Tie rod replacement

[HAULN-SS]

About a month ago I had the malibu in the shop for the wiper motor replacement. The shop claimed that the car needed a tie rod replacement. How do you tell if that is actually the case? I thought it was if you could wobble the wheel when the car was on a jack. I just did the brakes a couple of weeks ago, and I didnt have ANY wobble in either of the front wheels.

Assuming I do need to do this job - how does it go? Any special tools required? Should you do the inner and outer at the same time? Is an alignment pretty much necessary after doing it?

[ispoonwithmugen]

I'm pretty sure that the wobbling the wheel when the car's on a jack is for a wheel bearing. Maybe it's for tie rod as well (or I may just be completely wrong). Pretty sure the only thing you'll need (I'm basing this off my past cars) is a pickle fork to pry it out.

[D_Eclipse9916]

I'm pretty sure that the wobbling the wheel when the car's on a jack is for a wheel bearing. Maybe it's for tie rod as well (or I may just be completely wrong). Pretty sure the only thing you'll need (I'm basing this off my past cars) is a pickle fork to pry it out.

If the tie rod cannot be adjusted or has play it needs to be replaced.

To check for play without digging too deep. Push/pull wheel at the 3 and 9 positions. To check for play in the wheel bearing, do the same at the 12 and 6 positions. Did you ask them why they came to the conclusion that it was bad?

Alignment required, might as well do inner/outer at same time sicne they are under the same forces and you need an aligmnent anyway.

Pickle fork set rented (free) from Advance and either large channel locks or a big enough wrench for your particular inner tie rod. Other than that a basic tool set will get you through it.

[BLINGMW]

Wheel would wobble left/right if tie rod is really bad. However, shop's recommendation may have been on visual inspection that the boot/cap was torn, and the joint life isn't going to be very long once it runs out of grease. If that's the case, and the joint is ok, you may just be able to replace that.
You may not NEED any special tools, I don't know about that car. But a pickle fork or joint puller (of which there are a few types, and one that might be best for your car) helps vs BFH and cursing.
Alignment... well, not NECESSARY, but recommended. Necessary if you do both for sure.

*edit* oh well DJ beat me to it

[JustinG]

Pickle fork or a tie rod tool from advance. If you are replacing and not trying to reuse the tie rods a pickle fork will do the job.

Jack up one side, Hands at 9 and 3, shake the wheel. If there is noticeable play it could be Tie rod ends.

Check for torn boots, abnormal steering wheel play.

And yes an alignment will need to be done, you can get it close by marking where the locking nut was on the tie rod/tie rod end link, and getting the tie rod end reinstalled close to the marks you made.

Hands at 12 & 6 is how I check for a wheel bearing issue.

[HAULN-SS]

Ok thanks for the tips. I did the wheel bearings already (Forgot about that until just now). Im not sure how my hands were position when I was doing the shaking, but probably all over. I will check the boots - maybe that is what they were talking about, I didn't pay that much attention to them when I was doing the brakes (had a seized caliper and that was a whole lot of BFH and cursing as well)