so i went for alignment the other day and it didnt work.. the car would still go to the left.. so i had the left tire moved to the right.. now the car goes to the right, so i had them balanced.. no difference, while the car was on the lift the mechanic told me that my driver front side tie rod is damaged.. the wheel moves up and down when u push it..is this why my left wheel just goes in different directions? if so what exactly needs to be fixed and does anybody know a decent price for this job to be done
99 a4 2.8L

mechanic told me only left side has a problem and he is charging me $190.00 for : TIE ROD&/OR ENDS- REMOVE & REPLACE-[includes: adjust toe-in on rack & pinion type gears]
also whats the difference between the inner tie rod and outer.. are they 2 pieces if so should i do both? and whats the Tie Rod Assembly.
because the tie rod end part is $70 online

 

you will only need to replace the outer tie rod unless it is bent nothing goes wrong with the inners

 

Its a total DIY job if you got 2 hours of spare time and basic hand tools. It is real easy, if you want there is a tech article on AW that is pretty good.

 

i just read the tech article.. i suck with cars so i think ill mess something up, so it would be best to get it done by my mechanic..

on ECS Tuning they have. OE Heavy Duty Tie Rod End, Left or Right - Priced Each ES#2814
Revised all metal tie rod end with heavy duty ball & sockett assembly learn more $54.95

is that what i need to buy?

 

Yes.

Come on, DIY. It is really, really easy. Break your wheel lugs loose, jack the car up, undo the top screw, push out the pinch bolt, break loose the nut that holds the tie rod end on, and unscrew the tie rod. It's so easy. You need a lug wrench, a thirteen mm ratchet extension or wrench, a 16mm ratchet extension or wrench, an 18mm open wrench, (crescent wrench) anda 22mm open/crescent wrench. The only thing you could screw up worse is your broken TRE or your toe in/out, which you're gonna fix anyway.

Then use the money you didn't spend to buy an iPod Nano. Or buy me one. A black one.

Also, if I were you, I'd buy two upgraded ones. My car feels just the tiniest bit squirrelly under left-hand steering inputs ever since I bought an upgraded TRE for the passenger side. Nothing serious, or even really irritating, but if you're like me, you want everything to be perfect.

 

tie rod
http://www.quadpartsguy.com/images/PR_Tie_Rods.JPG

track rod end
http://www.twosrus.co.uk/images/tie-rods.jpg

if its track rod your doing just count the threads before you remove them so you can refit the new one to the same length

 

I'm from the UK so we have different names for things

 

Yuikio you make that pinch bolt sound so easy hahaha

 

lightly tap the pinch bolt and track rod end with a hammer spray plenty of releasing oil on it ( don't remove the ball joint till you have loosened the pinch bolt ) and just turn the pinch bolt in 1/2 a thread this will set the distance you need to screw the new part to, if its badly seized then use one of these http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/produ...1000177reg.jpg to hold the track rod end while you undo the pinch bolt, hope this is of some help

 

fine! but if i die im gonna sue somebody!