Hi guys,it's me again,Just a question? my right inner tie rod end needs to be replaced should i replace the outer one also ? and while i am at it should i do the left side as well it is not bad at this time. But if it goes later on then it will cost me another alignment i just got one done 5 days ago and now i need to replace a tie rod.Thanks in advance for your help.

Dana

first make sure the problem is the inner tie rod and not the steering rack bushing.
both are inside the "bellow", and you cant tell which is the problem until you remove the bellow

edit to answer actual Q: yes - for the cost & work - may as well do both - alignment will be needed either way

[This message has been edited by Pyrthian (edited 07-07-2010).]

I understand you haven't had the car for very long and probably don't know the history of the parts on it. If you're trying to save a little money in the short term, then only replace the tie rod that's worn. Normally these parts wear approximately evenly though so if they have the same number of miles on them, there's a good chance you'll be replacing the other inner sooner rather than later. Considering that TFS sells a complete inner and outer, LH & RH tie rod kit for $90 (only $30 more than a four wheel alignment), it wouldn't be a bad investment to replace them all and buy yourself some peace of mind at the same time.

Just be certain that it's the inner tie rod before you order anything. On the right hand side of the steering rack, there's a bushing that supports the rack inside the housing that often wears out and gives similar symptoms as a worn RH inner tie rod. The way to tell the difference is by grabbing the wheel at the 3 and 9 o'clock position with the steering wheel locked, and wiggling it. The bellows covers the joint, but if you watch the inner tie rod carefully you'll see it move relative to the housing as you wiggle it. If it moves in and out of the housing, then the inner tie rod is indeed worn out. But if the tie rod moves up and down relative to the housing, it's the bushing that's worn out. Replacing the tie rod won't cure the problem and lots of shops mis-diagnose the problem. If it is the rack bushing, there's a few threads already covering how to do it, so do a quick search and you'll get a better idea what you need to do. I've done a couple myself now and found it relatively easy to do.

Agreed - My rack bushings wore out long before my inner tie rod. I'm surely NOT saying it's the bushing and not the tie rod (I'm not there, and your check is worth 10 of my guesses) but I can see how one would find looseness there and think its the inner tie rod when it might be the rack bushings.

Thanks so much for your wisdom.I really thank you guys for helping me out.Blooz hope you are surviving this heat wave..

yeah Blooze - stay off the ice. It must be getting pretty thin by this time of year eh?

Heat wave? It's nice and cool in my igloo. eh?