No Grease Fittings???

[jimmy123]

I own a 1976 Chevrolet K20 Pickup that as far as I can tell is all original as far as the front suspension goes. There are grease fittings on the tie rods, drag link ends, slip yolks and driveshaft u-joints, but there are no grease fittings in the axle u-joints or the upper and lower ball joints. I found that highly unusal for a truck that old and wondered if anybody know exactly when they started or stopped putting grease fittings in the ball joints and axle u-joints?

 

[Rusty Nail]

I bet the factory parts didn't have grease fittings to begin with and you're lookin at OEM parts.

When I replace my ujoints better believe im goin SOLID though - so ya never know!

Factory parts though.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Lot of them are sealed and some have a small plug in the center for a fitting just need to pop it out and insert a fitting.

 

[Camar068]

or could be the kind that you have to use a needle. Looks similar to a needle you'd put air in a ball.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Yep could be.

 

[CSFJ]

I've run into a few of the cheaper replacement u-joints that don't have any provision for grease zerks. Run 'em until they start making noise, and replace them with better quality ones.

 

[Georgeb]

I have also run into factory joints with no provision to grease them that have run an incredibly long time. For instance the wifes Envoy had arounf 190,000 on the originals on the drive shaft.