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Junk parts.

Standard split ring lock nuts are just a little bit better than worthless in most applications. Some would argue this and I even use them myself.

These (link below) are serviceable and if they go to back off, they cause the nut to tighten.

I used these on a vibrating screen (violently shaking as it sifts different sizes of rock) application about 15-20 years ago and have not heard of them coming loose.

Buy Nord-Lock Washers Online

Buy from our web shop the Nord-Lock wedge-locking steel washers and stainless steel washers. Available in blister packs for worldwide delivery.
www.nord-lock.com www.nord-lock.com

I am not affiliated with them and have nothing to gain by posting the link, aside from a possible solution.
 
SnowDrift said:
Standard split ring lock nuts are just a little bit better than worthless in most applications. Some would argue this and I even use them myself.

These (link below) are serviceable and if they go to back off, they cause the nut to tighten.

I used these on a vibrating screen (violently shaking as it sifts different sizes of rock) application about 15-20 years ago and have not heard of them coming loose.

Buy Nord-Lock Washers Online

Buy from our web shop the Nord-Lock wedge-locking steel washers and stainless steel washers. Available in blister packs for worldwide delivery.
www.nord-lock.com www.nord-lock.com

I am not affiliated with them and have nothing to gain by posting the link, aside from a possible solution.
Click to expand...
I also had good results with these
 
I would normally agree but not in this situation. If the taper isn't holding then no amount of over tightening or fancy washers are going to stop what's happening. It might prolong the inevitable but not stop it, as evidenced by the nut breaking. The nuts main job is to keep the taper seated, not to hold the entire load.
 
ak diesel driver is 100% correct here.

@Stoney - welding it all solid and eliminating the ability of the spring to move at all will make the truck ride like a buck board and WILL BREAK THINGS. Can you drive around like that? Yes. Basically putting a block of wood in the spring, and chaining the suspension from moving would allow you to drive it. This is a field repair to get back home from out in the boonies. But it will do major damage to things around it. You are limited to maybe 20 mph tops for safety.

Just welding the top of the unit- welding the nut to the ball joint- yeah that will hold a week maybe. Lock washers are not going to keep it from coming loose. It isn’t road vibration making the nut come loose. The taper is moving around in the seat.

If you can borrow a tapered reamer, that has a CHANCE of fixing it. But if you have to spend $20 for one- I would say no, don’t do it. Cut a bit too deep and now the unit goes in to far.
What you need is the new part and new ball joint.
 
Will L. said:
ak diesel driver is 100% correct here.

@Stoney - welding it all solid and eliminating the ability of the spring to move at all will make the truck ride like a buck board and WILL BREAK THINGS. Can you drive around like that? Yes. Basically putting a block of wood in the spring, and chaining the suspension from moving would allow you to drive it. This is a field repair to get back home from out in the boonies. But it will do major damage to things around it. You are limited to maybe 20 mph tops for safety.

Just welding the top of the unit- welding the nut to the ball joint- yeah that will hold a week maybe. Lock washers are not going to keep it from coming loose. It isn’t road vibration making the nut come loose. The taper is moving around in the seat.

If you can borrow a tapered reamer, that has a CHANCE of fixing it. But if you have to spend $20 for one- I would say no, don’t do it. Cut a bit too deep and now the unit goes in to far.
What you need is the new part and new ball joint.
Click to expand...
I think the taper is screwed. I'm thinking a reamer will just enlarge the tapered hole out more yet. To much for it to seat.

I really don't have a clue. But I think new parts are in order. Or good used parts
 
ak diesel driver said:
I would normally agree but not in this situation. If the taper isn't holding then no amount of over tightening or fancy washers are going to stop what's happening. It might prolong the inevitable but not stop it, as evidenced by the nut breaking. The nuts main job is to keep the taper seated, not to hold the entire load.
Click to expand...
Agreed. If and only if the root of the issue isn't found, an alternative could be in order. I am not a fan of bandages, but if that's the only way through it, until the problem is solved, then it might suffice until then.
 
Stoney, I am saying if you completely lock up the suspension on that side of the truck, then the ball joint would not have to pivot. But this would be a super temporary thing to try because it would limit you to 10-15 mph on perfect condition roads and 1 moh over bumps- I should not have even mentioned it.
 
@Stoney when you installed the new ball joint, did you fit test the tapered stub into the spindle to see if it has a wobble? does the stub protrude all the way through so where you see more than just the threads poking out the top side? if so the taper in the spindle is toast. if only the threads are what's sticking out and the stub on the joint feels secure with the spindle and only the top side of the taper in the spindle is wollered out, you might get away with having someone crack a weld bead in that area to fill in where it's wollered out, then use a reamer to reshape it smooth and touch it with a flat grinder on the top for the nut.

that may buy you some time until a replacement spindle can be found.

when I did my front end, I had bought two new lower control arms from Advance auto parts. shortly after, I had to replace the lower ball joint on the drivers side due to the ball joint that was pre-installed on the control arm was locking up even after I had greased it upon the install. at the same time I also discovered that the holes for the bushings and ball joints in the new a-arms were slightly different sizes. after I had replaced that ball joint, a few days later I needed to jack up the front end to do something un-related.... well that ball joint fell out of the control arm!!! ( you can just see my "oh sh#t" moment ) I had to pull it all apart and re-do it all. stupid me tossed the old control arms where I wish I had saved them and rebuilt them since they were GM and not the crappy chineesium stuff.
 
Tapers have been used for a long time to hold things. I have a hammer drill that uses a taper to hold the drill bits. ALOT of drill bits use tapers to hold them. In the machining world tapers are everywhere. The chucks on drills are held with a taper and usually a screw. They're used for repeatable accuracy and holding power. Once it starts turning it will score the bore of the taper or the shank or both and then the holding power is greatly reduced. From what Stoney has described this has happened multiple times and likely can't be cleaned up. Tapers work amazingly well until they slip , they go downhill pretty fast after that.
 
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