Do I need to do chassis lubrication for my cars?

[xyy]

I have two cars.

One is 2001 Saturn SL2.

One is 2007 Chevy Aveo LT.

Do I need to do chassis lubrication for them? And where is the lubrication points?

But I ask walmart people, and they told my chassis lubrication is only for truck. I am kind of confused now.


Thanks for your help

 

[Johnny248]

If you have sealed joints, there is nothing to lube. However, they do make needles that attach to the end of your grease gun, which you can stick into the boot to lube them. If you look through different service manuals, they will tell you to grease them with those needles. Only down side is you have to make a small puncture from the syringe, but I've never had an issue where all the grease came out through the hole and the joint went bad or anything like that.

 

[Sal69]

You know why the wal-mart people said that?

Because there half-witted morons. Yes your car needs to be lubbed, if it has the zerk fittings on them then theres a reason for them.

I have no respect for any wal-mart TLE person, every time I've bought tires there my car has come back with dents to the under carrige and sub frame.

 

[eljefino]

The saturn, if it's stock, no. Aftermarket Tie Rod ends usually do have grease fittings though. Probably the same story with the Aveo.

 

[xyy]

I do agree that. I have noticed that when they did the oil change for me, they always dump way more oil to my engine.( I think they used 5 q, but my little car only need 3.75 q). I just start to DIY.

I have to ask a simple question, where can I find those zerk fittings? On the suspensions? and under the chassis?

I read my manual, but there was nothing there.

Originally Posted By: Sal69
You know why the wal-mart people said that?

Because there half-witted morons. Yes your car needs to be lubbed, if it has the zerk fittings on them then theres a reason for them.

I have no respect for any wal-mart TLE person, every time I've bought tires there my car has come back with dents to the under carrige and sub frame.

 

[xyy]

Where should I found those joins? I only have my owner's manual with me, but no detail about this thing

 

[XS650]

Look at the suspension parts and steering linkages. If you have zerk fittings they will be at the joints where the parts pivot relative to each other.

 

[eljefino]

Crank your wheel all the way to one side then look in the gap between tire and fender. You'll see a tie rod end and ball joint connecting the hub/spindle to the rest of the car-- at a natural pivot point. If they need greasing they'll have little nipples on them. The owner's manual won't mention them if they're factory sealed, as they can't anticipate aftermarket parts being used.

Quick lubes have access to a database of factory suspension setups so the tech will be handed your keys and told to look for X number of zerks. If the number is zero they do the oil and don't start looking for fittings.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: Johnny248
However, they do make needles that attach to the end of your grease gun, which you can stick into the boot to lube them. If you look through different service manuals, they will tell you to grease them with those needles.

I must be missing something. How will introducing grease into the boot help the surfaces that needs to be lubed? Lubing through zerks inroduces grease directly to the wear surface. Lubing through the boot just shrouds the area with grease without introducing it to the wear surfaces. Are you sure those needles aren't designed only for use with lube points that have spring-loaded ball openings, like some u-joints have?

 

[Eddie]

+1 Kestas. The grease will never get where it is needed

 

[xyy]

Thanks, eljefino! I am amazed by those pro answers
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Crank your wheel all the way to one side then look in the gap between tire and fender. You'll see a tie rod end and ball joint connecting the hub/spindle to the rest of the car-- at a natural pivot point. If they need greasing they'll have little nipples on them. The owner's manual won't mention them if they're factory sealed, as they can't anticipate aftermarket parts being used.

Quick lubes have access to a database of factory suspension setups so the tech will be handed your keys and told to look for X number of zerks. If the number is zero they do the oil and don't start looking for fittings.

 

[Johnny248]

Originally Posted By: Kestas
Originally Posted By: Johnny248
However, they do make needles that attach to the end of your grease gun, which you can stick into the boot to lube them. If you look through different service manuals, they will tell you to grease them with those needles.

I must be missing something. How will introducing grease into the boot help the surfaces that needs to be lubed? Lubing through zerks inroduces grease directly to the wear surface. Lubing through the boot just shrouds the area with grease without introducing it to the wear surfaces. Are you sure those needles aren't designed only for use with lube points that have spring-loaded ball openings, like some u-joints have?


That grease gets worked around everything time the joint rotates or moves. Take a boot of a tie rod, and look how much grease is slopped onto the top of the ball joint where the boot covers. I have quieted several squeaking ball joints, idlers, tie rod ends, etc by injecting grease into the the boots. For instance, straight from a factory service manual.


1. Remove the dust cover.
2. Apply the multipurpose grease SAE J310, NLGI No.2 or equivalent to the lip and the inside of a new dust cover. Grease amount for the inside the dust cover (reference): 13 ±0.5 g (0.459 ±0.018 oz)