Front Suspension

Front Suspension

When installing waxed components, contact surfaces must be cleaned. Contact surfaces must be free of wax and grease.

Tightening specifications for unlubricated bolts and nuts are given.

Always replace self-locking nuts and bolts.

Always replace the bolts and nuts, which are tightened with an additional tightening angle.

Welding or straightening operations are not permitted on load-bearing or wheel-controlling components.

Always avoid the following actions with coil springs: Hammer stroke, welding beads, applying color identification later.

Do not perform any welding or grinding (separating work) in coil spring or suspension strut area! Cover coil spring or suspension struts if necessary.

When loosening, removing or installing hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical line, always make a sketch or take a picture. Doing so records the original installation locations.

If the cable ties, brackets or mounting elements were removed during the repair procedure, they must be installed at their original location.

Do not let the drive axle hang down. The inner joint could be damaged if it is bent too far.

Vehicles without a drive axle must not be moved, otherwise the wheel bearing will be damaged. If the vehicle does have to be moved, always note the following points:

- Install an outer joint in place of the drive axle.

- Tighten the threaded connection between the drive axle and the wheel hub to 200 Nm.

Bonded rubber bushings can only be turned to a limited extent. Only tighten threaded connections at control arms if the vehicle is in curb weight position or control position.

• Lifting wheel bearing to curb weight position. Refer to => [ Wheel Bearing, with Coil Spring, Lifting to Curb Weight Position ] Procedures.

As a running change in MY 2010, aluminum coupling rods were replaced by plastic coupling rods. It is not permitted to use different coupling rods on an axle.

The suspension components could be damaged.

If the subframe mount, the steering gear or the subframe crossbrace are not installed correctly, do not rest the vehicle on its wheels.

The vehicle must not be supported on the subframe or the subframe crossbrace (for example using a floor jack).

• If the vehicle must still have an axle alignment, every bolt and nut that must be loosened for adjustment must be tightened to the tightening specification. Tighten the bolts and nuts to the specified additional tightening angle after the alignment/adjustment is complete.

All bolts and nuts must be tightened properly before driving the vehicle!

Wheel Bearing

The wheel bearing must not be under a load while the drive axle threaded connection on the wheel side is loose.

If the bearings are loaded by the vehicle weight the wheel bearing will be damaged. This reduces the service life of the wheel bearings. Therefore observe the following:

• Procedure for loosening drive axle to wheel hub threaded connection. Refer to => [ Threaded Connection between Drive Axle and Wheel Hub, Loosening and Tightening ] Description and Operation.

Vehicles without a drive axle must not be moved, otherwise the wheel bearing will be damaged. If the vehicle does have to be moved, always note the following points:

- Install an outer joint in place of the drive axle.

- Tighten outer joint to 200 Nm.

Do not let the drive axle hang down. The inner joint could be damaged if it is bent too far.