Insightful,
Both the tie rod ends and the ball joints have been replaced. I knew I forgot to list something.
Yosemite,
I did some research and if you are referring to the rag joint I think it’s a possibility that this could be wrong with my truck. Today I actually bought a cheap one and will replace it to see if this is the problem. What is interesting is that there is that plastic cover on the shaft in the link you sent that seems to obstruct one’s view of the rag joint. I feel like it’s possible that for this reason it may have been overlooked when I took it to the mechanic to be diagnosed. Hopefully that’s it.
Rod Knox,
I noticed this too and both pieces have been replaced.
With one person turning the steering wheel back & forth & another person watching the moving parts I wouldn’t think it would be hard to isolate where the play is .
I think the problem is the plastic shield being in the way to get a good look at that joint.
You may be able to hold a small mirror in the right place while a friend turns the wheel. They only need to turn it right and left to take up any slack for you to see the slop if there is much.
Yosemite
Re king pin design on larger truck version of the class vs ball joints on the smaller truck version
@db4690 … that sounds reasonable. The repair and maintenance documentation source I’m referring to must not differentiate the parts list database to that level; i.e. if a part is used on any version of the truck, it appears in the parts list. I took another look at the front suspension documentation and it seems to imply there’s a difference depending on whether coil springs or leaf springs are used.
In any event, as opposed to a prior poster’s comment, the king pin hadn’t disappeared by 1998.