The front wheel bearings are anti-friction angular contact and designed to carry thrust and radial loads. Rear suspensions, on the other hand, are typically simpler than front suspensions in that there is no requirement for steering. As you can see, they contain springs, coils and control arms that are largely designed to keep the axle in place.
Rear axles often contain bushings that require periodic greasing, on the same regreasing interval as the front suspension. One major difference is the wheel bearings for rear-wheel-drive units. These bearings are usually connected by an axle to the rear differential and are lubricated by the oil contained in that differential, so they do not require external grease lubrication. Both reduce wear and extend lifetimes. Rather than being slathered on, a lube job forcefully pumps in heavy duty lithium grease with a grease gun.
Those chassis lubrication fittings double as a one-way valve, keeping the grease in place. When called for usually it should be about once a year chassis lubrication is part of a full oil change service. While your vehicle is up on the rack it just makes sense to lubricate all grease fittings and inspect the suspension. You're lucky. Chassis lubrication isn't expensive. You can buy a grease gun, some chassis grease and a couple of aerosol cans of lubricant for less than the price of one worn-out tie rod end.
So there's no excuse. Your vehicle doesn't need to sound like an angry gerbil on a treadmill. Most cars and light trucks today are manufactured with sealed "lubed for life" ball joints, tie rod ends and even U-joints.
It's a self-fulfilling prophecy--when the factory-fill grease dries out, the joint wears out. Some vehicles still come with suspension and driveline parts that have proper grease fittings, allowing you to use a simple hand-pumped grease gun to inject precious lubrication at regular intervals.
Virtually all aftermarket parts, even the direct replacements for the sealed factory units, have grease fittings to allow for lubrication. Only the grease fitting. In fact, you could even drill and tap a hole into a sealed part and add a grease fitting yourself, which is something I usually do on my own cars.
Why do car manufacturers leave off this inexpensive fitting? They count every cent that goes into a new vehicle. And a few cents saved on , vehicles is eventually real money. More important, lubed-for-life parts allow automakers to tout their vehicles as requiring less scheduled maintenance. That has become more important in these days of five- or year warranties--even if the truth of the matter is that the unlubricateable parts will require eventual replacement, at your expense.
The first thing you need to do before lubricating your chassis is to get some space underneath the vehicle so that you can work safely. My pickup has enough clearance that I can simply crawl underneath it, grease gun in hand, and get the job done. My Porsche needs to be on ramps or safety stands. Either way, make sure the parking brake is on and you place blocks behind the wheels. Toss something thicker than your head, a block of wood or even a spare tire, under there too for insurance.
Jacks stands. With the vehicle safely in position, raise the vehicle if required until you can fit under it and maneuver. Support the vehicle with jack stands. NEVER skip this step. Unlock the steering wheel so that you can turn the wheels. This will help you gain access to all of the suspension points and steering components.
S tart at one corner of the vehicle, and work your way around to the other side. Then move towards the rear of the vehicle.
Service each component. Push the connector on until it clicks in place. Operate the gun until you see a bit of grease squirt out of the connector side. Then disconnect the gun. Some items do not have grease fittings, if this is the case, they are likely not serviceable. Make sure you check both sides of the suspension arms, as some only have one fitting for the entire arm.
When you get to the rear of the vehicle, do the same thing.
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