Grease It Up And Torque It
Proper service procedures, which are limited to scheduled grease jobs are all that is required to extend the life of these parts, but many neglect to do this properly.
The correct method to grease a joint is to first wipe clean the zerk fitting. If this is not done the grease will pump the dirt, which is abrasive, into the joint and it will act like sandpaper, causing excessive wear.
Next, is to use the proper grease for the application. If you are servicing a front end, then make sure the grease states that it is for that use. Often grease is made for a particular task and protecting suspension parts is not one of them. For example, a grease that is used for a wheel bearing or the moving parts of a front-end loader may not possess the chemical formulation that is correct for a ball joint that is exposed to road salt and other conditions.
When lubricating the joints (ie. tie rods, idler arm, etc.), you want to introduce the grease slowly, while watching the rubber dust cup. You want the old grease to exit gently from the cup until all of it and the moisture are pushed out. You need to be careful to not blow or rupture the cup. If you do, you need to replace it, since a broken rubber cup will quickly degrade the pivot joint by introducing dirt and moisture. For ball joints, the method is different. Add grease slowly, just until the rubber seal begins to bulge.
Also check the bolt and/or nut torque at all suspension points to ensure that nothing has loosened up. Complete specs are published in your Pontiac's service manual. Since some of them change from year to year and model to model, printing a listing here is not practical.
Bushed
Another area of confusion is the rubber bushings that are part of a suspension system. The rubber compound, when aged, looses its resiliency and becomes hard, even though it may not yet be cracked or flaking off. When the rubber hardens, its ability to work properly is completely compromised and the bushing responds in a negative manner. Hard, dried out rubber bushings will greatly impact the handling and ride quality of your Pontiac, just as a dried out tire would. For these reasons, it is a good idea to change the bushings when you renew the suspension parts. If they are several years old, their performance is severely degraded. Bushings are usually not that expensive, but require complete disassembly of the suspension and access to a hydraulic press to remove and replace them.
Many readers like to upgrade to polyurethane bushings, and there are many different formulations of this synthetic material on the market. Keep in mind, however, that urethane bushings often trade ride softness and quiet operation for a desired increase in body-roll stiffness. Some companies impregnate the bushings with graphite to fight squeaks, and others add zerk fittings to certain areas to make the bushings greasable for the same purpose. If you are willing to accept a firmer ride and the possibility of some squeaks in return for improved handling then upgrade. However, if the stock handling and quiet operation of your Pontiac has satisfied you then the standard rubber replacement bushings are a better choice.
Don't Forget The Motor
Mounts, Trans Mounts, And
Body Mounts
Other non-suspension bushings should be considered for scheduled replacement also. The rubber motor, transmission, and body mounts will suffer the same fate, becoming hard and transferring more harmonics into the frame and body of the Pontiac. In engineering parlance this is called NVH for noise, vibration, and harshness. Check them for dry rot and to ensure that they haven't collapsed from age. If so, change them. Replacing the motor and trans mounts are time consuming, but possible at home. Body mounts, however, can be an arduous task, so you may want to consider having a body shop do it for you.
The lower ball joint supports...
The lower ball joint supports the weight of the car so it usually wears more quickly than the upper. If your Pontiac is a '73 or later model, the lower ball joint should have a built-in wear indicator. As the ball joint wears, a 0.050-inch shoulder at the base of the zerk fitting will recess into the housing. When the shoulder is flush with the housing, the joint needs to be replaced. To check a wear indicator-equipped ball joint, the weight of the car must be on the front tires
To check for play at the ball...
To check for play at the ball joints (not equipped with a wear indicator), jack the Pontiac up under the lower control arm and not the frame (use jackstands at various points for safety). With the tire a few inches off the ground and the steering wheel locked or with someone holding it, force the tire up and down with a prybar as shown. Have a helper watch the lower ball joint as you do this. A false reading can sometimes happen due to loose wheel bearings, which is why they were checked first. If you're unsure if the movement was at the ball joints or due to wheel bearings, have your helper depress the brake pedal to remove the wheel bearings as a possible cause and test again.
If you can't find any play...
If you can't find any play at the ball joint, it's in good shape. If there is play, you can either replace the ball joint for optimum performance or measure the amount to see if it's within spec by mounting a dial indicator on the lower control arm, placing its plunger vertically on the spindle (knuckle) ,and retesting with the prybar. The spec for a '65-'69 Tempest, LeMans, and GTO lower ball joint is 0.050-inch vertical movement before replacement is needed. Horizontal movement is not measured with this ball joint, but may be for other models.
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Here is a detailed diagram of typical Pontiac steering components from the era. This appears to be a rear steer configuration as used on '67-'69 Firebirds and '71-'74 Venturas. The A-bodies and 70 1/2-'81 F-bodies use a front steer setup that places the steering box and linkage ahead of the hubs.
The Pontiac steering system...
The Pontiac steering system is a straightforward design. An idler arm attaches the centerlink to the frame, while the pitman arm connects the centerlink (aka intermediate, or drag link) to the steering box. All traditional Pontiacs have greasable front steering joints.
Pontiac uses an inner and...
Pontiac uses an inner and outer tie rod on each side. Grab the tie rod and try to twist it and then try pushing it up and pulling it down. A slightly worn tie rod may exhibit minimal movement when twisted. Excessive full range movement means the part needs to be replaced. Any up and down movement of the outer tie rod at the knuckle (aka spindle) is dangerous, so the tie rod should be changed immediately.
Some models and years of Pontiacs...
Some models and years of Pontiacs had a pivot joint in the idler arm where it attaches to the centerlink. Others had the pivot in the centerlink. If the centerlink has no pivot then the wear joint is in the idler and the pitman arm. The idler arm (shown) should not exhibit up and down travel when you push up and pull down on it. With the front tires on the ground, have a helper slowly turn the steering wheel back and forth, while you watch for proper movement of the pitman arm, centerlink, tie rods, and idler arm. Everything should move the instant the wheel is turned.