i dont think its the tie rods.
and YOU CANT TELL BY JUST touching the wheel
that guy was tryin to rip u off.
he needed to have you turn the wheel and him go under and look.
ill bet its your rack and pinion.
if the tie rods were bad. it would prob shake a little when u were drving
my dad says last time he looked at the 88 the tie rods were ok.