Anybody else have a hard time getting their grease gun on the 2 inside lower control arm fittings? Even though mine has a 90 degree flex hose fitting on it, I still can't quite fit it on there. The others were all relatively easy to access once I removed the front wheels. I started getting an odd groan or internal rubbing sound when turning my wheels while stationary especially in reverse, hope my kingpins aren't shot! Strangely enough this seemed to happen only AFTER I greased them, perhaps I used the wrong grease? I've also noticed some noise over bumps. I'm strongly suspecting the grease and will try re-packing with mobil 1 soon.

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1967 230S automatic
Boston, MA

The trick to greasing kinkpin suspensions is to grease both loaded and unloaded suspension.

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A Dalton

Are you sure it's suspension and not the rubber mount bushes?

Aha, that could explain it Arthur. I haven't tried greasing them with the suspension loaded. I suppose I could jack up the car and put the stands under the bottom of the knuckles somewhere? Would I need ramps instead? Working without the wheels on makes it so much easier, how do you do it? Where do you put the stands?

I do suspect the mount bushes too, for both the subframe and the motor, as the top of the air cleaner doesn't quite match up to the carb hood. The rubber coupling corrects for it some, but it's still off more than it should be even with the slotted air cleaner adjustment brackets. I don't think this would cause the type of groan I'm hearing while sitting stationary and turning the wheel though. It may account for the similar noise over bumps.

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1967 230S automatic
Boston, MA

Not too drift too far OT, but a few of my zerk fittings won't accept new grease and under pressure, grease squirts to the sides. Is there one particular size for all fittings? I figure they are clogged w old grease/ road crap and should be replaced.

Hit them wth a heat gun..............the old hardened grease melts and the new pushes the old out.

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A Dalton

Buy new grease fittings and replace the lot. You are wasting time trying squirt grease through old fittings.
The groaning noise from the steering sounds like you are: [1] low on steering fluid(ATF) [2] have air in the steering and it needs bleeding .
In both cases , open the reservoir with engine off . Remove the spring and metal plate and remove the filter in the bottom. Replace it with a new one.
On the steering box is a bleed nipple,get a length of plastic hose and zip tie to the nipple and open it,with the other end aimed into the reservoir and zip tied in place.
Refill the reservoir with clean fluid and let the car sit over night. In the morning , check and refill the reservoir then start the car and IDLE it. don't rev it!. Check the fluid as the car idles. it should have dropped ,fill it slowly while while watching the hose. Once it stops bubbling and clear fluid comes from it,get an assistant to very slowly turn the wheel from lock to lock . It should need a little more fluid and the fluid comming from the hose should be clear . Turn the steering a couple more times to ensure no air remains and top the fluid up to the mark on the side of the reservoir.
Turn the engine off and tighten the reservoir.
At any time the fluid is Pink and aerated and blowing from the reservoir,you have air in the steering box still which must be bled out.

This is good advice, but it's not a power steering or steering box issue. It's not a moaning noise, I'm very familiar with the angry p.s. pump noise. This is definitely a suspension based noise coming only from the right front end near the wheel, it is amplified by the fenders/etc. Has kind of a hollow ring to it. It's not tires rubbing. It sounds just like "sticky" unlubed metal. It's gotta be the kingpins. Also the period of the noise can be changed by how fast I turned the wheel. Fast=higher pitch, hardly any noise. Slow=lower pitch, more noise. I really feel like it's this cheap autozone grease I put in there, because it wasn't happening before I did that. Perhaps the high load bearing qualities just aren't there. I'm going to try Arthur's suggestion of greasing both up and down, and hell, why not left and right, and this time use a high quality grease.

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1967 230S automatic
Boston, MA

I would also check the idler arm... it is right in that area .
........got one of those mechanics stethos ???

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A Dalton

Once it starts making a noise it's too late. Time for new king pins and idler now. Putting ordinary doesn't make any difference to longevity,no grease is what kills any bearing surface.
In future just use any brand Molybdenum disulphide grease,doesn't need to be any high priced brand name.

I have an extension for my grease gun to reach places with limited access. I made it from a 12" piece of 1/4" brake tubing and fittings. Makes things much easier.