I am replacing my inner and outer tie rod ends on my 96 dodge intrepid. I have the vehicle back together with the exception of attaching the inner tie rod ends to the rack. I am having trouble aligning the holes for the bolts. I am wondering if you have a diagram showing the internal parts to the rack. It appears that there is a spacer that slides back and forth on the rack that is between the tie rods, dust boot and the rack where the bolts attach. Also if that spacer was to fall off, where would it be found?

Hi Douglas, I'm glad to help. My first suggestion is to get to complete shaft. This way you want have any problems later on. It's not that much more expensive and you'll be glad you did. Below is the procedure for replacing them.

FRONT DRIVESHAFTS

REMOVAL

1. Raise vehicle on jack stands or centered on a frame contact type hoist. Refer to Hoisting in the Lubrication And Maintenance section of this manual for the required lifting procedure to be used for this vehicle.
2. Remove the cotter pin and nut lock Hub And Bearing To Stub Axle Retaining Nut from the end of the stub axle.
3. Remove the wheel and tire assembly from the vehicle.
4. Remove the wave washer Wave Washer from the end of the stub axle CAUTION: Wheel bearing damage will result if after loosening hub nut, vehicle is rolled on the ground or the weight of the vehicle is allowed to be supported by the tires.
   
5. With the vehicle's brakes applied to keep hub from turning, loosen and remove the stub axle to hub nut.
6. Remove the two front disc brake caliper to steering knuckle attaching bolts Front Disc Brake Caliper Attaching Bolts
7. Remove the disc brake caliper from the steering knuckle. Caliper is removed by first rotating top of caliper away from steering knuckle and then removing bottom of caliper out from under machined abutment on steering knuckle Brake Caliper Mounting To Steering Knuckle
8. Support disc brake caliper assembly by using a wire hook and suspending it from the strut assembly Correctly Supported Disc Brake Caliper Do not allow the brake caliper assembly to hang by the brake flex hose.
9. Remove the brake rotor from the hub and bearing assembly Remove/Install Brake Rotor
10. Remove nut attaching outer tie rod end to steering knuckle Removing Tie Rod End Attaching Nut Nut is to be removed from tie rod end using the following procedure, hold tie rod end stud with a 11/32 socket while loosening and removing nut with a wrench.
11. Remove tie rod end from steering knuckle using Remover, Special Tool MB-991113 Tie Rod End Removal From Steering Knuckle Arm
12. Remove the steering knuckle to ball joint stud, clamping nut and bolt Control Arm To Steering Knuckle Attachment from the steering knuckle.
13. Using a pry bar, separate steering knuckle from ball joint stud Separating Ball Joint Stud From Steering Knuckle Note: Use caution when separating ball joint stud from steering knuckle, so ball joint seal does not get cut. NOTE: Care must be taken not to separate the inner C/V joint during this operation. Do not allow driveshaft to hang by inner C/V joint after removing outer C/V Joint from the hub/bearing assembly in steering knuckle, end of driveshaft must be supported.
    
14. Pull steering knuckle assembly out and away from the outer C/V joint of the driveshaft assembly Steering Knuckle Separation From Driveshaft
15. Support the outer end of the driveshaft assembly. Insert a pry bar between inner tripod joint and transaxle case Disengaging Inner Tripod Joint From Transaxle Pry against inner tripod joint, until tripod joint retaining snap ring is disengaged from transaxle side gear.
16. Hold inner tripod joint and interconnecting shaft of driveshaft assembly. Remove inner tripod joint from transaxle, by pulling it straight out of transaxle side gear and transaxle oil seal Tripod Joint Removal from Transaxle When removing tripod joint, do not let spline or snap ring drag across sealing lip of the transaxle to tripod joint oil seal.

INSTALLATION

1. Thoroughly clean spline and oil seal sealing surface, on tripod joint. Lightly lubricate oil seal sealing surface on tripod joint with fresh clean transmission lubricant.
2. Holding driveshaft assembly by tripod joint and interconnecting shaft, install tripod joint into transaxle side gear as far as possible by hand Tripod Joint Removal from Transaxle
3. Grasp inner tripod joint an interconnecting shaft. Forcefully push the tripod joint into side gear of transaxle, until snap ring is engaged with transaxle side gear. Test that snap ring is fully engaged with side gear by attempting to remove tripod joint from transaxle by hand. If snap ring is fully engaged with side gear, tripod joint will not be removable by hand.
4. Clean all debris and moisture out of steering knuckle, in the area were outer C/V joint will be installed into steering knuckle.
5. Ensure that front of outer C/V joint which fits against the face of the hub and bearing is free of debris and moisture before installing outer C/V joint into hub and bearing assembly Outer C/V Joint Inspection
6. Slide drive shaft back into front hub and bearing assembly. Then install steering knuckle onto the stud of the ball joint assembly Steering Knuckle Separation From Driveshaft
7. Install a new steering knuckle to ball joint clamping bolt and nut Control Arm To Steering Knuckle Attachment Tighten the clamping bolt and nut to a torque of 135 N·m (100 ft. lbs.)
8. Install tie rod end into steering knuckle. Start attaching nut onto stud of tie rod end. While holding stud of tie rod end stationary using a 11/32 socket, Removing Tie Rod End Attaching Nut tighten tie rod end to steering knuckle attaching nut. Then using a crowfoot and 11/32 socket Torquing Tie Rod End Attaching Nut , tighten the tie rod end attaching nut to a torque of 54 N·m (40 ft. lbs.)
9. Install braking disc on hub and bearing assembly Remove/Install Brake Rotor
10. Install disc brake caliper assembly on steering knuckle. Caliper is installed by first sliding bottom of caliper under abutment on steering knuckle, and then rotating top of caliper against top abutment Brake Caliper Mounting To Steering Knuckle
11. Install disc brake caliper assembly to steering knuckle attaching bolts Front Disc Brake Caliper Attaching Bolts Tighten the disc brake caliper assembly attaching bolts to a torque of 22 N·m (195 in. lbs.)
12. Clean all foreign matter from the threads of the outer C/V joint stub axle. Install the washer and stub axle to hub/bearing assembly nut on stub axle and securely tighten nut.
13. Install front wheel and tire assembly. Install and tighten the wheel mounting stud nuts in proper sequence until all nuts are torqued to half the required specification. Then repeat the tightening sequence to the full specified torque of 135 N·m (100 ft. lbs.)
14. Lower vehicle.
15. With the vehicle's brakes applied to keep hub from turning, tighten the hub nut to a torque of 244 N·m (180 ft. lbs.) Torquing Front Stub Axle To Hub Nut
16. Install the spring wave washer on the end of the stub axle.
17. Install the hub nut lock, and a new cotter pin Hub And Bearing To Stub Axle Retaining Nut Wrap cotter pin prongs tightly around the hub nut lock as shown in Hub And Bearing To Stub Axle Retaining Nut
18. Check for correct fluid level in transaxle assembly. Refer to Group 21, Transaxle for the correct fluid level checking procedure for the type of transaxle being checked.
19. Set front toe on vehicle to required specification.

