Front Steering Knuckle: Service and Repair

1. Raise and support vehicle.
2. Remove tire and wheel assembly.

Fig. 1 Halfshaft Attaching Nut Stake Removal:

3. Carefully raise staked portion of halfshaft attaching nut using a small cape chisel.
4. Remove halfshaft attaching nut. When loosening nut, lock hub in position by having a helper lock brakes.

CAUTION: Discard nut, it should not be reused.

5. Remove stabilizer bar link bolts.

Fig. 2 Separating Tie Rod End From Steering Knuckle:

6. Separate tie rod end from steering knuckle.
7. Remove caliper, then anchor bracket assembly. Suspend caliper from coil spring.

CAUTION: Do not allow to hang from brake line.

Fig. 3 Steering Knuckle, Hub & Rotor Installation:

8. Remove brake rotor.
9. On models equipped with anti-lock brakes, remove two wheel speed sensor retaining bolts, then speed sensor.
10. Remove anti-lock wheel speed sensor routing bracket.
11. Use tie rod end remover tool No. 3290-D, or equivalent, to separate tie rod end from steering knuckle arm.
12. Remove lower ball joint clamp bolt, then separate ball joint from steering knuckle.
13. Remove steering knuckle to strut attaching bolts.
14. Slide front hub/steering knuckle assembly from strut bracket and halfshaft.

CAUTION: Use caution not to damage grease seals. If hub binds on halfshaft splines, lightly tap end of halfshaft with a plastic hammer. If halfshaft splines become rusted to hub, use a two-jawed puller or a hub puller to separate.

Fig. 4 Staking Halfshaft Attaching Nut:

15. Reverse procedure to install. Tighten axle nut to 174-235 ft lb, then stake nut. Tighten tie rod end attaching nut to 22-33 ft lb.