Too much play in the tie rod ends can effect the steering of your Chevy Cobalt, and not even an alignment will fix the situation. You need to remove the tie rod ends and replace them before aligning your Cobalt again. Then, you will find your steering much improved.
Buy the tie rod ends that are specific to your Chevy Cobalt's model and year. The tie rod ends won't work for all model years, so you want to make sure you get the right parts.
Loosen the lug nuts on the front tires without removing the tires. Jack up the vehicle, and support it on jack stands. Remove the tires.
Take out the pinch bolt that connects the steering gear and the intermediate shaft with a socket wrench, then disconnect the two.
Remove the nuts that secure the tie rod ends to the steering gear, then use a tie rod end puller to separate the tie rod end from the steering knuckle.
Unscrew the tie rod end, keeping careful track of the number of turns it takes to do so. Write this number down.
Screw on a new pinch bolt that connects the intermediate shaft to the steering gear, and tighten the bolt to 25 foot pounds.
Install the new tie rod end, making sure you do the same number of turns it took to remove the original (see Section One, Step 5). Slip it into the steering knuckle. Put on new bolts for the tie rod end, and tighten it to 44 foot pounds.
Repeat Sections One and Two for the other tie rod end, then reinstall the tires and tighten. Get your Chevy Cobalt aligned.
