RFF

Well I was checking my brake pads and guess what, the boots on my tie rod ends are busted. I'm not going to try to replace them until this summer. My question is can I add some grease to them now to prolong their life? If so what color(type) grease do I use, white, red, blue, or black?

archemedes

adding grease will help, but with the boots broken any water that gets near the bottom of the car will wash it away

RFF

Yeah that is the part that sucks, most likely I will just use some marine (red) grease my dad has in his grease gun. I will stick the boot from the good side and wait until I see grease fill up on the busted side. I'm guessing they have been this way for a while though so I need to change them soon. Are their any tattle tale signs to let me know when they are about to snap, popping/grinding or anything of the sort?

archemedes

jack up the front of the car with steering unlocked (both wheels off the ground) grab one and jiggle back and forth if they move up and down they are junk if not your good to go. If you don't understand my description let me know and I'll try and get some video footage of me doing it on the gp

RFF

If I'm mistaken a similar method is used for checking the ball joints correct? Do I need to grab the tire with my hands horizontal or verticle on the tire?

archemedes

ball joints you need to pry but yeah similar

RFF

Cool so I grab the left and right side of the tire and just try to shack the tire. (this might be a good time to invest in some jack stands too lol)

korndogg

yeah just shake it back and forth and if theres play (you will feel kind of like a popping) then they are bad. But look at them while your doing it just to make sure that the inner tie rods arent bad too.

Camarocam

Mine are busted also I just add grease to them every once and a while nothing has happened yet I think It is all right I am just going to get a four banger as a DD and then start fixing my car up 350 and all.