When a joint oozes grease, should I wipe up the residual, or just leave it?
To some your question might seem silly--to me not so. Depending on truck or equipment.
The fact that I work on trucks-One thing that pi$$'s me off is #1 people who won't take the time to wipe off the zerk before greasing #2 people who over grease
till it's a cowpie then leave the mess smeared and hanging so you end up with it all over your sleeves, hair, face and ears. Collecting dirt and crap as it rolls through
a unpaved lot. Only making for a bigger mess when it comes time to repair something. #3 jack a$$'s who won't scrape the old piles of grease from the edge of a fifth
wheel with grease all over the frame. DOT loves seeing that-Excessive Grease On Frame {that's a ticket because they can't see loose nuts and bolts}.