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KeplerNiko:
Sorry to hear about the suspension and steering issues you are dealing with. Please remember that if a tie rod end decides to cut loose, you will probably lose control and crash (bummer). These are safety critical items, so I can not and will not provide you any advice that says "sure... go on the trip"! I would recommend replacing all four tie rod ends at the same time, even if some of them are still in kinda good shape, this will save you the cost of another alignment or two down the road.
On the rack boots, inspect them for tears and cracks, if there are any at all, replace them without question. If they seem to be soaked in oil, assume the rack needs replaced as well since its seals are gone.
Worn tie rods shouldn't trash the new ball joints unless the wheels are flapping in the wind.
When it comes to front suspension bushings, if one is bad, replace them all on BOTH sides. The can also impact alignment.
Other items that can cause klunks and squeak noises in the front end are:
The four bolts that mount the cross member to the frame rails (2 per side), tighten them up.
Worn out sway bar end bushings.
Rare, but the upper strut bearing plates.
Loose bolts on the rear A-arm mounting brackets.
Loose castle nuts on the top of the strut tubes.
Be safe, fix the problem first.
Jorrell
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