curious if anyone had done this successfully. Reason being is that im working on my work van right now, and to my complete shock, realized it still has the factory GM riveted in ball joints even after 200k miles, and the last 60k in my ownership, particularly punishing as far as pot holes and starts and stops.

Things are tight as a drum, which I largely attribute to being able to grease them through fittings, and it being done regularly. Has anyone installed grease fittings on the MB sealed ball joints? id like to add that feature to my MB as well.

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I mod'd my driveshaft and have grease fittings on my center bearing. Grease Fittings on balljoints...hmmm ... sounds like a good idea.

I have not installed grease fittings on the MB ball joints, but I have greased them by using a grease needle to fill the boot up. In the case of my uppers, they had started to squeak from lack of lube, but were not noticeably worn. Since the boot is below the joint it took several days for them to go totally silent. I greased the lowers just because I like to keep things lubed.

I considered drilling and tapping the uppers for fittings but I was worried about chips from the tapping causing problems.

__________________
'97 E 300 D

There is threard on this funola I believe started it.
However, no one has done it.

People say it is possible to remove the Steering Knuckle if you keep the weight of the Car on the Lower Control Arm with a Jack Stand under it.

If you buy and OTC 8149 Pitman Arm Tool/Press you can press out the Ball Joint from the Lower Control Arm; remove the lower Boot retaining Spring and slide the Boot up and re-Grease.

Lower Ball Joint Separator for a W123, OTC Pitman Arm tool
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/323469-lower-ball-joint-separator-w123.html

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

ive done something similar, now I want to do the center bearing.

I have I think an AC Delco was the brand U-joint in my MB driveshaft that has a grease fitting in it

My work van has over 20 grease fittings front and rear, I always enjoy hearing the grumbling of a valvoline tech when he actually has to uphold the lube part of an "oil and lube" job.

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

ahh yes, I think i remember him starting it, thanks!

That procedure sounds horrible. Though I wonder if its worth doing before installation, in order to drill out a hole and install a fitting first off, then put the ball joint together, and install in the vehicle

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

In My case I was chaning the Boot on the Joint so no choice.

In funola's thread I posted a drawing of a cross section of the Ball Joint. If all of the joints follow the same construction you will see an empty space in the bottom center of the Ball Joint Cup. But, that space looks small.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel