I'm thinking a tie-rod end is busted as I noticed that there is a moderate amount of play in the steering earlier today.

A few questions:

• How can I physically verify that the tie rod end needs replaced?
• Is this something that I can install myself? I figure it'll need to be taken somewhere for an alignment
• Any recommendations for brands? Or is a high dollar part as good as the autozone brand?
• Anything else I should consider replacing while I'm in there?

Car info:
156k miles
new springs/shocks (bilstein level II) about 3k miles ago
rear lcas, relocation brackets
adj panhard

full exhaust, 52mm tb, etc.

 

You can test it by jacking up car, take off the wheel and try to compress the tie rod end with large pair of channel locks (grip top of threaded shaft and bottom of socket) and see if you feel any play in the joint. Easy to replace your self. remove and tie off caliper and remove rotor. Once you unbolt the tie rod nut, need two big hammers, set one on one of the spindle flats that the threaded rod goes through and whack the other flat on the spindle really hard with the second hammer, rod will pop out. The other end attaches to the steering gear, keep track of length as how far in or out you tighten adjsust toe-in and toe-out. you will almost certainly need and alignment when you are done, keeping track just gets you close. As far as brand, I always use Moog or Raybestos professional grade.