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OEM upper ball joints still in good condition is believable- if the sealing boots are still intat. FWIW, upper ball joints seldom fail since they're only loaded in turns or on bumpy roads. Most failures are the lower ball joints since they carry all the car/driver weight nearly all the time. Adding zerk fittings to ball joints without them is simple and extends their life a LOT! Steering tie-rod ends too. There used to be cheap kits sold to do this.

Bosswench

I have new boot seals and will install shortly. I was going to install Zerks on the lower pivot shaft area on the uprights while I have the shafts out , as its pretty straight forward when everything is apart. 

Where do you normally locate the Zerk fitting on the ball joint and do the ball joints have to be removed before the mounts are drilled to take the fitting?

I have plenty of Zerk fittings - just trying to match the thread type for the holes. I think its a NF thread ?

On the lower inside side of the casting about in the middle. File a flat spot in the cast-in lettering so the zerk can screw all the way in. Also file a couple of small half-round notches in the ends of the internal spacer. When the nuts are tightened, the spacer is held hard against the thrust washers so grease put in from the outside cannot easily get to the inside of the spacer where the stud is.

If you have some extra money, I use Hall's innovative system where the lower stud ends are drilled 1/8" OD about 3" deep and 2 connecting holes are drilled crosswise thru the stud. Then with a zerk in each end of the stud, you can add grease this way without drilling the carrier. If you have a drill press, a very sharp drill bit and use care & lots of lube, you can drill the stock stud at home & add the zerks. Greased from this direction, you still need notches on the ends of the spacer because grease now cannot get to the bushing surfaces & the outside of the spacer.

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