Steering knuckle and hub — removal and installation
Warning: Dust created by the brake system is harmful to your health. Never blow it out with compressed air and don’t inhale any of it. Do not, under any circumstances, use petroleum-based solvents to clean brake parts. Use brake system cleaner only.
Removal
1. Remove the wheel cover and loosen, but don’t remove, the drive axle/hub nut. Loosen the wheel lug nuts, raise the vehicle and support it securely on jack stands, then remove the wheel.
2. Remove the brake caliper (don’t disconnect the hose) and the brake disc (see Brakes), and disconnect the brake hose from the strut. Hang the caliper from the coil spring with a piece of wire — don’t let it hang by the brake hose.
3. Remove the ABS wheel speed sensor (see Brakes).
4. Mark the relationship of the strut to the steering knuckle. Loosen, but don’t remove the strut-to-steering knuckle nuts and bolts (see Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation).
5. Separate the tie-rod end from the steering knuckle arm (see Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation).
6. Remove the ball joint-to-control arm bolt and nuts (see Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation).
7. Remove the drive axle/hub nut and push the drive axle from the hub as described in Driveline. Support the end of the drive axle with a piece of wire.
8. Using a ball joint removal tool (see illustration) or a small puller, remove the ball joint from the steering knuckle.
i. 8 Use a ball joint removal tool or small puller to force the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle
Note: If you’re removing the steering knuckle to replace the hub bearings, and the ball joint is in good condition, the ball joint can remain attached.
9. The strut-to-knuckle bolts can now be removed.
10. Carefully separate the steering knuckle from the strut.
Installation
11. Guide the knuckle and hub assembly into position, inserting the drive axle into the hub.
12. Push the knuckle into the strut flange and install the bolts and nuts, but don’t tighten them yet.
13. If you removed the ball joint from the old knuckle, and are planning to use it with the new knuckle, connect the ball joint to the knuckle and tighten the ball joint stud nut to the torque listed in this Chapter’s Specifications. Install a new cotter pin.
14. Attach the ball joint to the control arm, but don’t tighten the bolt and nuts yet.
15. Attach the tie-rod to the steering knuckle arm (see Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation). Tighten the strut bolt nuts, the ball joint-to-control arm bolt and nuts and the tie-rod nut to the torque listed in this Chapter’s Specifications.
16. Place the brake disc on the hub and install the caliper as outlined in Brakes.
17. Install the drive axle/hub nut and tighten it securely, but not completely yet.
18. Install the wheel and lug nuts. Lower the vehicle and tighten the lug nuts to the torque listed in the Tune-up and routine maintenance Specifications.
19. Tighten the drive axle/hub nut to the torque listed in the Driveline Specifications. Install the wheel cover.
20. Have the front-end alignment checked and, if necessary, adjusted.