Dealer Installed LBJ Concern (pic)

Hello,

Today I decided to use a floor jack and lift my truck up to definitively diagnose what I though was a bad front wheel bearing. Upon lifting my driver side front tire, I noted NO play/wiggle in the wheel what so ever. While spinning the front wheel, I did note a grinding noise, and while looking further into it, I noticed this:


There is a grease fitting on top of my lower ball joint that is rubbing what I believe to be a dust shield at the end of the CV boot right before the steering Knuckle. The grease fitting can be spun by hand, and while turning the tire, the dust shield actually wiggles the fitting around. When the truck is off the jack stand, and holding its weight, the is maybe 2 or 3mm (1/8") clearance between the fitting and dust shield, but the 90 degree bend in the fitting can be spun to make contact with the shield again. This is the same for both driver and passenger side.

These are lower ball joints I had installed by a Toyota dealership about a month ago.

My questions are:

1. Is this amount of clearance normal between the grease fitting and dust shield?
2a. Do your LBJs have grease fittings on them
2b. Does this look like a toyota part, I think this may be a MOOG or something else?
3. Any suggestions (I have contacted the dealership, but no response yet)?

Thanks for looking, and thanks in advance for any input!

 

No 2nd gen factory ball joint that I've seen has a zerk fitting. I know mine sure doesn't, at least.

Looks like this part:

http://www.partsgeek.com/574n9vb-to...sGeek+Nextag&fp=pp&utm_term=Toyota+Ball+Joint

Curious if they charged you for Toyota parts or aftermarket parts, too.

 

Can you possibly tighten the fitting up some to clear? Maybe the shop didn't tighten it all the way down.

 

Good Point!

Checked the invoice, part number listed MS86527 @ $52.02.
Quick google search turns this up: https://www.carid.com/mevotech/front-lower-ball-joint-premier-line-warranty-mpn-ms86527.html

Definitely not looking like toyota parts.

 

I could try, but from what I can see, it won't give me much more clearance before it's fully tight. My concerns is I don't think I will be able to as when I spin it, the 90 degree bend in the zirk fitting contacts that dust shield preventing my from tightening it. To do it, I may have to drop the lower control arm, or somehow get the CV shaft out of the way... which gets a little beyond my comfort zone. Im handy, but by no means a mechanic. Ill look into it further if I have to... hoping the dealership contacts my first to fix it.

 

Doesn't the dealer offer a warranty on work performed? I think standard practice is 12k/12months.