OEM Control (A) Arm Zerk Addition??

Getting ready to replace the bushings in my front UCA/LCA's with Energy Suspension poly bushings and decided it would be nice to add zerk fittings to the UCA/LCA's to keep them lubed and prevent them from seizing like the factory bushings . Anyone ever seen this done to the OEM arms before I know the Total Chaos UCA's have zerk fittings so I imagine it would be possible.

 

Subd

 

Update: I put factory rubber bushings in the LCA's (heavily greased, unlike stock) and poly bushings in the UCA's. Decided to drill/thread/zerk the UCA's to allow for greasing later to prevent the poly bushings from squeaking as many people report they do. So far I have yet to need to grease them, I greased them very well at install and haven't heard a squeak yet. Very pleased.

 

Nice that's rad man

 

NICE JOB!

There is room between the rear upper shackle bushings to install a zerk too.

 

OP - do you think a zerk could be added to the stock ball joints?

 

Thanks!

Sweet. Next time I take those apart I will have to give it a shot. I had tried to take them apart when I installed the lift but could not, even with an air chisel. I ended up installing the add-a-leaf with the leaf pack still on the truck haha.

First thought is absolutely not. First the factory ball joints are crap in my book, esp if you lift the truck. When I pulled mine apart I noticed the cup had been deformed from the suspension being lifted 3". They were pretty light weight too. I know quality can't be measured by weight, but the Moog ball joints were heavier, had a much wider range of motion, had a zerk fitting spot and a lifetime warranty. They have a grease path as well as the boot has an overflow that lets excess grease out without over pressurizing the boot.

If you were to drill the factory ball joints (not recommended) you'd have to be careful to not drill too far through the cup and into the ball. You'd also have to thread the hole and do all of this while keeping metal chips out of the insides. If the grease was able to flow around the joint (and didn't try to hydraulic the ball out of the cup) it'd need a path out of the factory rubber boot to keep from popping it.

Personally, if you haven't lifted your truck and have no slop in the movement of the ball joint I wouldn't touch it. Otherwise (I know, repeating myself, sorry) I'd go the Moog route again.

Note: The problem solver upper Moog's have a slightly larger diameter cup and are for holes that have been oversized over time and will not fit if the hole is pristine (mine had 230k miles when I replaced them and the problem solvers still wouldn't fit).

 

By chance did your worn bushings sqeek? Mine on drivers side is crazy loud when suspension is worked. I took the long bolts out and greased the stock bushings and that did not help really at all. I know its the s-arm bushings just thought I'd see if yours squeeked aswell

 

Op are you gunna add zerk fitting to the lower arms

 

Thanks for your experience and insight. You bring up all valid issues. I need to replace my LBJs soon and have read mixed reviews about the MOOG so thats why I was thinking of modifying the OEM to have the best of both worlds..

 

No, they were pretty well seized. The urethane bushings I replaced the uppers with are said to squeak but with the synthetic grease they have yet to make any noise at all.

Hadn't planned on it. I'm sure it could be done but I installed replacement metal sleeved rubber bushings in the lowers slid in with some synthetic grease to prevent seizing again.

Absolutely! hopefully I helped out a little. I still really like MOOG, and when comparing them to the factory I think they are loads better.

 

I took apart a moog ball joint, its metal on metal contact which wears quickly. Factory ball joints are good for 100k or more, doubt the moog would be, i went through a set of uppers in 20 or 30k
Also oems are sealed for a reason, so no contaminants can enter the joint and shorten its life.

 

Hmm, I don't know where to start, let's break this down:
1) "I took apart a moog ball joint" - You might have been able to remove the rubber boot, but you can not "take apart" a ball joint, at least without special tools or a lot of grinding. It's a staked bearing which means the metal formed to keep the ball in the cup.

2) "its metal on metal contact which wears quickly" - Sir, all ball joints are "metal on metal contact", it's the grease that keeps them working, which Moog is able to be greased with new grease through the zerk fitting to keep it operating like new. BTW incase you didn't know, your entire engine is "metal on metal contact", it's the oil that keeps it going.

3) "I went through a set up uppers in 20 or 30k" - I doubt that, unless you lifted your front end too much and had the joint over extended, in which case so would your CV shafts, so you'd have more than one problem. I have a 3.5" lift on my truck, have driven it hard off road since I put on the Moog joints, and have no signs of wear as of yet.

4) "oems are sealed for a reason, so no contaminants can enter the joint and shorten its life" - So are Moogs, in fact, the nipple on the boot that allows old grease to escape when new is applied is basically a one way valve. There will be no contaminates inside.

 

1- LOL literally three smacks with a hammer and a cutoff wheel to cut it in half.
2- an engine is ENTIRELY different from a ball joint.. and when you rotate a moog it feels rough as hell and binds, i checked. OEMs rotate smoothly, absolutely no binding, much more comforting for the longevity of the moving part no matter how well greased.
3- I had a 2.5 inch lift and they simply wore out, i grease with every oil change. given they were guaranteed for life so i got free replacements, but my factory ones lasted much longer.
4- just a theory I've heard, but there can be contaminates that enter through the grease fitting during re greasing. either stuck to the zerk or inside the grease gun fitting.

Not trying to criticize you for liking what you do. just saying i don't like moogs, after taking one apart i realized they are not nearly as high quality as i had thought. If i buy ball joints in the future it would be raybestos pro or oem.
Some stuff here http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/266989-ball-joints-3.html

 

OEM ball joints have a PTFE liner that the ball rotates on. Aftermarkets do not. OEM's are far superior to Moog crap/ aftermarket. And of course you are going to wear things out faster with a 3" lift, you are applying forces which the part was not originally designed for at the limit or past the intended design operating angles.

That is also why the OEM ball joints don't need grease. The PTFE liner is far superior to the metal on metal aftermarket non-sense.

 

MOOG parts bought from ROCKAUTO.com and other cheap retailers are CRAP.
Weird, I know.

Boots are not air tight, ball joints are not tight/solid (lots of play), and they typically last 20k miles.