Toyota RAV4 > Suspension and steering > Subframe, front — removal and installation

Subframe, front — removal and installation

Front

1. Pass the seat belt through the steering wheel and clip it into its latch.

Warning: This will prevent the steering wheel from rotating when the intermediate shaft is disconnected from the steering gear, which could damage the airbag spiral cable.

2. Remove the steering column intermediate shaft universal joint cover. Mark the relationship of the lower universal joint to the steering gear input shaft and remove the pinch bolt (see illustrations 7 and 8 in Steering column and power steering motor assembly — removal and installation).

3. Loosen the wheel lug nuts. Apply the parking brake, raise the front of the vehicle and support it securely on jack stands. Remove the front wheel.

4. Remove the lower engine cover and the rear lower engine covers. (The LH side uses either a half cover type which has three clips, or a full cover type which uses two clips. RH side uses two clips.)

5. Remove the smaller lower engine cover located to the front of the engine compartment.

6. Disconnect the stabilizer bar links from the stabilizer bar (see Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation).

7. Detach the tie-rod ends from the steering knuckles (see Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation).

8. Remove the fasteners and separate the ball joints from the control arms (see Strut assembly (front) — removal, inspection and installation).

9. Remove the subframe reinforcement members from the right and left sides (see illustration).

i. 9 Subframe reinforcement member bolts

Toyota RAV4 Suspension and steering | Subframe, front - removal and installation _ Subframe reinforcement member bolts

10. Remove the rear subframe reinforcement brackets (see illustration).

i. 10 Subframe reinforcement brackets

Toyota RAV4 Suspension and steering | Subframe, front - removal and installation _ Subframe reinforcement brackets

11. Remove the rear engine mount-to-subframe fasteners (see illustration).

i. 11 Rear engine mount brackets fasteners

Toyota RAV4 Suspension and steering | Subframe, front - removal and installation _ Rear engine mount brackets fasteners

12. Support the subframe with a floor jack, then remove the subframe mounting bolts.

13. Very carefully lower the subframe with the floor jack, making sure nothing is still attached.

14. Installation is the reverse of removal. Tighten all fasteners to the torque values listed in this Chapter’s Specifications.

15. Have the wheel alignment checked and, if necessary, adjusted.

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