Lower Control Arm
NOTE: Before proceeding, review all SERVICE WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS found under Suspension, Service Precautions.REMOVAL
1. Raise vehicle. See Maintenance for the required lifting procedure.
2. Remove the front wheel and tire.
3. Remove the attaching bolt for the front hub/bearing mounting the brake hose bracket to the steering knuckle.
4. Remove the 2 bolts attaching the brake caliper to the steering knuckle. Remove the brake caliper from the steering knuckle.
5. Support brake caliper by hanging it from the frame of the vehicle with wire or some other method. Do not let caliper assembly hang by the brake flex hose.
6. Remove the brake rotor from the hub/bearing.
7. Loosen, but do not remove, the nuts attaching the stabilizer bar links to both lower control arms.
CAUTION: The nut must be positioned at the end of the stabilizer bar attaching link stud when removing it from the lower control arm. This will prevent the end of the stud from being damaged when removing it from the lower control arm.
8. Remove the stabilizer bar link from lower control arm using the following procedure. Position the attaching link nut at the end of attaching link stud. Position a center punch in the hole on the end of the attaching link stud. Using a hammer, strike the center punch to remove the attaching link stud from the lower control arm.
NOTE: Vehicles equipped with the ACR suspension package have special spacers, washers and mounting bolts at the lower and upper shock mounts. It is important that they are noted and not lost during removal and installation.
9. Remove the nut and bolt attaching the shock absorber to the bracket on the lower control arm.
10. Remove the cotter pin and nut from the lower ball joint.
NOTE: When installing Spacer, Special Tool 6983 between the grease seal and the bottom of the steering knuckle it must be installed in the direction as shown.
11. Install Spacer, Special Tool 6983, between the ball joint grease seal and the bottom of the steering knuckle.
CAUTION: Do not strike the steering knuckle or apply heat to the steering knuckle when separating the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle.
12. Install Puller, Special Tool C-4150-A, on steering knuckle. The ball bearing in the bolt of Special Tool C-4150A must be centered in the stud of the lower ball joint. Also, the Spacer, Special Tool 6983, must be installed between the steering knuckle and Special Tool C-4150-A as shown.
13. Tighten bolt on Remover, Special Tool C-4150A, to apply pressure against the stud of the lower ball joint. This will separate the lower ball joint stud from the steering knuckle.
14. Remove nuts, bolts, and adjustment cams attaching lower control arm to mounting brackets on the frame rail. Slightly spread the ends of the mounting brackets to ease removal of the lower control arm from brackets.
INSTALLATION
1. Position the lower control arm in the mounting brackets. Install cam bolts through mounting brackets and lower control arm bushings. Then install adjustment cams and nuts. Note: When installing adjustment be sure hole in adjustment cams is located at 12 O'clock. DO NOT TIGHTEN CAM ADJUSTMENT BOLTS AT THIS TIME.
2. Install the lower ball joint stud into the steering knuckle. Install the ball joint to steering knuckle attaching nut. Tighten the attaching nut to a torque of 160 Nm (118 ft. lbs.). After tightening nut to specified torque, continue to tighten until cotter pin can be installed through nut and hole in ball joint stud, DO NOT LOOSEN NUT.
3. Install cotter pin through nut and stud of lower ball joint.
4. On ACR shocks, install the spacers on each side of the lower mounting eye.
5. Install the shock absorber into the mounting bracket on the lower control arm. Install the shock absorber to mounting bracket bolt and nut. On ACR vehicles, remember to install the special washers on both sides of the mount before installing the bolt. Do not tighten the mounting bolt at this time.
6. Install the stabilizer bar link into mounting hole on the lower control arm. Install the stabilizer bar attaching link nut. Tighten the stabilizer bar attaching link nut to a torque of 17 Nm (150 inch lbs.).
7. Install brake rotor on hub/bearing.
8. Install the brake caliper on the steering knuckle.
9. Install the brake caliper attaching bolts and tighten to a torque of 115 Nm (85 ft. lbs.).
10. Align the brake hose bracket with the hole in steering knuckle. Install the hub/bearing attaching bolt. Tighten the hub/bearing attaching bolt to a torque of 61 Nm (45 ft. lbs.).
11. Install the wheel and tire.
12. Tighten the wheel mounting stud nuts in proper sequence until all nuts are torqued to half specification. Repeat the tightening sequence to the full specified torque of 122 Nm (90 ft. lbs.).
13. Lower the vehicle to ground level.
14. Position vehicle on an alignment rack or drive-on hoist.
15. Ballast (weight) the vehicle to the correct design height. Refer to Design Height Measurement found in Wheels, Tires and Alignment, Alignment, Adjustments.
16. Tighten the shock absorber lower mounting bolt to a torque of 135 Nm (100 ft. lbs.).
17. Remove the ballast (weight) from the vehicle. Correctly jounce the vehicle letting it return to its curb height.
18. Measure the vehicle's curb height. Refer to Curb Height Measurement found in Wheels, Tires and Alignment, Alignment, Adjustments.
19. Align the vehicle per the service procedure listed in Wheel Alignment.
NOTE: Following the wheel alignment, remember to tighten lower control arm cam bolts and nuts to the specified torque of 102 Nm (75 ft. lbs.).