been meaning to post a thread about this since the last time i thought i wanted to get a new car to avoid changing inner tie rod ends, Honda price estimate somewhere around 500$ for the change done by them? So i put the motorcycle jack under the front of the civic with some help of my buddy lifting it up a little bit, i found out all you have to do is take your tires off, pop the outer tie rod end ball joint out, cut the wheel all the way in the opposite direction of the side your doing so the rod end is stick almost out into the wheel well. simply clamp a pair vice-grips onto it at an angle into the motor bay because its not quiet out into the well. simply turn off, turn new one on an snug up, enjoy the ride to the garage for your alignment! i always look forward to my wheels squeeling and chirping every gear, all the time! although i also align my front wheels by myself, but im not going to get into that as i feel i may be deemed a threat to the safety of many DIY'rs

 

Most places have a inner tie rod tool you can rent, your way works too. But yea it's a simple job, as with most of the front end.

This is where the shops make their money. They'll quote double or triple the labor it actually takes.