Lower ball joint boot leaking grease (1 Viewer)

[FerrisBueller]

Seeing some grease coming from the driver side lower ball joint boot.

I recognize that boots in general don't last forever, but thought this would last longer than 88,000 miles. I don't see many threads even mentioning the lower ball joint, making me think this normally has a longer life. Or am I wrong, and it's typical to have to replace these at around 80k - 100k miles?

I assume the boot ripped somehow, but I don't really see any damage. Is it possible that the boot just became unseated somehow?

 

[bloc]

That ball joint will go 100k more miles easy.

Monitor it (2% effort), but drive on.

 

[TLC2013]

I wouldn't worry about that. After wheeling in the rocks/rough trails i have noticed similar amounts/and more grease coming from the LBJs. Nothing to be alarmed at, and i wouldnt lose any sleep over it. After 100k I ended up swapping them out for some 555 LBJs and I was surprised by how tight the OEM LBJs were and i definitely didn't need to swap them out.

These are the ones I went with.

555 Products - Cruiser Teq

cruiserteq.com

 

[bloc]

After 100k I ended up swapping them out for some 555 LBJs and I was surprised by how tight the OEM LBJs were and i definitely didn't need to swap them out.

185k on mine and still tight as a drum.

These vehicles are well built.

 

[electro992]

Mine look like this as well. Anyone know if there is a re-boot kit available?

 

[AnyMal]

Mine both looked like that for the last year at least when I first noticed, from around 60k at least. No play that i can sense, but thats one part of the suspension i have yet to dissect. My 470 didn’t actually ever fully “fail” either at up to the 165k before i sold it and looked much worse with visble cracking.
I do jump speed bumps though on my way out my cross street…

These have at least a solid 100-200k miles in them.

 

[Climbingnut]

I also have similar leaking from my LBJ’s on my 2017. I‘m frequently off-road, and run it hard. I’ve also purchased new 555 LBJ’s from cruiserteq, but have yet to install them as they are a pain to press out, and as others have said, they’ll go a long way before actually needing replacing.

 

[bentonrover]

225k on my 08 before I got new lower control arms. Only got those because of the frozen camber bolts. Rust belt living

 

[radman]

Both sides of mine are leaking at 99,600. I’m about to roll in for some warranty work. In your opinions, would this be covered under warranty?

 

[bloc]

In your opinions, would this be covered under warranty?

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Not a chance.

 

[radman]

Not a chance.

just found this.... I guess i should have said "platinum extended warranty" vs just warranty.

 

[bloc]

just found this.... I guess i should have said "platinum extended warranty" vs just warranty.

View attachment 3330801

Unless there is an indication the ball joint is failing, they will not replace it. This isn’t a sign of a failing joint.

My bet is hundreds if not thousands of 200s have happily put 100k miles or more with a leak of this type. It is a non issue.

 

[Gazziza]

Both sides of mine are leaking at 99,600. I’m about to roll in for some warranty work. In your opinions, would this be covered under warranty?

View attachment 3330448

View attachment 3330449

They would take one look at your rig and say HELL NO!!!

 

[04UZJ100]

Put the street tires back on it

 

[Artie]

Reviving old thread here…

I’ve noticed my passenger side lower ball joint leaking like pictured in other posts above, my truck just rolled 20k miles. I feel like this is a little premature or is this just how these things are?

Of that 20k 10-15 have been towing on and off road. We don’t drive this cruiser often but when we do we make it count. It’s built, lifted, obese and, while well maintained, gets used fairly hard.

Are aftermarket LCA’s an actual upgrade and solution to this or more trouble than they are worth? Is running the OEM LCA’s until they get sloppy and replace the way to go?

I’m just trying to avoid having to do a surprise repair half way through a 5000 mile road trip.

 

[linuxgod]

I would not worry at all. Most of us have similar grease squeezed out. I have almost 150k on my truck and I noticed it almost 100k miles ago. My hunch is it's because the joints tend to get slightly overfilled when assembled. A bit of grease coming out I think is probably good - meaning that the joint is full and it's better to squeeze out a bit of grease than to have the boot tear or pop off.

Wipe it down and keep an eye on it, but if there's no boot tear and your steering isn't loose or wander-y then you're fine. You'll know as the joints wear as they'll start clunking over bumps and your highway steering will wander a lot - and even then it's thousands of miles before they fail outright.

I can't speak to aftermarket LCAs but I don't think there's a need unless you're trying to go long travel. In my experience the factory arms and joints in our trucks are superior to anything aftermarket and last much longer.

 

[bloc]

Aftermarket LCAs are the opposite of what I'd do if I were trying to increase ball joint life and reduce maintenance.

 

[Climbingnut]

Aftermarket LCAs are the opposite of what I'd do if I were trying to increase ball joint life and reduce maintenance.

This is exactly how I feel. I added SPC UCA’s thinking I would make things easier on myself and my cruiser. All I did was increase maintenance as the UCA’s must be serviced regularly with new grease in the arms. For me, that’s about once a year…

 

[Artie]

This is exactly how I feel. I added SPC UCA’s thinking I would make things easier on myself and my cruiser. All I did was increase maintenance as the UCA’s must be serviced regularly with new grease in the arms. For me, that’s about once a year…

I have these as well, the added adjustability is nice but the squeaking is annoying. I’ve had luck with applying a tiny amount of a spray silicone just on top of the seam between the bushing and UCA. I guess enough gets in there to shut it up for a while but it comes back and I repeat.