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Thread: Ball joint leaking

  1. #1
    slpro1207's Avatar
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    Ball joint leaking

    I noticed today on the inside of my LF wheel grease dripped down from ball joint. Does this indicate this new joint is defective and need replacing? Or maybe I overgreased it.

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    MK4 delivered 2/24/2017. Complete kit #9023,IRS, Power Steering, Leather, heater, 17" wheels, sway bar ft & rr, tremec 600 and Gordon Levy Racing SBF 427. First start and go kart 8/19/2017. Graduated 1/15/2018
    MK4 #9230 complete kit delivered 1/27/2018. IRS, PS, leather, Tremic 600, SBF 427. Graduation 10/15/2018
    MK3 #5253 donor bought unfinished. SBF 331, T5 Trans.

  2. #2
    Senior Member jrcuz's Avatar
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    I would say it might be a split or not properly seated ball joint boot. It may be over greased if so just clean it up and see if it still drips.
    JR
    Mk4 complete kit #9059 ordered 1/19/17 delivered 3/23/17, 2015 IRS, Fortes/DART347,TKO 600, hyd clutch, P/S, 12.88 wilwood brakes front and rear, heater/defrost and vintage gauges
    First start and go-cart 4/11/18. Taken To Whitby Motorcars Greensboro, N.C. 2/5/21 for body/paint

  3. #3
    Senior Member edwardb's Avatar
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    Are you sure it's the ball joint? The factory lube on my front hubs weeped like that for awhile after they were installed. Ran down the spindles and dripped onto the inside of the wheels. It eventually stopped. Not sure mine had quite that much, but just throwing it out there as something to check.
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  4. #4
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    I have the same issues with mine. I think it's the kind of grease more than anything else as all areas I greased are doing it. I used synthetic on mine. Don't remember offhand which one. I think the old traditional chassis grease wouldn't do that. Just my opinion. Future greasings will be with regular chassis grease.
    JRL16
    Mk4 delivered 4/28/16. First start 10/15/16. First gocart 11/10/16. Engine Factory 427W. 750 carb. Tremec TKO600. 2015 IRS. Power steering. Whitby power brakes. Wilwood brakes. 18" wheels. Falken tires. Sway bars front and rear. Forte hydraulic clutch and mechanical throttle linkage. Scott's Hot Rods triple reservoir. Ceramic coated headers. Gas’n sidepipes. Heated seats. Herb Fraser walnut door panels. Wipers. Console.

  5. #5
    slpro1207's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by edwardb View Post
    Are you sure it's the ball joint? The factory lube on my front hubs weeped like that for awhile after they were installed. Ran down the spindles and dripped onto the inside of the wheels. It eventually stopped. Not sure mine had quite that much, but just throwing it out there as something to check.
    I never thought about the hubs. I'll have to check and identify exactly where the grease is coming from. I don't believe it's the same color as the chassis grease I used.
    MK4 delivered 2/24/2017. Complete kit #9023,IRS, Power Steering, Leather, heater, 17" wheels, sway bar ft & rr, tremec 600 and Gordon Levy Racing SBF 427. First start and go kart 8/19/2017. Graduated 1/15/2018
    MK4 #9230 complete kit delivered 1/27/2018. IRS, PS, leather, Tremic 600, SBF 427. Graduation 10/15/2018
    MK3 #5253 donor bought unfinished. SBF 331, T5 Trans.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Dave Howard's Avatar
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    A quick check on the front end. Jack the tire off the ground. using two hands at 12 and 6 oclock in the tire, force the tire back and forth towards you. Do the same with your hand at 3 and 9 oclock. If you feel any play, you more than likely have an issue with a ball joint

  7. #7
    Curmudgeon mikeinatlanta's Avatar
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    This is a common issue for grease and some are better than others. Over time oils will separate and seep past seals, especially when the part sits for an extended time. The only fix is to drive the car or get a different grease.

    My grease gun sits on a wall mount. The mount has a tray to catch what drips. Over the years the tray fills with oil, not grease.
    MKII "Little Boy". 432CI all aluminum Windsor. .699 solid roller, DA Koni shocks, aluminum IRS, Straight cut dog ring T-5, 13" four piston Brembos, Bogart wheels. BOOM!

  8. #8
    Senior Member CraigS's Avatar
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    Wipe it off and forget about for a while. Ball joints always leak a little. I grease mine until grease comes out and wipe it off. That usually blows up the boot a little. Then you drive it and that thing is moving all around so part of it gets extended, part of it gets compressed, and some more grease comes out. usually the second wipe-off is the cure.
    FFR MkII, 408W, Tremec TKO 500, 2015 IRS, DA QA1s, Forte front bar, APE hardtop.

  9. #9
    slpro1207's Avatar
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    I finally had a chance to pull the wheel and take a look under the ball joint. Should it leak from the bottom like this?

    IMG_0633.JPG
    MK4 delivered 2/24/2017. Complete kit #9023,IRS, Power Steering, Leather, heater, 17" wheels, sway bar ft & rr, tremec 600 and Gordon Levy Racing SBF 427. First start and go kart 8/19/2017. Graduated 1/15/2018
    MK4 #9230 complete kit delivered 1/27/2018. IRS, PS, leather, Tremic 600, SBF 427. Graduation 10/15/2018
    MK3 #5253 donor bought unfinished. SBF 331, T5 Trans.

  10. #10
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    Like mikeinatlanta said, the grease is separating. I would buy some new quality grease and grease it until the new grease starts to come out. Then clean it up and everything should be good. I would recommend re-greasing everything if you used that grease on all the joints.

    I wouldn't worry about the grease leaking out the bottom. It's just because the grease turned to liquid.

  11. #11
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    Does it come out that location when greasing it? If it did not run down the outside, how do you get enough pressure to push grease out (or run out if it liquified) at that location?
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  12. #12
    Senior Member AC Bill's Avatar
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    Looks well greased anyway..

    I suspect it's a bit that has liquefied slightly ,and is just seeping past the threads. You would need to put quite a few miles on the ball joints before they would wear out.

    I use a silicone grease on my polyurethane control arm bushings, and see the odd drip. Seems more common in the hot weather.

  13. #13
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    Mine leak in hot weather, but the gun tends to leak as well so I just figured it was the grease I chose... Mobil 1.

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