The tie rod ends connect the tie rod to the steering knuckle and keep the tires aligned on your Toyota Tundra. If you find that your tires are out of alignment, you can replace the tie rod ends yourself. You will have to remove the two front tires to perform this repair.
Buy the appropriate outer tie rod ends for your Toyota Tundra. The part varies depending on whether you have a 2000 to 2002 or 2002 to 2006 model year. The part is the same for rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive and usually comes with a new castle nut and cotter pin.
Turn the steering wheel so the wheels are straight and then loosen the wheel lug nuts. Raise the truck onto jack stands and remove the front wheels.
Loosen the end lock nut of the tie rod, but don't remove it. Use a marker or chalk to mark the position of the tie rod end on the tie rods' threaded portion. This is to ensure you screw on the tie rod ends to the proper position.
Take out the cotter pin and loosen the castle nut that secures the tie rod end to the ball joint stud.
Install a puller, and use it to separate the tie rod end and the Tundra's steering knuckle arm. Unscrew the tie rod end from the tie rod.
Put on a new tie rod end by screwing it on. Tighten the new castle nut, and insert the new cotter pin. Tighten the castle nut to a torque of 67 foot pounds, as specified by Toyota Tundra.
Make sure the new tie rod end aligns with the mark you drew in Step 3, and then tighten the end lock nut.
Put the wheels back on, lower the truck and tighten the lug nuts of the wheels to 81 foot pounds if your Tundra is a 2000, or 83 foot pounds if your Tundra is 2001 or newer.
