I'm going to purchase a grease gun needle and grease gun and perform the following procedure on the 1984 300DT's ball joints and tie rods. He suggests using standard wheel bearing grease. Any input is appreciated.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpBK2A03A_Q

Once you puncture the boot it will be compromised and prone to tearing.

__________________
Watch him go!!! link

#dontdealwithkahlil

Shortly I will be performing a complete front end replacement and total brake job so this only needs to last a few weeks at most. BTW, does Harbor Freight sell quality grease guns?

In that case it's an absolute waste of time.

__________________
Watch him go!!! link

#dontdealwithkahlil

If it only has to last a couple weeks, don't waste your time with grease. Let it squeak or whatever else until you replace the parts with new.

__________________
Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

I am thinking of purchasing the grease gun so after I install the new ball joints and tie rod ends, I can stick the needle in and lube them from time to time.

Just buy greasable fittings

__________________
1993 e300
1995 e320
1994 e320
2006 s500 4matic
2004 Jeep wj overland
2001 Ducati 748
2004 Honda shadow aero

Grease may be a very short term fix, for the noise, but it's something that needs to be addressed sooner, rather than later. Putting it off could be even more expensive, if not disastrous. I've had tie rod end and a ball joint come apart, on separate occasions, and believe me it will cause a major pucker factor if at speed. It was bad enough traveling at less than 10 mph and fortunate there wasn't other traffic when the front wheel suddenly went sideways.
The problem with greasing them is we tend to procrastinate when the popping and squeaking no longer annoys us.

__________________
Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

You're just asking for the boots to end up like swiss cheese. A better idea would be to remove the clip that holds the boot and pack them with grease. But that's unnecessary. A quality tie-rod is like $35 dollars and can easily last 10yrs/100k without maintenance if the boot holds up that long.

__________________
Watch him go!!! link

#dontdealwithkahlil

Grease is a poor solution to noise. The joints are telling you something. When I install new joints, I pack a hypodermic with grade and fit it with a large gauge needle. Then I work the needle in between the boot and the stud, so that there’s no damage to the boot. It’s tough to do when the joint is in place. It does extend the life of the joint.

About 5 years ago an upper ball joint on my E 300 D began to squeak. I checked to be sure the joint was not yet worn out. Since it had just run out of grease, I used a grease needle and normal chassis grease to fill up the rubber boot. I also did the other side and both lower ball joints. The squeak stopped and I have had no other problems with the joints. I just replaced the tie rod ends because one had a torn boot and modest wear. It failed inspection, but the ball joints were fine. When I replaced ball joints on my American trucks I used joints with zerks but I am not aware of such for Mercedes.

I doubt that I would grease new joints because they should have about 10 years of grease in them and there is a chance of some sort of compatibility problem mixing greases, but I would not hesitate greasing ten year old joints with a grease needle.

__________________
'97 E 300 D

When I had less funds for parts I’d grease my damaged ball joints. It would keep me going four months then I’d grease again.

I had torn boots. I’d snake the red straw on a can of Maxima spray chain lube in the crack and spray. I used the sticky greasy type not the dry Teflon stuff. The squeak would stop for four months till it rained. The clunk was always there. I was trying to save money. I do not recommend this because as others have said - the joints are screaming “replace me!”

Ok, so back to the OP, you want to poke and do maintenance to keep the joints going forever? Just replace joints in 100k. I notice the replacement TRW ones I bought were sparingly greased when I pulled the covers. I always open them and ad another teaspoon of grease.

I’d say go for it if you’re going to junk the joints in six months. But do not poke your new boots as others said you’ll compromise them and they won’t seal.

__________________
79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

This is actually an interesting thought. Do such things exist for say a w123?

I wonder if we can drill and tap a hole in the bottom of the balljoint and put a zerk in. Without damaging the ball or contaminating the joint with metal cuttings. I wish mine had those little screw plugs on the bottom to thread fittings in.

__________________
79 300TD “Old Smokey” AKA “The Mistake” (SOLD)
82 240D stick shift 335k miles (SOLD)
82 300SD 300k miles
85 300D Turbodiesel 170k miles

I know not an official mb part but I see moog has greaseable ends for the 123 on ********. Auto-rock

I think your idea would work but you’d have to figure out how to get that wire snap ring off that holds the boot down or cut the ring off, add grease, then twist some rebar wire on to hold the boot down

__________________
1993 e300
1995 e320
1994 e320
2006 s500 4matic
2004 Jeep wj overland
2001 Ducati 748
2004 Honda shadow aero

I have used the grease needle numerous times. No problem with it. Any kind of grease will do. I think the wheel bearing grease will be tough to get in through a nice skinny needle though.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.