Front Steering Knuckle: Service and Repair
REMOVAL1. Raise vehicle.
2. Remove the wheel and tire assembly from the vehicle.
3. Remove the cotter pin, nut lock and spring washer from the end of the stub axle and hub nut.
4. Have a helper apply the vehicle's brakes to keep hub from turning, loosen and remove the hub nut.
5. Remove disc brake caliper and adapter as an assembly from knuckle as shown. Hang assembly out of the way using a bungee cord or wire. Do not allow caliper to hang by brake hose.
6. Remove nut attaching outer tie rod end to steering knuckle by holding the tie rod end stud while loosening and removing nut with a wrench.
7. Remove tie rod end from steering knuckle using Remover, Special Tool C-3894-A.
8. If equipped with antilock brakes, remove the front wheel speed sensor from the steering knuckle.
9. Remove the two steering knuckle-to-strut clevis bracket attaching bolts.
10. Tip the knuckle outward and remove the driveshaft stub axle from the hub and bearing. Suspend driveshaft straight outward using a bungee cord or wire. Do not allow driveshaft to hang by inner joint.
11. Remove ball joint nut using a power impact wrench. Because the tapered stud is held sufficiently in the knuckle at this time, it is not necessary to hold the stud stationary to remove the nut.
12. Reinstall the ball joint nut until the top of the nut is even with the top of the ball joint stud. This will keep the stud from distorting while the stud is released from the knuckle in the following step.
CAUTION: Do not remove ball joint stud from steering knuckle using a hammer. Damage to the Aluminum knuckle, ball joint or control arm will result.
13. Release ball joint stud from steering knuckle using Remover, Special Tool C-4150A, as shown. To ease Remover installation and use, it may help to rotate the knuckle around so the inside of the knuckle faces outward.
14. Remove the nut from the top of the ball joint stud.
15. Remove the steering knuckle from the vehicle.
16. If the hub and bearing needs to be transferred, remove the four bolts attaching the hub and bearing to the knuckle, then remove the hub and bearing.
INSPECTION
Inspect the knuckle for the following:
^ Cracks or breaks
^ Dents or damage
^ Stress marks indicating a bend
The front suspension knuckle is not a repairable component of the vehicles front suspension. If bent, broken or damaged in any way, do not attempt to straighten or repair the steering knuckle. It must be replaced. If inspection leads to the hub and bearing, Refer to BEARING - DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING.
INSTALLATION
1. If the hub and bearing needs to be installed in the knuckle, place the hub and bearing squarely into the center hole of the steering knuckle aligning the threaded mounting holes of the hub and bearing with the mounting holes in the steering knuckle. Install the four mounting bolts and tighten them to a torque of 65 Nm (45 ft. lbs.).
CAUTION: Before installing the knuckle on the ball joint stud, wipe the ball joint stud and knuckle contact area free of any grease or debris, otherwise damage to the knuckle can occur. Use a clean shop cloth with Mopar Brake Parts Cleaner applied to it for proper cleaning. Do not spray the stud directly.
2. Place the knuckle on the ball joint stud.
3. Install a NEW steering knuckle to ball joint stud nut. Tighten the nut by holding ball joint stud with hex wrench while turning nut with a wrench. Using a crows foot wrench on a torque wrench, tighten the nut to a torque of 108 Nm (80 ft. lbs.).
4. Slide driveshaft stub axle into hub and bearing assembly.
CAUTION: The steering knuckle to strut assembly attaching bolts are serrated and must not be turned during installation. Install nuts while holding bolts stationary in the steering knuckle.
CAUTION: If the vehicle being serviced is equipped with eccentric strut assembly attaching bolts, the eccentric bolt must be installed in the bottom (slotted) hole on the strut clevis bracket.
NOTE: The strut clevis-to-steering knuckle bolts are installed differently on each side. Left hand side bolts are to be installed from vehicle rear to front. Right side bolts are to be installed from vehicle front to rear.
5. Install steering knuckle in clevis bracket of strut damper assembly. Install the strut clevis-to-steering knuckle attaching bolts. Tighten both bolts to a torque of 81 Nm (60 ft. lbs.) plus an additional 1/4 (90°) turn.
6. Install tie rod end into knuckle steering arm. Start nut onto stud of tie rod end. While holding stud of tie rod end stationary using a socket, tighten tie rod end to steering knuckle attaching nut. Tighten the tie rod end nut to a torque of 75 Nm (55 ft. lbs.).
7. If equipped with antilock brakes, install wheel speed sensor and mounting bolt on steering knuckle. Tighten the speed sensor bolt to a torque of 7 Nm (60 in. lbs.).
8. Install brake rotor on hub and bearing.
9. Install disc brake caliper and adapter assembly on steering knuckle. Install adapter amounting bolts and tighten to 169 Nm (125 ft. lbs.).
10. Clean any debris from the threads of the outer C/V joint stub axle.
11. Install the washer and hub nut on stub axle.
12. Have a helper apply the vehicle's brakes to keep hub from turning, then tighten hub nut to a torque of 244 Nm (180 ft. lbs.).
13. Install the spring wave washer on the end of the stub axle.
14. Install the hub nut lock, and a new cotter pin. Wrap cotter pin prongs tightly around the hub nut lock.
15. Install wheel and tire assembly. Install and tighten the wheel mounting nuts in proper sequence until all nuts are torqued to half the required specification. Then repeat the tightening sequence to the full specified torque of 135 Nm (100 ft. lbs.).
16. Lower vehicle.
17. Set front wheel alignment camber and toe as necessary.