What each scope costs
The table shows independent-shop pricing with mid-tier aftermarket parts (Moog Premium or Mevotech Supreme). Totals are parts plus labor; the four-wheel alignment is broken out separately because a single alignment finishes the job no matter how many ends you replace. Dealer pricing runs 25 to 35 percent above these figures.
| Job scope | Parts | Labor | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outer end only, one side | $20 to $80 | $80 to $180 | $150 to $300 |
| Inner end only, one side | $30 to $130 | $120 to $260 | $250 to $450 |
| Inner + outer, one side (combined) | $50 to $210 | $180 to $340 | $230 to $550 |
| Inner + outer, both sides (all 4 ends) | $120 to $400 | $300 to $560 | $420 to $960 |
| 4-wheel alignment (required) | n/a | $90 to $140 | + $90 to $140 |
Model ranges as of September 2026. Add one alignment ($90 to $140) to any row; it is required and covers the whole job.
The outer is already off
The inner tie rod threads onto the end of the steering rack, behind the outer end. To reach it, a technician first removes the outer tie rod end from the steering knuckle, then unthreads the inner from the rack using a special inner tie rod socket that reaches down the boot. That means an inner job has the outer end off the car as a matter of course.
Fitting a brand-new outer end at that point is the cheapest it will ever be: the outer is a $20 to $80 part and re-installs in a few minutes, versus a standalone outer job that is $150 to $300 because it carries its own labor and alignment. So the practical decision on an inner job is simply whether the old outer end still tests tight. If it does, reuse it. If it shows any play, or if it is more than a few years old, replacing it now avoids paying for the same tear-down twice.
The alignment works the same way. Removing either end shifts the toe angle, so the job needs a four-wheel alignment ($90 to $140) whether you replace one end or all four. One alignment covers the lot, which is why doing the ends together always beats spreading them across separate visits, each of which would carry its own alignment fee.
Replace what tests bad, not by default
Inner and outer ends wear independently, and the outer usually fails first because it takes the direct steering and impact loads. Replacing both is the right call in these cases:
- Both ends test positive for play. The 9-and-3 wheel rock test shows movement traceable to both the inner and the outer on the same side.
- The inner boot is torn. A split boot lets grit and water into the inner joint; once contaminated it is on borrowed time, so replacing it while the outer is already off is efficient.
- You are already in there for the inner. If the inner has to come out and the outer is aged, the marginal cost of a fresh outer is small.
- High mileage, long-term keeper. Past roughly 120k miles, doing all four ends at once pre-pays the next several years of steering-linkage work under one alignment.
When not to: only the outer shows play and the inner tests tight with an intact boot (replace the outer alone, $150 to $300 plus alignment); or the vehicle is being sold shortly and there is no time to amortise the extra part and labor.
What splitting the job costs you
Cost comparison for one side of a mid-size sedan with both the inner and outer showing play:
- Separate visits (outer now, inner later): $150 to $300 + $250 to $450 = $400 to $750, plus two alignments ($90 to $140 each), so $580 to $1,030 all-in.
- Combined visit (inner + outer, one alignment): $230 to $550 plus one alignment, so $320 to $690 all-in.
- Saving from combining: roughly $200 to $350, mostly the duplicated labor tear-down and the second alignment fee.
The lesson is not to replace parts you do not need, but if both ends are genuinely worn, doing them in one visit is clearly cheaper than two. For all-four-end pricing by make and model, use the per-vehicle pages.