I am slowly still servicing the front axle.
I ordered new tie-rod ball rubber cover (and super glad I did too!) while I still had it apart. (the old rubber cuber is seen sitting upside down on the knuckle on the right)
But then I just spent over 4 hours and two trips to Ace Hardware to get the tie-rod bolted back to the passenger side knuckle. The thread on the ball was mushroomed or something and no matter what I couldn't get the original castle nut to thread back on, and the tie-rod ball would just spin - even though I had it clamped as tight as I could with 2 vice grips (it was so tight it flattened their teeth =/ ) - And two more hand clamps to help keep the vice grips in place since the ball shaft was tapered and the clamps would slip upwards.
The shenanigans:
However, I could get a new grade 8 nut to thread on, mostly, (after repeated thread on/off to cut its way in) before the ball would spin in the vice grips. I turned the new nut into a castle nut via my hand grinder. With the help of Mr. Impact, I ran him on far enough before the ball would spin. But then had to take the nut back off and enlarge the crenellations.
And started taking apart the front driver's side. Its wheel (brake) cylinder looked awesome on the inside (like new):
But I still ran the honer up and down it a few times just to be sure.
Compared to the passenger side, I can tell the driver's side leak is much worse as the crease is even more oily, and there's actually less grease. I am super glad I'm doing the axle service. Pooped, but glad.