Are greasable control arm joints useful?

[Irun]

Looking at the Savvy site I noticed they are now listing the control arm sets with greasable bolts. I've never seen a need for this and was wondering what others think about them?

https://savvyoffroad.com/product/ce-9100sa/

 

[jjvw]

The grease bolts are completely useless on the front lower axle mounts without the BMB Johnny Joint washers.

 

[AndyG]

It is so hard to get them to take grease due to the tight tolerances and the zerk can be hard to access on the joint if it’s up in the bracket- the bolt is helps in my opinion.

 

[JMT]

Looking at the Savvy site I noticed they are now listing the control arm sets with greasable bolts. I've never seen a need for this and was wondering what others think about them?

[URL]https://savvyoffroad.com/product/ce-9100sa/[/URL]

So, the grease injected through the bolt will grease the inner sleeve of the ball? What good is that?

 

[AndyG]

So, the grease injected through the bolt will grease the inner sleeve of the ball? What good is that?

I was thinking it could get up into the urethane but may be dead wrong. This might get enlightening.

 

[JMT]

I was thinking it could get up into the urethane but may be dead wrong. This might get enlightening.

Here’s a pic of one. The zerk is in the end of the bolt. The hole for grease is on the shaft of the bolt. The bolt goes through the center of the ball. There’s no way for grease to get in between the ball and bushing that I can see. I’ve never seen one of these in person, so what am I missing?

 

[jjvw]

So, the grease injected through the bolt will grease the inner sleeve of the ball? What good is that?

There is a version of the Johnny Joint ball with a small hole drilled 90° to the bolt sleeve. The idea is to grease them from the inside out.

 

[Farmergreg]

Damn here we go again!

When I was researching control arms this subject came up on the drilled bolts via savvy and the external zerk on the curry joint. Consensus was neither will allow you to properly grease the JJ.

 

[Mike_H]

There is a version of the Johnny Joint ball with a small hole drilled 90° to the bolt sleeve. The idea is to grease them from the inside out.

To add to josh's comment. My JJ's have the grease bolts and greasable balls. The balls have a race machined into the thru hole for the bolt. In that race, is a small hole that goes from the bolt hole to the OD of the ball. Its a better set-up than greasing from the outside in...but guess what. Tight is tight, and you still can't get grease into them.

 

[JMT]

To add to josh's comment. My JJ's have the grease bolts and greasable balls. The balls have a race machined into the thru hole for the bolt. In that race, is a small hole that goes from the bolt hole to the OD of the ball. Its a better set-up than greasing from the outside in...but guess what. Tight is tight, and you still can't get grease into them.

That makes sense. I’d never seen a drilled ball with a race. Makes sense what they are trying to do, but the compression is the reason I think they won’t take grease. Even if you disassemble them to grease them, how much stays in there when you compress for reassembly? A thin layer that won’t last long in certain environments. Your grooves in the bushing are the only way I can see a significant amount of grease staying in between the bushing and steel ball.

 

[Brianj5600]

I have had good luck drilling a hole through the polyurethane that lines up with the zero. Usually a couple of pumps on each and the Jeep will settle a little after each joint.

 

[Ticks]

In my own experience, greasable joints wear out faster.

 

[jjvw]

In my own experience, greasable joints wear out faster.

Why?

 

[JMT]

In my own experience, greasable joints wear out faster.

 

[Apparition]

Why?

Cause nobody greases them

 

[Mike_H]

I have had good luck drilling a hole through the polyurethane that lines up with the zero. Usually a couple of pumps on each and the Jeep will settle a little after each joint.

That was the recommendation from Currie as well. I need to get under the Jeep and do that.

 

[Mike_H]

That makes sense. I’d never seen a drilled ball with a race. Makes sense what they are trying to do, but the compression is the reason I think they won’t take grease. Even if you disassemble them to grease them, how much stays in there when you compress for reassembly? A thin layer that won’t last long in certain environments. Your grooves in the bushing are the only way I can see a significant amount of grease staying in between the bushing and steel ball.

I actually think my grooves need to be deeper, or I need to put them into the ball. I think there is more compression than the grove is deep, and I still can’t keep grease in there.

 

[Brianj5600]

That was the recommendation from Currie as well. I need to get under the Jeep and do that.

I could not remember who posted that, but it was you. Thanks.