'87 245 287,223 miles:

So the first thing I did when I got home was to check them. I jacked the front end up (put some jack stands underneath of course), grabbed the R/H front wheel at 3 and 9 o'clock and tried to detect any play. I do this whilst looking at the steering wheel. Well I THINK there MIGHT be the tiniest amount of play or then again, I might be imagining it. So I put my finger between the eye the tie rod goes into and the lower part of the tie rod itself and move the front of the tire left and right. Again, I think there might be something there but it's so small if it is there thats it's nearly imperceptible.

SO - Can anyone share how they check tie rods? Is there something else I can do? I'm thinking I may just change the outer tie rod cause they're cheap and a piece of cake to swap out. But does anyone know of a good way to check inner tie rods?

I'm kinda annoyed with Pep Boys at this point. If I had been a 20 something mother of 2, they would have gotten me for nearly 300 bucks. Fortunately I'm a 40 something airplane mechanic so I have a feel for this stuff like all of you.
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It's Jim (in Hartford CT)