I took my Jeep JK to the dealer to get an alignment done after purchasing new tires and wheels. Long story short, mechanic tells me my tie rod wont budge after trying everything and even heating it up. So he recommends replacing it along with sleeves. Should I get a second opinion? The dealer is charging over $1200 to replace. I found some suggestions online regarding upgrading it as the stock tie rod is junk. Just looking for advice. Thanks.

 

LOL, ok, first, let me state the obvious. DO NOT pay $1200 to have that factory TR replaced by a dealer. Run the other direction. I would start by hitting the TR ends with some fluid film or PB blaster and letting it sit overnight to see if that will help loosen up the ends, then try to have it adjusted again. Worst case scenario is you replace the TR with an upgraded aftermarket TR. There are various TRs on the market, one of which is sure to fit your needs, and plenty of options in the $150 - $300 range.

If you need to replace the TR, but can't install it yourself for whatever reason, buy the one you want and just take it with you to have the alignment people slap it on.

 

Just dealt with the same issue this past summer. Try PB blaster for a few days before attempting to turn it. This helped one side loosen up but the other would not budge. You sure can buy an beefier aftermarket one for less than dealer cost. Shop around. Check out the synergy one or Teraflex one.