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I'll probably use heim steering for the drag link or tie rod or both.
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This is a case where "race" or "high performance" parts probably should not have been adapted to street use. Tie rods, ball joints, etc are designed with seals to keep out debris and with some amount of wear compensation to make up for changes over time. Spherical rod ends with this ability are few and far between and they are not cheap. Heim joints used in competition are inspected frequently, sometimes multiple times in a week, and any play is supposed to result in a joint being tossed out. You can often find piles of 'em in the dumpsters behind racing facilities. Vehicles used on the street generally aren't subject to such rigorous standards and cheap Heim joints in a street car can develop substantial wear without the owner realizing it. In this state (and others), where an annual safety inspection is mandatory, Heim joints in the steering or critical suspension areas will not pass.
If you are still compelled to use spherical rod ends, do some research. Please do not go cheap on these parts. A true quality spherical rod end will cost more than the tie rod end you're replacing.
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Yep, Jeep did build a few soccer-mom 2wd Cherokees and Grand Cherokees.
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2wd Jeep... A couple of years ago we came up to a busy intersection during a snow storm only to find a long line of cars and no one moving. Accident? Breakdown? Car in front was nice Jeep with Florida plates. Trying to go but only back wheels spinning. Rather than sit and be stuck like everyone else, we jumped out of the truck and ran up to the front of the line to help. Nice, young girl behind the wheel and looking very frustrated. "First snow?" I ask. Yes. "Trouble getting going?" Yes. "Is it in 4wd?" A look of total exasperation combined with a flash of anger and she says "As I've been telling my husband since we moved up here, it's only 2wd." I look at my co-worker with surprise. He's looking at me with surprise. A Jeep? In 2wd version? Really????? Well whoda thunk it. I ask "How far do you have to go?" She points to a house about three driveways up the hill. "That's our house. I've been trying to get back there for 20 minutes." Kids are crying in the back. Purse is dumped out on the passenger seat. Coffee in cup holder looks cold. No, definitely not happy. I'm betting that her husband is in for an earful when he gets home. We ran back and got the truck, hooked up our tow strap, and proceeded to pull the Jeep to her driveway. Then we spent a couple of minutes being grilled about the usefuleness of a 2wd Jeep in snow country. I did what I could for the poor guy but it's kind of hard to avoid the obvious.
You know, later that day the temperature went up and the snow actually started to melt. But as I drove past that house I swear I felt near arctic conditions.