What is the best grease for ball joints?

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

If the ball joints creak during movement, this is often caused by the absence or lack of lubrication under the anther of this swivel joint. This happens due to the rupture of the anther. In rare cases, an insufficient amount of lubricant is laid in production. In order for the ball joints and steering tips to go all their life, they must be serviced. Novice car owners often do not know how to monitor the chassis, and what kind of grease for ball bearings is needed. Today we will try to answer this question.

Do ball joints and steering tips need to be lubricated?

There is an opinion that it was necessary to process these compounds earlier in the days of the classic models of VAZs, Moskviches and other auto industry from the USSR, but now this is not necessary. To find out if these parts need service, you need to understand how ball joints work.

The device may be different. But in the design there is always a ball joint and a finger. The base is used as a hinge stop. From above, the support is covered with anther.

During operation, the hinge is constantly shifting andis moving. This contributes to its accelerated wear. During operation, lubricant is produced. And if the car is standing for a long time, then the lubricant may dry out. In addition, if there is no grease for the ball bearings in the space between the base of the assembly and the boot, then dirt will form there. It not only accelerates wear, but also causes unsatisfactory operation of the hinge. If knocks and squeaks appear in the ball joints, this is an alarm call.

In order not to expose the ball joint mechanism to accelerated wear, it is necessary to drive lubricant into the free space under the anther. But you also need to know what kind of lubricant to use for the ball joints in order for these units to work as long as possible.

When should ball joints and tie rod ends be machined?

The ball joint is lubricated at the factory before installation on the car. But if we are talking about domestic cars, then this requirement is not always met. In addition, during the operation of the car, the hinge is constantly shifting. Accordingly, the lubricant is constantly consumed. Therefore, it is necessary to process the node constantly, at certain intervals. But how do you know when you need new ball joint grease?

All problems associated with ball joints, even in the early stages, can be easily identified "by ear". But with serious problems, modern diagnostics can help. The first signal that indicates that the lubricant has developed is squeaks and knocks during the movement of the car. If these sounds come from thoseplaces where the ball bearings are installed, then these nodes are checked first. If there is no serious backlash in the hinge, then regular maintenance of the element will help to extend the life of the element.

Signs of ball joint failure

The fact that the lubricant for the ball bearings has developed can be recognized by knocks when driving over bumps. Also, if you need to lubricate the steering tips, you can hear a creak when you turn the steering wheel.

He may talk about the need to change the grease in the ball joints. If the car does not keep a straight line and the wheels are constantly wobbling, this also indicates worn ball joints. Also, rubber that wears unevenly indicates breakage or wear.

What to lubricate?

And now, the novice car owner hears characteristic squeaks and understands that it's time to service the ball and steering tips. But since beginners do not have much experience, they are worried about the question of what kind of lubricant is needed for ball joints and steering tips.

Let's try to answer this question. Often, lithium-based lubricants are used for such swivel joints. These compositions withstand the high loads that the hinge experiences during operation. You also need to be able to choose the right product.

What is special about lithium greases?

By composition, lithium-based materials are substances derived from petroleum oils. During the production process, oils are thickened by addinglithium soap. This makes it possible to obtain the desired consistency. At the same time, petroleum oils in combination with fatty acids contained in lithium soap also have an additional preservative effect. Car owners in practice use several types of lubricants on this basis. They differ from each other in the percentage of oil and lithium soap, as well as the content of various additives. Well, let's look at them in more detail.

Litol-24

This is the most common ball joint and steering grease among car owners. And there are several reasons for this. The first reason is that this lubricant operates in a larger temperature range, which makes it possible to use Litol in any climatic zones.

Due to the presence of stabilizing additives, this grease can serve for a sufficiently long period of time. The composition reliably protects metal rubbing parts from negative destructive influences. It is also necessary to cancel that "Litol" is not afraid of temperature changes. Do not worry that when driving on water or snow, a ball lubricated with "Litol" will lose protection.

Ciatim-201

If "Litol-24" is a very popular product, then "Ciatim" is used for ball bearings much less frequently. If we compare it with the previous one, then the operating temperature threshold is much lower here. This grease will not freeze even at temperatures of -60 degrees. Therefore, this product is widely used in the FarNorth.

Although this grease has lower characteristics compared to Litol, its stability at low temperatures is its plus. Also "Ciatim-201" has a lower price.

Alternative options

In addition to lithium-based lubricants, which are classic, other calcium-based types are also used. The main disadvantage of these lubricants is that they are afraid of low temperatures. At the same time, their service life is much longer. Experts say that calcium greases have a higher level of protection of metal parts from corrosion. But in practice, it is believed that the best grease for a ball joint is definitely a lithium product.

What to choose?

The stores now offer a lot of lubricants for lubricating ball and steering tips, but you should not buy expensive branded products. In terms of technical characteristics, they are not much different from more affordable analogues. Therefore, you can choose the most ordinary "Litol-24", and this will be the right decision. But you need to look at the composition.

Calcium materials will always be more expensive. Therefore, if you choose them, you will have to pay a little more. When choosing a lubricant, it is advisable to pay attention to the conditions in which the car is operated. If the car is driven in extreme temperatures, then it is better to choose a product that can work in such conditions. itwill help reduce wear and tear of parts during winter operation. Otherwise, there are no special features when choosing. There is not much difference in what kind of lubricant in the ball bearings should be. The main thing is that it should be there, motorists say.

Nylon instead of grease

The first ball joints were a hinge with a semicircular bearing part. Then this design was abandoned, and the fingertip was made in the form of a ball. This is an all metal assembly. Compaction was carried out using a special spring support. To keep the part moving, it was lubricated.

The progress of the equipment allows the body and finger to be produced with high precision, and instead of a plastic liner, a special nylon is used. It allowed the hinge to maintain its properties and characteristics without the need for lubrication.

The grease that the prop is filled with at the factory has a special composition and is different from that sold in stores. Engineers claim that there is no particular benefit from such lubrication, and they tried to say this back in Soviet times. But in our country they do not trust plastic too much. Therefore, novice car owners will be interested in which lubricant is best for ball bearings for a long time to come.