I Knew I Was In Trouble When Mechanic
12-13-2006, 09:29 PM
#11
I ♥ Acer
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location:
Posts: 17,565
RE: I Knew I Was In Trouble When Mechanic
The ball joints and the upper and lower control arms should have grease zerks in them. I they don't, then remove the small bolts and put zerks in them and grease the hell out of them. The rest of the suspension parts do not have them.
12-13-2006, 11:22 PM
#12
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 622
RE: I Knew I Was In Trouble When Mechanic
Be carefull though...If you are talking installing zerks in the upper control arms, in the old days the mechanic would leave them on the car and cut holes in the shock tower to get access. They did that to me when I got my first car (69 fastback) about twenty years ago and didn't know any better. Just make sure they are not going to do that.
12-13-2006, 11:52 PM
#13
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Marquette Mi
Posts: 3,566
RE: I Knew I Was In Trouble When Mechanic
The Cougar didnt have zerks in the original ball joints. I replaced them back in 86, just a few months before I stopped driving it. The uppers are new anyway, and they have zerks now. I distinctly remember not having them before I changed the joints. The lowers are getting replaced though, but not the uppers.
If your ball joints are gone, chances are so are the strut rod bushings. When it gets to that point, why not just rebuild the entire front suspension? you will be happy you did.
If your ball joints are gone, chances are so are the strut rod bushings. When it gets to that point, why not just rebuild the entire front suspension? you will be happy you did.
12-14-2006, 12:57 AM
#14
6th Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: MD/WV
Posts: 5,736
RE: I Knew I Was In Trouble When Mechanic
ORIGINAL: coda618
Be carefull though...If you are talking installing zerks in the upper control arms, in the old days the mechanic would leave them on the car and cut holes in the shock tower to get access. They did that to me when I got my first car (69 fastback) about twenty years ago and didn't know any better. Just make sure they are not going to do that.
Be carefull though...If you are talking installing zerks in the upper control arms, in the old days the mechanic would leave them on the car and cut holes in the shock tower to get access. They did that to me when I got my first car (69 fastback) about twenty years ago and didn't know any better. Just make sure they are not going to do that.
12-14-2006, 01:14 PM
#16
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 215
RE: I Knew I Was In Trouble When Mechanic
i think i would have trouble letting my wife drive something with 40+ year old parts that have never been lubed!!! about the time would need to avoid an suv like Soaring the front end drops to the road!!! just a thought.....
12-14-2006, 02:48 PM
#18
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Newport News, Virginia, USA
Posts: 143
RE: I Knew I Was In Trouble When Mechanic
The reason for 90 degree zerks is the upper inner shaft bushings. They are steel with a funny almost rolled thread inside. Once you get them installed the zerk needs to point outward so you can reach it with a grease gun. My 66 Shelby was done that way when I lowered the upper control arms. My 1970 1/2 Falcon SW had the holes cut in it. Lisle, or someone like that used to sell an upper control arm greasing kit for Fords, it had a knurled piece with a zerk in it, a hollow bolt through that piece and a large hypodermic needle to bleed the air past the O-rings on the bushings. You took out the plugs and replaced them with this piece, greased the bushing, removed the tool and replaced the plug. If you can get in there to do it, you can install zerks in the bushings and grease them. Dry bushings are what gives you the characteristic "Ford squeak". On the ball joints, the uppers will either have plugs or zerks in the front or rear openings in the jounce stop covering them, lowers should be on the bottom center. Tie rod ends vary with manufacturer.
