Everytime I took my durango in for routine maintenance, I'd ask why they don't lube the joints anymore, and the mechanic would say, these newer cars don't need them. I just bought a Haynes manual and guess what I find? Instructions on how to lube ball joints! No wonder my ball joints are thrashed... so are the mechanics right? Or is the Haynes manual right? All i know is the front end makes a lot of rubbery squeaking noises everytime I go over a dip or speed bump, and the mechanic at the dodge dealer is telling the noise is coming from....

the ball joints, which never got a drop of grease in ten years! Someone please enlighten me.

 

if you have the factory ball joints they are SEALED UNITS meaning there is no grease fitting to add grease to them, when you replace them put moogs on there, they ARE grease-able, the factory went to sealed units bc most people are too damn lazy to grease them regularly(im not thrilled about it, but what can you do?)

 

If it's a rubbery squeaking sound, you should have them look into the bushings instead.

 

The squeaking is likely your sway bar bushings.


Now there are factory OEM grease points on some things:

Control arm ends, pitman arm, tie rod ends, slip spines on the drive line/T-case. Just not on the U-joints, ball joints, and maybe a few others. The reason they do this is the factory installs SEALED bearings so that every time you drive through water and such you don't have to grease the bearings. A Greaseable bearing is not a SEALED bearing thus you have to grease them to get the water and debris out and Flush the bearings. In sealed bearings you don't have to Flush bearings. Sure they can ware out, but usually on average they out last flushable bearings because customers don't flush (grease) them like they should. If they did they would outlast hands down I would think.

 

How often should you grease them, Ive read every oil change 3,000 miles.
I would think more often, can never over-grease, or can you?

 

Every oil change is a good idea because if not you will forget. The grease in greasable zerk (Flushable) beearings always has a weep hole to alow the dirty/contaminated grease to flow out as this is how it is flushable. But if your greasing every oil change then like 2 pumps per zerk should be good enough. You will see when your looking where you are trust me.

 

I may have to take hydrashocker's advice and grease those non-sealed locations myself. Everytime I ask my local lube and tune guy to do it....... he doesn't. He doesn't lube a goddam thing, lol! And yes, Dans01Durango, my bushings look pretty decrepit. I've been thinkin of tearing the whole front end down and replacing all the control arms, bushings and ball joints (one of which has a tear in it). I'm in the midst of looking for cheap aftermarkets, give aways or even upgrading to some fancy schmancy lift kit... thanks to that annoying squeaking i hear everytime i go over a speed bump. The squeaking does quite down after a car wash though... why is that?!

 

The water/soap leach into th ebushing fittings giving them a slight lube-like effect until they dry out, then back to squeaking. I've heard good things about polyeurethane bushings but the other experts will chime in soon. Right after the food comas! LOL!!!

 

I like Duralast parts because of the lifetime warranties and they are good priced.

Polyeurethane bushings are much better than OEM if replacement is needed, however most of the time you can get away with just lubing them: https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...3-durango.html