Front Cross-Member: Service and Repair

RENEW

- Jack up the front of the vehicle.

- Fit camber tie-down bars (Service Tool JD 133) to the road spring pans.

NOTE: If, for any reason, the front crossmember is being stripped down, Service Tool JD 115 must be used in place of JD 133, and the coil springs must be removed prior to crossmember removal. JD 1 33 is for operations where the crossmember is being removed for access only.

- Lower the vehicle and settle the suspension.

- Open the bonnet.

- Engage the camber tie-down bars in the suspension turrets.





- Remove the front shock absorber upper securing nuts, washers and buffers (Fig 1).

- Slacken off the road wheel nuts 1/4 of a turn each.

- Jack up the front of the vehicle. Support with axle stands.

- Mark the wheel to stud relationship, and remove the front road wheels.

- Disconnect the left hand brake pad wear sensor block connector.





- Remove the lower guide pin bolt from the left hand caliper, and pivot the caliper upwards to gain access to the brake pads (Fig 2).

NOTE: Use an open-ended spanner to hold the guide pin during removal. This will prevent damage to the rubber dust cover.

- Remove the brake pads.

- Remove the upper guide pin bolt, remove the caliper, and re-position the caliper away from the suspension area.

- Disconnect the right hand brake pad wear sensor block connector.

- Remove the right hand brake pads and caliper.

- Turn the steering to the straight ahead position. Remove the ignition key.





- Remove the lower column (3, Fig 3) to steering rack securing bolt/nut (1,2, Fig 3).

- Disengage the splines from the rack pinion (4, Fig 3).

NOTE: At this point, the lower column cannot be completely disconnected from the pinion. Remove the P.A.S. pipe to crossmember retaining clamps and spacing washers.

- Position a drain tray under the front of the vehicle. Disconnect the steering rack return pipe, and drain the system.

- Fit blanking plugs to the pipe and rack. Disconnect the steering rack feed pipe, and drain the system.

- Fit blanking plugs to the pipe and rack. Re-position the pipes away from the suspension area. Remove the drain tray.

- Remove the engine mounting securing nuts.





- Attach JD 124 rear engine lifting eye, fit and align Service Tool MS 53B engine support bracket (Fig 1).

- Engage the hook to the lifting eye (2.9 ENGINE ONLY).

- Disconnect Nos. 1 and 2 plug leads.





- Attach 18G 1465 rear engine lifting eye, fit and align Service Tool MS 53B engine support bracket (Fig 2).

- Engage the hook to the lifting eye (3.6 ENGINE ONLY).

- Tighten the hook nut to take the weight of the engine. Slacken off the crossmember rear mounting bolts/nuts. Remove the nuts. Do not remove the bolts at this stage. Slacken off the mounting clamp plate securing bolts (Fig 3).

- Take the weight of the crossmember assembly on the jack.

- Finally, remove the rear mounting bolts and spacers. Remove the crossmember front mounting to chassis securing nuts (Fig 4).

NOTE: The bolts nuts remain captive.

- Carefully lower the assembly from the vehicle. Ensure that the calipers, pipes and lower column do not foul during removal.

- Change over all ancillary components to the new crossmember.

- Position the crossmember assembly on the jack under the vehicle.

- Raise the assembly into position and align the shock absorbers.

- Align the engine mountings, P.A.S. pipes, lower column and rear mountings.

- Align the front crossmember mounting securing bolt holes.





- Fit and tighten the front mounting securing bolts (Fig 4). Using a second jack, align the left hand rear mounting (Fig 3).

- Fit and align the outer spacer.

- Fit the bolt through the chassis, the outer spacer and the mounting.

- Fit the inner spacer.

- Push the bolt fully home, fit but do not tighten the nut. Lower and remove the jack from under the mounting. Repeal the above procedure for the right hand rear mounting.

- Lower and remove the jack from under the crossmember. Finally tighten the rear mounting securing bolts/nuts. Tighten the rear mounting clamp plate securing bolts. Ensure the steering wheel and rack are in the straight ahead position.

- Re-position the lower column on to the pinion and align the clamp slot.

- Fit and tighten the clamp bolt/nut.

- Remove the blanking plugs from the P.A.S. pipes and rack.

- Fit new 'O' rings to the pipes. Connect the pipes to the rack. Tighten the union nuts.

- Refit the P.A.S. pipe clamps.

- Slacken off the MS 53B hook nut. Remove the hook. Remove Service Tool MS 53B.

- Remove the lifting eye.

- Fit and tighten the engine mounting securing nuts. Refit the calipers. Refit the brake pads.

- Refit the road wheels.

- Lower the vehicle from the axle stands. Settle the suspension.

- Refit the shock absorber upper buffers, washers, and securing nuts.

- Release the tie-down bars from the suspension. Raise the vehicle. Remove the tie-down bars from the road spring pans. Lower the vehicle.

- Bleed the P.A.S. system as follows:

• Top up the P.A.S. reservoir. Start the engine.

• Turn the steering wheel to full left hand lock.

• Turn the steering wheel to full right hand lock.

• Top up the reservoir. Fit the reservoir cap.

• Close the bonnet.