How do I check them? What am I looking for? And do I have to drop the rack to change them? Tie rod ends are the only front end component that I have not replaced on my Dak. My outer ends need replacing, so I might as well check/do the inners if needed. But, I'm not sure what I'm looking at with rack setup.

 

No input on how to replace them, but im going to be doing alot of searching on here on how to work on the front end after this deer season! Bought the truck this spring and it has 115,000 on it and im pretty sure everything is stock! Sounds like my front end is going to fall apart driving to my stands! haha

 

you have the take the outer ends off, make a mark at where they sit. pull the boot off, there will be a clamp on the outer side that u can pinch off and inner is a screw like a hose clamp. once u get that boot off you push the plastic sleeve in. using a tie rod tool and the crows foot you can loosen the inners and pull it out

 

Here is some pictures I took a while back of my old and new rack. It should help answer your questions.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...imensions.html

To remove the rack is a pain if you have a 4x4, The rack is only held in by 2 bolts, but the fluid lines do not have much slack to allow you to drop it with out disconnecting them.

 

Can inners be removed without dropping rack? And will the inners just unscrew from the ram? In other words, does the ram spin? Or does it(ram) need to be locked down with a tool or strap wrench or something?