New lower ball joints oozing grease from rubber boots.

[DaleG]

I just had new lower ball joints installed on my 97 at Pep Boys. Well when I got home I looked under the truck to inspect and I noticed that there was grease all over the boots on the part below the control arm. I wiped the grease off thinking maybe it was just from when they filled them and made a mess. Well the next day I checked them again and there was more grease in the same area. It appears that the boot portion of both joints have a gap but I'm not sure if this is normal or if it is defective. Is it normal for grease to ooze from these areas or do I have defective NEW ball joints? It seems to me that if grease can get out then dirt can get in.

I just installed new Michelin LTX tires so I want to make sure there are no suspension problems. The truck is driving fine

Thanx
Dale

 

[Opera House]

Factory were sealed and you couldn't grease them. Replacements are not and you have to keep regreasing them. It is normal for some grease to come out. Unless you had an idiot, there shouldn't be a "gap" where the metal meets the boot. The boot should fit tightly. The rubber boot has to be installed by the mechanic. If he didn't press it down all the way on the stem, there could be a gap. Chances are you are only looking at normal ooze out.

 

[Hartman]

I've never heard of grease oozing out. All balljoint replacements are sealed just like the factory ones except for Moogs, and even then grease should not be able to leak out. My guess is they used a pickle fork to install them, which can damage the boot. Keep an eye on them.

 

[jasonb]

my moogs have an overfill type gap in the boot. they even say to face it in so excess grease can find its way out of that gap in the boot. mine has a little fresh grease there sometimes when i look, but not much.
what color is the boot on your ball joints? don't know if its normal or standard, but mine came with blue boots.

 

[DaleG]

Unfortunetly, I just not real familiar with ball joints. The boots are black and on the top portion of the boot there is a metal band that goes around it. Just below that in the middle of the boot is where grease it escaping. It doesn't look torn or damaged and it almost looks like 2 seperate sections of boot material. There are also grease fittings on the top section of the ball joints. Hope that describes it a little better. Still confused though on whether this is normal or not.

Dale

 

[jasonb]

i would say its normal overflow from them pumping a lot grease in. mine do the same thing. i hope its normal at least!! keep an eye on it to see if it keeps it up for a while or if they start making noise again.