NoahAA

Hey all,

So I just replaced my LBJ's with Moog ball joints and after the install on the initial test drive the car felt great, no noise, just refreshed, tighter feeling suspension. So I drive it to work the next morning and now the front drivers side suspension is making an awful creaking noise; not always on big bumps but definitely when you bounce the front fender up and down. I just loaded them up with more grease just to see if that was a problem but no dice. Could this be a defective ball joint or something else? There was no noise like this before the new balljoints were installed, so as far as I can tell thats the only variable. Thanks!

Mr Jokster

iTrader: (8)

Well, you only did you lower ball joints man. Now that the lower half of the suspension is back to normal, the rest of it is too back to normal, but not used to it. Can't just replace one piece of a system that works together as a team and hope that it all works out...

Ok, now that I'm done with the a$$holery... Check your upper control arms. What I always tell people who are hearing noises with there suspension, pick a single component and spray the living hell out of it with some WD40, then take a drive. See if the noise goes away. If it doesn't, move on with the next component etc. Until you've checked them all. Obviously if the sound goes away, that DOESN'T take care of the problem, only tells you which component next needs to be replaced.

NoahAA

UPDATE: After making sure they were greased and driving it around today the problem went away completely. I guess the grease needed to set or something, thanks guys.

Mr Jokster

iTrader: (8)

How did you pack it? Did you use the Zerk fitting, or at the very least a needle bearing grease? Those are the only way to really pack a ball joint.

NoahAA

Yeah, I used a grease gun, it fits right on the little nipple and you just load it up

Mr Jokster

iTrader: (8)

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lexo98

iTrader: (2)

I've never installed Moog but I'm pretty sure I've read here before that they come dry from the manufacture. They always need to be greased before installing them.

99 GS3

iTrader: (14)

Yes the Moog's with zerks have assembly grease in the socket but are NOT filled with grease. You must fill them completely until it begins to ooze out of the purge pinhole in the side of the boot. If re-greasing again later down the road you pump grease into them until all the old blackened grease comes out of the purge hole and the fresh grease begins coming out. The more often you do a grease exchange the longer the balljoints service life will be. (note some of the Moog ECONOMY line products do not have a zerk fitting and those do come pre-greased.)

Rule of thumb, if a joint, arm, or end has a zerk fitting always pump it full until rejection even if it feels or seems to have grease in the boot already.

The assembly grease will keep it quiet for a short time before it begins to make noise when they are installed but not greased, and the lifespan will be shortened by driving on it dry. In this case 1 day isn't going to hurt anything as long as they have been greased to rejection now. You would be surprised how many shops install joints and rod ends and don't grease them, it's one thing for a diy'er to miss this (although it's clearly written on the moog box or instruction slip that ships with it) because some brands/types come pre-greased and some don't, but for shops to let it slip by is ridiculous.

NoahAA

Yep, hardly drove on it when there was friction, now both sides are loaded with grease until it oozed out. Thanks for the info, dudes.