Track rod replacement, DIY or Garage-job

Hi all, just a quick survery I suppose. My nearside track rod is bent, i've got the replacement already from ECP but don't have the ball-joint tool thats mentioned in so may other posts and tutorials mention
I'm a DIY mechanic and so far have done services and brake pad/disc replacements on my cars but track rod, hmmmm, not sure
I'm guessing you loosten the ball joint nut, release the joint using the tool, then slide back the steering rack gaiter bit and there's a screw-joint that i loosten to remove the old bent track-rod, then adjust the tie rod end distance on the new part using the original as a guide?
Seems too easy which probably means I'm totally missing something important here

Who's done this before then? the more amatuer the better lol

The car is booked into the garage next week anyways to either get this done and alignment done OR just alignment depending on if i fit the rod or not
The £60 i've been quoted would be handy to save but it's more the satisfaction of actually being able to do it myself i'd be more interested in

Oh and can't wait for the 1st meet of the season as I've got 100's of 'little' questions to run past you Guys and Gals

Stay safe and thankyou

Far side near side, folks think I talk funny?
Is it the left or right side?
Cause I know that yall sit on the opposite side to drive than I do and I only know my left hand and my other left hand.

It doesn't take a bunch of skill to remove the outer tie-rod end if you have the adjustable ones fitted.  Which you can replace the one piece with the 2 piece Inner, and outer…

In the old days prior to me getting a really easy tie-rod tool, I used to remove the cotter pin, then loosen the nut about all the way save for a few turns ie:3.  Then smack the spindle on both sides with hammers at the same time and it should eventually pop up, loosen the nut and it is off.   Take the rubber boot off the rack and grease the inner rod and cut the itty-bitty clamp, and slide it out of your way, then attack the nut to loosen and then crank the inner off, I usually used a Crowfoot attachment for my Ratchet and a 10 inch extension…

I swapped my 81 diesel over to the 2 piece as it is a pain to have to replace the whole shooting match because the outer is bad…..
my Cabriolets had separate inners, and outers, and I can't even remember changing an inner in the last 15 years or so,  Outers, more often because of cracked boots…. Oh, and if you use never sieze on the outer shaft it makes it easier to release the next time.

Here is one of the 2 I have, Just leave the nut on the end so you don't mushroom the shaft.

it was only about 9 bucks years ago when I got tired of hammering.

 

Depending on ho long it's been on the car they can be a right pain to get off at the rack end.

IIRC it's also a massive sized spanner that's needed. Doing it on your back is possible but it's awkward.

Deffo not impossible, but before removing the easy end (the end by the wheel) try and loosen the difficult end under the car. If you can crack that one off then carry on and do it yourself.

This might be useful

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ball-Joint-Splitter-Remover-Separator-Car-Van-Service-Tool-Tie-Rod-End-Puller/123199869130?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item1caf48d0ca:g:YZAAAOSw8GZdiiZa&enc=AQAEAAACYIQvEcHUrT7nmUC3yY5qbPyaBN1nJEDYW8MyypsJPgXKsfKNAdshQDYpIhXQjoOgowXpXWg8v3WclZFnJ9y%2Bk8NBGlfyxVp%2Fi%2BruzJGXxY3P6Eq61UCi44VcdM2qeCkL9vhz2g%2F8dVfg%2BtwCz%2BJOa4N%2BqgpWv8wDXS79kgl38DZh7j2y5Yr%2BNekXVHHx5kr8Ce5Gz0tWikv316tDCWf11N0c7ILPLprEfSwlSg%2BHNXGUEBQDHLB4hBFfausJA%2FiEFek5MY1fpsVhAxPRw8illvvxtvjZkLS24NoPBGL%2B9WNY1pizHzviXth8LSwVrjI6T2ooIwFNn7AnQ4reHhMVTk40cQJ8PgnukmYWqt1ETtGBPecnnIuddbpcTWA3%2By444OWw1sNsGcIYqwiKEReTgmwLZNPcLKnIUxh%2FEKJrXy40X0YI3kHhPZDuZ1dLaAq%2BGV8Jb4kKNTyx7BgQgkyCe6OWk9zUpSEtuTJKLcBCz6age%2BwDk7ngu7CyM5%2BhSnqXV9ZlyjY43Q%2BkbkHpMDCW8sbhPEJHsnNbPGbN5VMwmjEspn4pE3GHGLOqRpi9QwNanqYBI4AnEEPQu%2FWilUoUYIkgalrhQsGLspnhwQZ6dz6mcPtsyklCRu7oxn8P8IYMn1xeX3Kw5F6Wf5kwU0NJ0e9Muv5ruUgwWPjkkwBAeBYg6HTf65MxSz%2BSiHln8uZ9L0oNvaDYGZkpwrCQlbEc6MUoTz26SUkJe%2B%2FeOAtHYSqkj97aG9WOF6qHFvcP9wdidC8iAOA3lUVUEHaKOXzw8ziA4HzeXH0s8gXdkWAkWZvv&checksum=123199869130ba504bbce8e3458cb831f31fef66a86a

and it's a tool in the armourey  for the future.

Have a measure and make not of the overall length of the arm before you undo anything and try to keep count as to how many time you turn the arm when removing from the rack so you can put it all back somewhere near the same as when you took it off.

There's a measurement in the Haynes manual for how far from the rack the end of the rod should sit.

Good luck

Ian