Had lower ball joints replaced some 35-40K ago. When they were replace the lower ball joints were quite a bit more difficult to grease. I used a dremel tool to take some edge off the lower arm to get the grease gun to fit on the zerks. Actually seemed the zerks were recessed more.

This last time I greased, I could not get the drivers side to take grease. The gun just seemed to not be able to get onto the zerk far enough. Even took off the tire to get more pressure on the gun hose.

These zerks have no shoulder to get a wrench or socket on. Before I destroy this zerk with pliers/vise grips to try and twist out…..do they? Seemed they are almost pressed into the top of the ball joint. In view of the initial difficulty of greasing after they changed the ball joints, and now with this inability to get the gun onto the zerk, I wondering if the replacements have a zerk setup built different than the original.

Anybody have an idea what’s occurred here?

You need a B6783 needle nose adapter.

http://www.alemite.com/catalog/details.aspx?identifier=accessories_guns_adapters

You may already know this, however just incase; To grease the lower ball joint the wheels must be turned all the way over before grease will be accepted. At first I though mine were blocked, removed and replaced - still ng. Trip to dealer and was told of wheel thing (stupid kid). Again, the post is done just in case!

You may already know this, however just incase; To grease the lower ball joint the wheels must be turned all the way over before grease will be accepted. At first I though mine were blocked, removed and replaced - still ng. Trip to dealer and was told of wheel thing (stupid kid). Again, the post is done just in case!

Alan, what do you mean "wheels must be turned all the way over"?

What I took from that was that in order to grease say the driver side ball joint the wheels must be turned all the way to the right. This would make that zerk easier to get to. I dont know if this is the case or not, but that was how I interpreted that post.

Take the wheel off and have someone turn the wheel back and forth all the way, while you try to pump the grease in. Don't try so hard grease is going all over the place just hard but steady presser.

Fresh in my mind as I did this job yesterday. Turn wheel to right lock and grease left wheel and vice versa. Still a PITA to get all of the zerks.

Want to change some straight zerks with angle zerks for accessability , are they SAE or metric , thanks

6mm Metric, the 90* work great.

Well just came back from dealer, picked up new cable straps for tail gate...anyone want to buy them?....the free fuel filter changed...and I had them look at the problem of greasing these REPLACEMENT lower ball joints they put in. The zerks on the replacements are pressed in....and the zerk is now recessed to the point it will not lock on to the grease gun. They wanted to replace the lower ball joint again....but get this, they wanted to replace the whole bottom control arm beacuse they felt a SECOND lower ball joint replacement would not fit snug enough in the control arm. I told them to grease with a needle valve and replace NOTHING. The sons-of-****** charges me $45 to grease one ball joint.

Guys....I really like how this truck runs....but the next truck just may not be GM.

i put a jack under the front crossmember and brought it up just so i can turn the wheels (didn't want to turn truck on just for that)

i had absolutely NO problems hitting all the zerks. that's with the front plastic skid plate thing removed (4 bolts)

Last time I did mine, I was able to hit them all with the tires straight forward. It does make it easier to hit them with the wheels turned, but it's not always required.

I could grease these joints before they replaced them. But now with the replacement ball joints, I could not get a grease gun on the zerks without trimming burs off lower control arms. Should of taken it back right then, but it was a few months after the replacement occurred, and I had no time, had to leave town. Then on a later attempted grease job, it got to where I could not get the grease gun on the zerk...tire off, two guys, and the truck jacked up.

Others have had same issue because I've had communication with them. The dealer confirms...the zerk which is PRESSED in not screwed in, is shoved into the joint and cannot be greased by the zerk on the drivers side. They claim they can't fix without replacing the ball joint again. It's very obvious to me that GM really screwed me over by putting incorrectly engineered and sub-standard replacement ball joints in this truck.

Jcummins, is the dealer refusing to replace the balljoint under warranty. As you know, they screwed up mine the first time. Damaged the zerk when they pressed it in and it would not take any greese. I took it back and they got it right the second time. It was a pain being without the truck but now its right. I sure agree with you on the engineeering, the zerk is right in the way when they press them. They should have made them removable/replaceable.....Bill

Bill I agree, but with over 100,000 miles, they don't talk warranty. Even the replacements wasn't warranty being done at 45,000 miles. I'll grease with a needle valve and hope the boot holds up until I get rid of the truck....which will be quite awhile. I just get very weary of the poor attention to things of this nature.