George Macdonald <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> wrote in message news:<pn9hh0hlljp7to095nfqtch04g0o4392pq@4ax.com>. ..
> On 9 Aug 2004 08:01:51 -0700, misterfact@yahoo.com (misterfact) wrote:
>
> >I've had two mechanics tell me that wether its a dry front end ball
> >joint or one that is enclosed in grease-
> >
> > If you coat the ENTIRE assembly -the rubber boot included-with a
> >great big gob of grease- you will keep dirt away from the ball and
> >socket. They say road dirt tends to adhere to the outer surface of the
> >grease and since the grease is not moving around and can get into the
> >ball and socket surfaces- the ball joint is pretty much protected and
> >GOOD FOR LIFE ! As long as you don't move the grease off by washing-
> >you can carefully re-coat it with grease if necessary.
>
> The grease will not "get into" the ball joint unless you force it there -
> laying it on just makes a dirt attractor, making more mess to clean up when
> you have to work on it.
>
> > Three mechanics told me that grease DOES NOT degrade a dry ball joint
> >socket (like on Saturns)- so there is nothing to prevent you from
> >poking a small hole in the rubber boot and injecting grease into the
> >socket itself-then coating the whole thing on the outside with grease.
> >
> > Anyone want to agree or disput this?
>
> Yup - poking a hole in the rubber boot, just gives the grease somewhere to
> escape from - it oozes out little by little every time the rubber boot gets
> slightly deformed... i.e. every time you go over a bump. If you can get a
> grease gun needle adaptor past the collar of the rubber boot, that's the
> only way to add grease to a sealed balljoint... though I do regret the
> passing of grease nipples.
>
> Rgds, George Macdonald

Here's a reply on another message board.

From: Backyard Mechanic (pettyfog@Yaywho.com)
Subject: Re: question about protecting ball joints from dirt

View this article only
Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang
Date: 2004-08-10 20:27:03 PST

misterfact opined in news:6b107ee9.0408090659.3a135ca5@posting.google.c om:

> I've had two mechanics tell me that wether its a dry front end ball
> joint or one that is enclosed in grease-
> > If you coat the ENTIRE assembly -the rubber boot included-with a
> great big gob of grease- you will keep dirt away from the ball and
> socket. They say road dirt tends to adhere to the outer surface of the
> grease and since the grease is not moving around and can get into the
> ball and socket surfaces- the ball joint is pretty much protected and
> GOOD FOR LIFE ! As long as you don't move the grease off by washing-
> you can carefully re-coat it with grease if necessary.
> > Three mechanics told me that grease DOES NOT degrade a dry ball joint
> socket (like on Saturns)- so there is nothing to prevent you from
> poking a small hole in the rubber boot and injecting grease into the
> socket itself-then coating the whole thing on the outside with grease.
> > Anyone want to agree or disput this?
> > Misterfact@yahoo.com

they are mostly correct.Farm machinery used to cultivate in dust sandy
environment use this; as long as you keep shaft bearings "over-greased", the
bearings stay basically dirt free.

Once the ball joint is dry, however... nothing's going to help it. That's a
whole different thing.


>
> sounds like over-greasing may just keep dirt out of ball joints as long as grease doesn't move around and allow dirt into the ball and socket surfaces!