Lee

The rear of it is exposed to the elements. With-out any boot but with compramise in the form of more frequent grease, who knows, could be a long time. If you run in rain, grease that again.

I went to a local heavy truck alignment center, they did a great job and for the best price, your tire guy will help you with that if need be.

A drag link should be under 200, tie rod ends under 50. I can not remember what we were charged for the alignment on the bus and the last 2 times I did the tie rod ends on the Pete, I used a tape measure. 150 or so I'm guessin.

If it were us, with the relativly limited miles and potentially long life span if serviced correctly it would be on the list but way towards the bottom.

A little info for confidence in this area.

For example.
I grease the truck once a week, aproximatly every 2000 miles or so and it is in a very nasty envronment, a quarry. This spring a thruster bearing that rides inbetween the front axle and spindle failed and we had to do king pins. 900000+ miles and there was NO NOTICABLE WEAR on either the pins or the bushings they turn on. I have saved them like a badge of honor.

This is a combination of very well made and designed parts and proper service.

From experiance, frequency of failure on the front end goes in this order. Tie-rods then drag link. Air Bags, I have adopted Jons 10 year plan there. Grease often and king pins are forever Keep syn. oil on the wheel bearings and unless of a seal failure were I would then replace them since your there, you can go, I dare say, 500000.

We use synthetic gear lube, I pulled the hub bearings out of the rears in the Pete and replaced at 500000 cause I was concerned. They were mint.

Sorry for the long posts, I can't help it.