You may need a propane torch to heat up the nut on end of outer tie rod. With tie rod still attached to steering knuckle try to loosen the outer tie rod end nut that is connected to inner tie rod. Pull tie rod end back out of knuckle. Use pliers or vise grips to hold inner tie rod end while turning outer tie rod end to the left.

#3 is the inner tie rod and it is simply screwed into each end of the steering rack. Raise and support the car remove the wheel and you should see where it is connected to the outer tie rod. There is a lock nut that you'll need to loosen slightly to get the tie rod off. You will need to get a wheel alignment once done but by slightly loosening the lock nut, you have a good reference of how it should be once done. Once loose, you should be able to turn the tie rod by using a wrench on the flattened area on the rod. Once disconnected from the outer tie rod end, you should be able to remove the dust boot covering the inner tie rod connection. Mine came right apart so hope you have no problems. After you have it out, here is where the loosened locknut comes into play. Put the new and old tie rod side by side, line up the ends that attach to the rack and pinion then mark the new rod so you know how far to put the lock nut on the new tie rod. Simply tightly screw the new one onto the rack and pinion put the boot back, screw on the lock nut to the mark then attach the tie rod to the outer tie rod end up to the lock nut then tighten the lock nut against the outer end. Get the tire back on, lower the car and Voila, done. Now go get an alignment.

jack vehicle up in front and make sure its secure. remove front wheels. tie rod is bolted thru steering knuckle. remove the cotter pin from tie rod end. remove the nut from tie rod end. use a small ball joint splitter and small sledge to release tie rod end from knuckle. if you dot have splitter a good hard hit with small sledge on steering knuckle where tie rod attaches will usually release it. b careful not to bend backing plate. loosen the lock nut on tie rod and spin old end off. try to install new end as close as possible to same position as old end. you will need a front alignment after replacement.

Loosen the pinch bolt attaching it to the inner tie rod. Remove nut at the strut that attaches outer tie rod end to the strut.measure or count threads or turns it takes to spin out the outer tie rod end, reverse proceedure to install.

I used this website: http://www.allpar.com/fix/intrepid-steering.html It worked perfectly. To add to it, I used a tie rod puller tool rented from Oreilly Auto Parts for only a few bucks, to press the old bushing out of the inner-tie-rod end. Worked very well. Easier than removing the entire tie rod, and hammering it out. However, removing the entire tie rod would make re-assembly easier. If I did it again, I would strongly consider removing the driver side tie rod from the car, then attaching the inner tie rod end 1st. Meaning, attach the passenger side inner tie rod 1st, then the driver side inner tie rod with new bushing, then re-attach the drivers side outer tie rod. That would probably be the easiest way on this 1996 dodge concorde, due to the fuel line that's in the way....

the tie rod end is at the wheel their is an outer and a inner they are both threaded

There is a tool that you can use that will make it easier for you. To get to the tie rod end, remove the wheel and take the outer tie rod end loose from the hub. You will have to use a hammer and hit the socket where the end goes into the hub to free it up. Once you have the tie rod loose from the hub, loosen the nut behind the outer tie rod end. Count the revolutions as you unscrew the outer end off and write te number down so you will know how far to put it back on. This will save your alignment. Now, the end that is still there is your inner tie rod end. You will have to undo the bellows boot to get to the nut. The tool will slide over the end and secure onto the nut. Now you just unscrew this and replace with you new inner tie rod end.
Please remember to rate this fix.

Jack up vehicle; back off set nut that connects outer to inner tie rod; remove cotter pin and castle nut from outer ball socket of t/r end; take a 'pickle fork' and tap between joint and steering knuckle to separate; then unscrew the outer t/r from the inner t/r, "counting the number of turns until completely off. Run the new locking nut onto new tir rod end; turn t/r same number of turns, and lock set nut; runt the new post of t/r end back into steering knuckle, tap down with a hammer, and use new castle nut to tighten; insert new cotter pin and grease fitting; again tighted locking nut to inner t/r; grease new t/r end...good to go!

put the tie rod back in and thread the nut on. then you turn the inner tierod with a pipe wrench or a big pair of channel locks. you can spray the threads with pb blaster or wd-40. also if ya have a propane torch this helps loosen the threads. apply heat to the outer tierod do not heat the inner. good luck jimmy