Rusted Tie Rod

2000 Grand Am, 2.4, 160,000kms/100,000miles

I have about 1/4 - 3/8 of side to side play in my left front wheel, with both inside and outside wear on the tire. It looks like the tie rod end is shot. I live in Ontario, where they salt the roads all winter so the tie rod is completely rusted. My question is what are the odds of me being able to get the thing off using just wrenches and a mallet? I ask because I don't own a torch and I'd hate to take everything apart only to realize that I can't turn the tie rod end because it's rusted to the rod.

We replace a lot of them in Minnesota and don't run into to many problems.

Just replaced a outer tie rod end yesterday. Not hard to do but I advise to do this first if you feel you may have a problem with disassembly due to rust.First spray some PBblaster before and after the jam nut and let it sit for a day. Then take a 22mm wrench or crow foot and try to loosen it.You should have no problem. Next go to a parts store that has a loaner tool program and buy your tie rod end and pick up the front suspension tool kit. Remove the nut from the bottom of the tie rod and use the tie rod seperator to press out the old tie rod end.You could use a pickle fork to remove the end but it is much easier with the seperator. Count the turns to remove old end and install new end same number of turns and tighten jam nut and nut on bottom of rod. Done.

I guess it doesn't sound as bad as I though it would be. I'm worried mostly because a few years back I was replacing the rotors on my Lumina and they were fused to the hub. I tried everything to get them off and ended up taking it to the shop. The guy said by the time they torched rotors off, they were in pieces on the floor. I was just wondering if it would come to that with ten year old tie rod ends.