GMC Zerk Question

[timswi]

Last time I greased my 04 GMC 4x4 the grease began squirting back out of the passenger side upper ball joint zerk. When I depressed the pin with a drift, it stopped. Opposite of what should happen.

Does anyone know if the zerk is pressed in or threaded? I tried to turn it, but it didn't seem to want to move. Didn't want to push my luck. Asked around and I am getting conflicting opinions.

I could drill it out and retap with a new one. But if it threads, I won't have to.

Just a matter of planning...At the moment I have the zerk capped to hold the grease in.

Any help would be appreciated...

 

[Hawghauler]

Should be threaded.

 

[timswi]

Should be threaded.

Agreed, but the should vs is..That's what's getting me..Thanks.

 

[Willl]

I've had many grease zerks piss back out. As long as I saw grease bleed from the seal, I just wiped it off and didn't think twice about it.

 

[timswi]

I've had many grease zerks piss back out. As long as I saw grease bleed from the seal, I just wiped it off and didn't think twice about it.

Problem is that it won't stop. It might eventually, but I don't know how empty the ball joint will be at that point. Personally I've never seen this happen before.

 

[bdeboer]

Does the boot on the ball joint feel full? Did you over grease it?? May be there is enough pressure in there pushing the grease back out. The grease coming out the zerk is better than the alternative of splitting or blowing out the boot.

 

[timswi]

Does the boot on the ball joint feel full? Did you over grease it?? May be there is enough pressure in there pushing the grease back out. The grease coming out the zerk is better than the alternative of splitting or blowing out the boot.

The boot is full. Didn't over do it, and didn't push it out of the boot. The odd part is that if I push the zerk pin down it stops. Should be the other way around.

 

[Soundguy]

hit a dealer and see if they have one in stock.. ask to look at it.. that will tell you if it is replaceable ( easily ) or not.

soundguy

 

[Wis Bang]

Balljoints should only get a pump or two...overgreasing them can cause damage...

You fill the hole when you push the center in. There could be dirt keeping it from sealing...

 

[timswi]

Balljoints should only get a pump or two...overgreasing them can cause damage...

You fill the hole when you push the center in. There could be dirt keeping it from sealing...

Agreed, but the grease only stops coming out with the pin depressed. Should be the other way around.

 

[Highbeam]

It's a grease fitting, pump grease in until you're happy that the joint is greased and then if some squirts back out then that's okay. I've got plenty on my tractor that do this. What bothers you about it? The grease mess from the squirt? Do you expect the pressure to remain inside the ball joint? Worried about dirt getting into the zerk?

 

[timswi]

It's a grease fitting, pump grease in until you're happy that the joint is greased and then if some squirts back out then that's okay. I've got plenty on my tractor that do this. What bothers you about it? The grease mess from the squirt? Do you expect the pressure to remain inside the ball joint? Worried about dirt getting into the zerk?

Not worried about any of that...The grease just keeps squirting out...Was still oozing out 25 minutes later. i didn't overload the joint either...unless some sort of unholy vacuum was created. Seems to me all of the grease came back out.

I've been restoring cars for 20 years and never have seen this...Trouble getting the grease in, yes. Grease coming back out like that, never.

No only that, it's an upper ball joint, so once the heat gets to the surface grease, its everywhere. Don't want it to end up on the rotors or pads.