" at every oil change, you shouldn't experience any problems with them.

 

It is normal, I was taught to push out all the old grease until you got new grease, unless it was going to rip a hole in the boot that it normally does not have.

 

Too much grease can be bad too. It can trap moisture and attract grit and grime and that is what eats away at the joints. So long as it isn't contaminated with dirt and debris, the old grease is fine. The boots only function as dust covers to keep crap out of the joint. If you pump them up too much, you will cause gaps in their seal that will allow contaminates to contact the grease. Grease will break down over time, thin out and leak away. That is why I said to add a few pumps to every fitting every oil change. When adding grease the boots will firm up. As soon as you start driving, the pressure from the boot, and the heat produced from the friction will settle the grease into the joint. If you look at the freshly greased joint after a couple days driving, you will notice the boots aren't as firm and grease has been pushed out around the seal. If you fill the joint till grease is pushing out everywhere, be sure and wipe off any exposed excess so as not to be a magnet for dirt.