Tie Rod Replacement Passat 35i

Hello,

Today, I took my car to the TÜV appointment, but I didn't get the sticker .
Reason: The joints on the inner ends of the tie rods, where they connect to the steering gear, have excessive play!
That means the entire tie rods need to be replaced.
I checked the repair manual, and it says that the entire steering rack needs to be removed, which, in my opinion, is only to provide support for the rack.
Actually, I don't really feel like doing that because of the oil lines, steering linkage, etc.
"Does anyone have experience with whether you can do this while the part is installed? You can turn the steering wheel so that you can reach it from the wheel well, right?"
It's a Passat 35i.
Thank you for the tips.

Best regards,
Albrecht.

"It might be of interest to other 35i drivers: You can also remove the tie rods without completely disassembling the steering rack. This can be done by using the thinnest possible open-end wrench to access the tie rods from between the triangular control arms and the engine mount (with the steering in the appropriate position)."
It's still a bit fiddly, especially with the cuffs, but it's definitely better than a complete overhaul!

Best regards,
Albrecht.

Hello, thank you for the tip!