Yes, definitely preflight checks required on all the usual tail rotor elements - bolts and PAL nuts (the thin metal lock nuts they use all over the airframe), dings / nicks / corrosion / erosion on the blades, free movement of the pitch change mechanism, gearbox oil / security and lock wiring etc.
The spherical bearings in the pitch change links get worn and loose - there should be movement around the rod's long axis, but not much if any in any other directions when you hold the connecting bellcrank still. After a while they get too sloppy and can be first reversed and then replaced.