I’m noticing that some inner tie rods have holes in them, 180 degrees from the wrench flats, but only on one side. What is the purpose of this hole and what is it’s function?
This got me thinking that possibly a zerk fitting could be placed here, to allow for periodic regreasing to the ball joint? But it seems only some manufacturers include this hole. It just seems odd to me that periodic regreasing of the ball joint, isn’t recommended, and that there aren’t provisions for it, unless that’s what this hole is for. Kind of similar to sealed ball joints for outer tie rod ends. When the car gets up there in age, there could be grease that is several years old, still trying to do it’s job.
It is for the micro tracking devise that the government is installing nowadays…
sorry couldn’t help it…
My question is why are you looking at so many inner tie rod ends that you have started to notice this?? lol
They make grease gun needles, use one of them and stick it in the hole and see if it takes the grease and if the excess comes out the joint area…
BTW, What are the odds that the hole will be assessable for you to be able to grease the joint once installed?? Personally, if I am going through that much trouble to gain access to the joint to grease it, I am replacing it… https://www.amazon.com/grease-needle/s?k=grease+needle
Probably right. I bought a tire-rod for my 1990 pathfinder. It came with holes like this that were threaded so I could add jerks. But most are jerk-less these days.
Another idea, the hole is used during only during the part’s manufacturing process, to hold it s in the needed orientation for subsequent machining, for example.
Some residential water heater dip tubes have a seemingly unexplainable hole like that.
I’m not saying that his hole is related, but there can also be a hole through the entire rack to let air move from one side to the other when the wheels are turned.
So is it possible to “regrease” inner tie rods? I was thinking this hole could be used for this, but it seems it may be used for something else, as people mentioned, and not all inner tie rods have them.
You would need to remove the boot to get access to the joint and then replace the inner clamp at least. The hole is for a pin as @weekend-warrior mentioned, not to grease the joint. If you want to remove the boot and slide it out, then shoot some grease into the ball joint, then slide the boot back into place and replace the inner clamp, I guess you could do that but surely you have better things to do with your time…lol
