On Tue, 7 Jan 1997, Thomas Wannenburg wrote:
> Forgive this automotive but not strictly LBC related question. I submit this
> out of admiration for the accumulation of automotive wisdom which appears on
>my
> screen (most days). Our two daily drivers (Ford Van, Chevy truck - both used
> vehicles), have several "booted" suspensoin joints with zerk fittings. On
>both
> vehicles, some of the boots have burst and grease leaks out when I lube them.
> I
> am careful not to over lube the remaining intact ones. Our cars both do at
I don't specifically know diddly about american iron, or much of anything
else, but professorial honor requires that I not let lack of any knowledge
prevent me from answering a question. In all probability, neither car
came with zerk fittings (if you know that to be wrong, disregard what
follows).
Someone has removed plugs and installed fittings. Because the joints
were not intended to be greased, they had no grease outlet in the boot.
If you keep shooting grease in, they swell up and eventually burst. It
would have been better to poke a small hole in the boot to relieve the
pressure. Now that they have burst, it is possible that dirt and water
can get into the joint. However, I would not lose much sleep over it.
Keep greasing them regularly, and check them for excessive play each time.
If you want to keep greasing those that are yet intact, watch them as you
pump in the grease. If the boot swells up and grease does not come
curling out of a nipple on the boot, they are likely to burst. I would
poke a small hole in the boot. IMHOUBAAK (in my humble opinion,
unhampered by any actual knowledge) they should go for a very long time.
Ray Gibbons Dept. of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
gibbons@northpole.med.uvm.edu (802) 656-8910
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