2003 P71 Front Suspension Service

[kentw]

Hello fellow enthusiasts,

As a new user to this forum, thank you all for the opportunity to participate. I have never been much of a "joiner" regarding forums, but after browsing this one for a few weeks, I was quite impressed at the wealth of combined knowledge available...not the usual bantering back and forth which is so common in many forums.

I recently purchased a 2003 P71 and am establishing a regular maintenance schedule for it. A few days ago, I got out the grease gun and rolled under the front end as I always do after a car purchase, but it looks like all the ball joints and similar lubrication points are factory, with no grease fittings to utilize. Even the U-Joints have no external fittings to insert grease. My guess is that this is normal until the joints and such are replaced with after-market...is my assumption correct or might I be overlooking something?

Thanks everyone!


[ALERT]Moved to the correct area. The DIY sections are for technical write-ups only.[/ALERT]

[Interceptor]

You've just done exactly what I did a couple years ago, (lying under my car saying to myself "wtf, where are they?").

You're correct, somewhere in the mid to late 90's Ford stop putting grease zerks on Crown Victoria's, they came as a factory unit sealed without grease fittings
The original sealed units with no grease fittings seam to last longer than replacements with grease fittings.
New replaceable units do come with grease fittings.

[kentw]

Thanks Interceptor,
I guess that confirms the fact that everything is still factory original.
Once again, thanks everyone for great forum.

[Pecos Slick]

Welcome to the forum kentw.

[Jake]

Sorry I'm late but.......welcome to the forum kentw!

Hope you enjoy your stay.

Where are you from?

Would love to see some pics of your Vic!

[kentw]

Jake,

Sorry for the slow reply (only about a month late), but I haven't had the time I'd like to for spending on this excellent forum.
I will have some photos of my Vic up soon, just haven't had a chance to take them due to the constant barrage of rain showers
we have been having out here in northeast Washington state...north of Spokane. My P71 is also a 2003, and similar to yourself,
I am a bit too tall to fit comfortably into most vehicles with the exception of my CV (your photo makes you look about 6' 10" or more,
using your CV for a comparison).

I will also update my profile when I do the photos.

[Jake]

Sorry for the slow reply

Thats never a problem; we all have lives outside of this forum. I'm lucky, on my second job I can play on the net if we're not busy.

I will have some photos of my Vic up soon, just haven't had a chance to take them due to the constant barrage of rain showers we have been having out here in northeast Washington state...north of Spokane.

My sister lives in Olympia; she says it always rains in Washington!

I am a bit too tall to fit comfortably into most vehicles with the exception of my CV

I know that feeling. How tall are you?

(your photo makes you look about 6' 10" or more, using your CV for a comparison).

Close; +2" = 6'12"!

[Sgt]

Hello fellow enthusiasts,

As a new user to this forum, thank you all for the opportunity to participate. I have never been much of a "joiner" regarding forums, but after browsing this one for a few weeks, I was quite impressed at the wealth of combined knowledge available...not the usual bantering back and forth which is so common in many forums.

I recently purchased a 2003 P71 and am establishing a regular maintenance schedule for it. A few days ago, I got out the grease gun and rolled under the front end as I always do after a car purchase, but it looks like all the ball joints and similar lubrication points are factory, with no grease fittings to utilize. Even the U-Joints have no external fittings to insert grease. My guess is that this is normal until the joints and such are replaced with after-market...is my assumption correct or might I be overlooking something?

Thanks everyone!

Moved to the correct area. The DIY sections are for technical write-ups only.

Welcome to the forum! Between all of us here on p71owners, you'll find a great deal on knowledge. Hope to see you around the forum!

[PB92]

Well, today on my 99 I took a needle grease tip on my grease gun, carefully inserted the needle into the sealed tierod end boots, and put in grease until the boot started to swell. Reason is the right inner tierod end started to make that dry squeak/creaking noise. Everything is still nice and tight, sooooo, I figured I would grease it before it failed.

I worked or twisted the tierods until the creaking noise stopped, and wala........the life of them are greatly extended.

[kentw]

[COLOR="blue"]

Thats never a problem; we all have lives outside of this forum. I'm lucky, on my second job I can play on the net if we're not busy.




My sister lives in Olympia; she says it always rains in Washington!




I know that feeling. How tall are you?




Close; +2" = 6'12"![/COLOR]

Jake,
Compared to you, I am a short guy, 6'4". You are correct about the Olympia area regarding the rain and wet conditions. I live on the east side of the state where the weather is usually dryer in the summer months, but we get an incredible amount of snow in the winter...brought one of my buildings down 3 years ago...we actually shovel our roofs to remove snow when it is dangerously heavy.