Tony Z wrote: ↑Fri Jan 13, 2017 9:27 pm With the Bilstein balljoint specifically, it is a copy of the VW balljoint, except for the large metal load bearing disc is now made of a large piece of plastic (Teflon?) which can be deformed under pressure. So the weight of the vehicle is carried on 4 pieces of plastic, each about 10mm thick.
Have as said before, drilled and fitted a grease nipple into all my ball joints.
Had no problem with them, still as firm as when fitted.
Just as a matter of interest, when i moved a 3000 ton injection moulding machine from East London to Port Elizabeth I had to replace the wear plate of the 65 ton moving platen, which now slides on a 5 mm thick plastic sheet of 150 mm by 300 mm.
Has run for 10 years and not sagged a mm to date.Plastics have come a long way from the 60's days of Japan made toys.
OMO
Herman