Ball joint

[texasmike]

I have had this truck for 5 years and put about 2,300 miles a year on it. It now has 64,600 ligament miles on a factory stock suspension and I have not been able to get the lower left ball joint to accept grease. I don't know how long it has been like that but the piece of rubber around it feels empty. The truck drives and handles great, the suspension is not loose and does not make any noises.The other nine fittings are fine.
I moved the right grease fitting to the left side and that did not help. Before I screwed the fitting in, I stuck a jewelers screwdriver in the hole and could not feel anything but a little new grease and metal. I bought one of those grease gun tips that locks on the fitting and have tried pumping grease in with the wheel on the ground and with it up in the air, both stationary and while turning it. This bothers me and I would like to get it fixed. Any ideas as to what has caused this and are there any tricks that may help, short of replacing the ball joint?
Thanks again for the help.

 

[bucket]

If there's a trick to getting one that stubborn to accept grease, I don't know it. Maybe spray a bunch of penetrating oil under the boot and drive it for a few days.

There's several folks here that might have a good idea.

 

[Edelbrock]

One way to get grease into a ball joint is to bypass the zirk.

You go to Walmart and get some "marine grease" and some rubbing alcohol.

The grease has good compatibility with other greases, and 90% alcohol is ideal.

Then you go to a farm supply store and buy some syringes that have needles.

Then you get some "Permatex The Right Stuff Gasket Maker" on Amazon.

You fill the syringe with grease, and then inject it into the ball joint boot.

Then clean the rubber with the alcohol.

Then coat the tiny hole with plenty of the gasket sealer, and let sit for 12-24 hours.

 

[bucket]

Getting grease into the boot won't necessarily get grease into the joint.

 

[Ricko1966]

Get a grease gun needle,grease it with the needle. Pull the zerk fill the bottom,stab the boot fill the top.

 

[idahovette]

Seems I remember a tool that was used with a small hammer to "shock " the ball joint into accepting grease. Like a grease gun, hooked onto the zerk and tapped the opposite end with the hammer, kinda "jarred" the joint and success??