Put the vehicle on a rack and inspect the tie rods.
on a steering rack the inner tie rod is threaded and will be the mount for the outer tie rod.
Earthquake? bad wheel bearing, tie rod inner or outer ball joints upper and lower
Crawl under the vehicle and look. If it is broke this will be easy to spot.
You have to have the car in the air with the tire off. you take the outer tie rod off by taking the nut that holds it to the knuckle, loosening the nut that holds the inner and outer tie rods together. spin off the the outer tie rod and count the rotations. remove the boot that is on the rack and inner tie rod. you will need the inner tie rod tool to remove the inner tie rod then reverse to put together.
Inner or outer?
First determine which end is bad, inner/outer, or both. Get a good grip on the rod, and try to move it. If it's bad, you are likely to feel it, and hear it too. You can easily see if the outer rod end is moving side to side, or front to back, depending on how you're moving it. NOTE: Moving 'around' is normal, and you want that. Any displacement from center is what's bad. The inner rod end you can't see, but you can still check. move closer towards the steering rack, and do your best to move it. If it's bad, you'll again likely be able to both feel and see it. This will help you discuss this with your mechanic better, or save you money on parts. I'm not a Toyota guy, so I don't know how difficult inner rod ends are on them. Some cars are a chore without special tools. Good luck, and BE CAREFUL under your car.
You need an inner tie rod tool. Looks like a pipe with a drive socket on one end, and a receiver on the other. Unbolt the outer tie rod from the knuckle, and loosen the lock nut on the rod. Either use a puller to remove the outer end, or hit the knuckle with a hammer, and remove the outer end from the knuckle. Unscrew the outer from the inner rod. [break the lock nut loose before removing the outer from the knuckle, or you will not be able to loosen it] Remove the bellows from the rack and inner rod. Use a drift or punch and a hammer to push the lock plate off the inner rod end. Place the correct adapter over the inner rod end, slide the rod inside the tool, and lock the receiver end of the tool on to the adapter. place a ratchet on the drive end of the tool, and remove the rod.
2000 and later Ford Tauruses did NOT have an inner tie rod...just outer.
how due you vhange a inner and outer tie rod on a 2001 Chevy Monte Carlo
Match it to your old one.
lift vehicle. remove front tire. loosen jam nut securing inner tie rod to outer tie rod. if equipped, remove cotter pin from outer tie rod nut, which is attached to the knuckle. next, remove outer tie rod nut.with either a hammer, or a pickle fork and hammer. separate tie rod from knuckle. unscrew outer tie rod from inner tie rod. alignment is a must after job is finished.
Remove wheel and disconnect outer tie rod from lower control arm. Clearly mark original position of outer tie rod end on shaft and remove outer tie rod end. Remove rack and pinion boot revealing. Unscrew inner tie rod from rack and pinion assembly.