front axle

[TomM]

Jim,
You are doing the right thing by going through it all. Youll probably find wear on the kingpin bearings too. Its all easily renewed and when you get it together and give it a spin you'll be happy with how smoothly everything spins.

When it comes to bending the washer I'm guessing everyone has their own special tool or trick. I usually put a slight bend in the washer before assembly. The little bend allows you to get a flat blade behind it and pull it over.

Tom