Front Cross-Member: Service and Repair

FRONT CROSSMEMBER

REMOVAL

CAUTION: If the front suspension crossmember is being replaced due to collision damage, inspect the steering column lower coupling for damage. Refer to Steering Column.




1. Raise the vehicle.
2. Remove both front tire and wheel assemblies from the vehicle.
3. Remove both stabilizer bar links (4) from the vehicle. Remove each link by holding the upper retainer/nut with a wrench and turning the link bolt.
4. Remove the stabilizer bar cushion retainer bolts and retainers (1), and remove the stabilizer bar with cushions attached from the vehicle.




5. Remove the nut (1) and pinch bolt (2) clamping each ball joint (3) stud to the steering knuckle.

CAUTION: After removing the steering knuckle from the ball joint stud, do not pull outward on the knuckle. Pulling the steering knuckle outward at this point can separate the inner c/v joint on the driveshaft.

NOTE: Use caution when separating the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle, so the ball joint seal does not get cut.







6. Separate each ball joint stud (4) from the steering knuckle (1) by prying down on lower control arm (3) and up against the ball joint boss on the steering knuckle (1).
7. Remove the two screws securing the cooler to the front suspension crossmember (4). They are located behind the cooler and can be accessed from above. Allow the cooler to hang out of the way.
8. Using wire or a bungee cord, support and tie off the power steering gear (3) to the underbody of the vehicle, so when the crossmember (4) is lowered, the gear does not fall away, being held to the vehicle by only the steering column coupling and the fluid hoses.
9. Loosen and remove the four bolts attaching the power steering gear to the front suspension crossmember. Remove the power steering gear from the front suspension crossmember.




10. Remove the pencil strut (2) from the right front corner of the crossmember and body of the vehicle. Remove the washer (4) behind the strut from the torque strut bolt.




11. Remove the screws (1) fastening the front fascia to the reinforcement as necessary in order to access the drive-belt splash shield forward fastener screws.
12. Remove the drive-belt splash shield fasteners (3). Remove the shield.




13. Remove the bolt mounting the engine torque strut to the right forward corner of the front suspension crossmember (3).

NOTE: Before removing the front suspension crossmember from the vehicle, the location of the crossmember must be scribed on the body of the vehicle. Do this so that the crossmember can be relocated upon reinstallation against the body of vehicle in the same location as before removal. If the front suspension crossmember is not reinstalled in exactly the same location as before removal, the preset front wheel alignment settings (caster and camber) will be lost.

14. Using an awl, (2) scribe a line (1) marking the location of the front suspension crossmember (3) where it is mounted against the body of the vehicle.
15. Position a transmission jack under the center of the front suspension crossmember (3) and raise it to support the bottom of the crossmember.
16. Loosen all six bolts attaching the front suspension crossmember and lower control arms to the body of the vehicle. Do not completely remove the two bolts going through the lower control arm rear isolator bushings. They are designed to disengage from the body threads yet stay within the lower control arm rear isolator bushing. Back the two bolts out just enough to disengage the tapping plates in the body of the vehicle. Completely remove the other four bolts.
17. Lower the front suspension crossmember (3).
18. Remove each lower control arm from the crossmember by removing the pivot bolts.

INSTALLATION

CAUTION: If the front suspension crossmember is being replaced due to collision damage, inspect the steering column lower coupling for damage.

1. Install the lower control arms on the front suspension crossmember. Install the pivot bolts, but do not completely tighten them at this time.
2. Using the transmission jack, raise the front suspension crossmember and lower control arms until the crossmember contacts its mounting spot against the body and frame rails of the vehicle. As the crossmember is raised, carefully guide the power steering gear into mounting position.
3. Start the two crossmember mounting bolts through the lower control arm rear isolator bushings into the tapping plates mounted in the body. Next, install the two front and the two rear mounting bolts attaching front suspension crossmember to frame rails of vehicle. Lightly tighten all six mounting bolts to approximately 2 N.m (20 in. lbs.) to hold the front suspension crossmember in position at this time.

NOTE: When reinstalling the front suspension crossmember back in the vehicle, it is very important that the crossmember be attached to the body in exactly the same spot as when it was removed. Otherwise, the vehicle's wheel alignment settings (caster and camber) will be lost.




4. Using a soft face hammer, tap the front suspension crossmember back-and-forth or side-to-side until it is aligned with the previously scribed positioning marks (1) on the body of the vehicle. Once the front suspension crossmember is correctly positioned, tighten the two crossmember mounting bolts through the lower control arm rear isolator bushings to a torque of 250 N.m (185 ft. lbs.), then tighten the four remaining crossmember mounting bolts to a torque of 153 N.m (120 ft. lbs.).




5. Tighten the lower control arm front pivot bolts to a torque of 163 N.m (120 ft. lbs.).
6. Remove the wire or bungee cord suspending the power steering gear (3) to the underbody.
7. Attach the steering gear (3) to the front suspension crossmember (4). Install the four power steering gear mounting bolts. Tighten the mounting bolts to a torque of 61 N.m (45 ft. lbs.).
8. Install the two screws securing the cooler to the front suspension crossmember. They are located behind the cooler.




9. Install each ball joint stud into the steering knuckle aligning the bolt hole in the knuckle boss with the notch formed in the side of the ball joint stud.
10. Install a new ball joint stud pinch bolt (2) and nut (1). Tighten the nut (1) to a torque of 95 N.m (70 ft. lbs.).




11. Fasten the engine torque strut to the right forward corner of the front suspension crossmember using the mounting bolt. Follow the procedure described in the ENGINE service manual area to properly align and tighten the torque strut and it's mounting bolts.
12. Install the washer (4) on the end of the stud extending from the torque strut bolt.
13. Install the pencil strut (2) to the right front corner of the crossmember and body of the vehicle.Tighten the pencil strut nuts (1) to a torque of 58 N.m (43 ft. lbs.).




14. Install the drive-belt splash shield and fasteners (3).
15. Install the screws fastening the front fascia to the reinforcement.

NOTE: Before installing the stabilizer bar, make sure the bar is not upside-down. The stabilizer bar must be installed with the curve on the outboard ends of the bar facing downward to clear the control arms once fully installed.




16. First, place the stabilizer bar (1) in position on the front suspension crossmember. The slits in each cushion must point toward the front of the vehicle and sit directly on top of the raised beads formed into the stamping on the crossmember. Next, install the cushion retainers (4), matching the raised beads formed into the cushion retainers (4) to the grooves formed into the cushions. Install the cushion retainer bolts, but do not completely tighten them at this time.
17. Install both stabilizer bar links back on vehicle.Start each stabilizer bar link bolt with bushing from the bottom, through the stabilizer bar, inner link bushings, lower control arm, and into the upper retainer/nut and bushing. Do not fully tighten the link assemblies at this time.
18. Install the tire and wheel assemblies back on vehicle. Tighten the wheel mounting nuts to 135 N.m (100 ft. lbs.) torque.
19. Lower the vehicle.

NOTE: It may be necessary to put the vehicle on a platform hoist or alignment rack to gain access to the stabilizer bar mounting bolts with the vehicle at curb height.




20. Tighten each stabilizer bar link (4) by holding the upper retainer/nut with a wrench and turning the link bolt. Tighten each link bolt to a torque of 28 N.m (20 ft lbs.).
21. Tighten the stabilizer bar cushion retainer (1) bolts to a torque of 28 N.m (20 ft. lbs.).
22. Check the front wheel alignment on the vehicle.