Do greasable ball joints tend to last longer than sealed ones if they're regularly greased?

Question

I need to replace some ball joints, and I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to get greasable ball joints or if I should get the cheaper sealed ball joints. The difference in price is only about $15, but I'm curious what the differences would be in required maintenance and durability.

Do greasable ball joints tend to last longer than sealed ones if they're regularly greased? Is it worth getting the greasable ones and spending some time greasing them every few thousand miles?

I'm looking at replacing them on a 2001 Honda Civic.

Answer 1

New grease will increase the longevity of the ball joint. With that said, unless a ball joint takes a huge hit or the boot rips, the second set of ball joints will probably last for the rest of the life of the vehicle whether the ball joints have grease zerks or not. IOW, take your pick at this point as it probably won't make too much of a difference.