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Well got everything done on the ‘99 front end and had my son over to help with bleeding the brakes. Unfortunately, I pinched the passenger side braided stainless brake hose and it’s leaking there where it was pinched. So a new set of braided stainless brake lines has been ordered from...

Got the Grade 8 washers and I got the driver’s side done. Had to do more reaming in the knuckle to get the right depth. Probably had the knuckle on and off 5x, but it’s done. Just need to finish some miscellaneous stuff like cotter pins and install the Allen acre that holds the ABS sensor in.

I do not know where to get hardened washers. I looked online for taller castle nuts and could not find.

I am. Buying some Grade 8 today.

It’s a Grade 5. I’ll get some Grade 8s.

Got the passenger side steering knuckle reamed. Still needed a washer under the castle but to keep the cotter pin within the castle nut. Last time I needed two washers, but the ball joints were never the problem. It was the tie rod hole that I overdid the ream depth, something that I avoided...

Upper ball joint: 61 lbs Lower ball joint: 79 lbs

The error is in the first line description. Down in the details below they have the specs right. They are the same.

Took a little break and installed the new sway bar on the ‘99 K2500 Suburban. Now I just need to finish reaming the ball joint holes on the knuckles and it will go back together quickly.

I thinks it’s 2” per ft gets you 10 degree, while 1.5” per ft gets you 7 degree.

I’m doing them by hand with a right angle drill. Getting the depth right is the tedious part. I’ve got the tie rod holes reamed. Will be working on the depth for the ball joint holes.

The intro paragraph for WalMart listing says 1.5” per ft 10 degree, then down below in the description it says: Item details with high thermal hardness, high wear resistance, high hardenability and sufficient plasticity and toughness. and can withstand large impact force and high load...

Ford couldn’t make it work when starting with a blank slate:

Here’s the Walmart listing for the 7 degree ream for the tie rods: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tapered-Ball-Joint-Reamer-7-Degree-Reamer-Tie-Bar-1-1-2-Inches-Per-Foot/16979213960 IRRC Speedway has it at a price of $121.99. This looks exactly the same. So now we’ve got a source for reams at a...

Well the new Mevotech sway bar arrived and I immediately noticed its heavy weight. Went to compare to the broken sway bar and the Mevotech is clearly a solid bar, while the OEM was a hollow bar.

I found the 10 degree reamer at Walmart for $26.52, which is 1/4 the $105.99 price that Speedway motors wants for it. They look the same and both are made in China. https://www.walmart.com/ip/10-Degree-Ball-Joint-Tapered-Reamer-Reamer-for-1-1-2-Inch-Foot-Taper-Fitting-Joints-Tie-Rod/13421055236

FWIW I installed the Moog ball joints on the ‘99 and they had close to 70K miles on them. They moved freely in the socket, but there was no play from wear. I reworked a pair of forged LCAs which got the Energy Suspension Polyurethane bushings and new Moog ball joints. While I was in there, I...

While on the subject of ball joints…. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1351565572866918/?fs=e&mibextid=wwXIfr&fs=e

Moog Problem Solver

Oil change on the 2014 at 399K miles. Had to do it 1K early as my wife is returning to Montana tomorrow. She will be back down in SoCal on 12/14.