Bad or loose tie rod ends should always be replaced soon as signs is given. However new tie rod ends won’t necessarily end a tire wear problem unless the tie rods are properly adjusted after the new parts have been installed.
Changing the tie rod end, tie rods or a steering rack will also change the distance between the steering arms, which changes the toe too. So after the parts have been installed, some type of alignment equipment should be used to measure toe. Then and only then can the tie rods be adjusted to set toe within the vehicle producers specifications (be sure to use the specifications listed in an alignment reference manual or service manual, never ever “rule of thumb” settings, because every vehicle comes unique).
Some mechanic pattern when replacing tie rod ends is to count the number of turns it takes to unscrew a tie rod end, then to use same number of turns when screwing it back on. This only works if the same tie rod end is being reinstalled because the length of the tie rod end and threading may not be same on a new part. What’s more, there is no way to know if the original alignment setting was correct or not. The reason why toe should always be