Front Steering Knuckle: Service and Repair

Wheel Knuckle





Special Tool(s)

Removal





All vehicles
1. Loosen the strut tower nuts by at least five turns.





2. Remove the brake disc.





Vehicles with anti-lock brakes
3. Detach the wheel speed sensor.





All vehicles
4. Remove the tie-rod end retaining nut.





5. CAUTION: Protect the ball joint seal using a soft cloth to prevent damage.

Using the special tool, detach the tie-rod end ball joint end.





6. CAUTION: Protect the ball joint seal using a soft cloth to prevent damage.

Detach the lower arm ball joint.
1 Remove the nut and bolt.
2 Detach the ball joint.





7. NOTE: Apply the brake to keep the halfshaft from rotating.

Remove and discard the wheel hub retaining nut.





8. NOTE: Make sure that the halfshaft does not disengage from the inner constant velocity joint.

Using a suitable puller, separate the wheel hub from the halfshaft.





9. Remove the wheel knuckle bolt.





10. Remove the wheel knuckle.
1 Using a suitable lever, release the knuckle.
2 Remove the wheel knuckle.
^ Support the halfshaft out of the way.

Installation





All vehicles
1. Install the wheel knuckle to strut pinch bolt.





2. Using the special tools, install the halfshaft.

3. NOTE: Do not fully tighten the wheel hub retaining nut at this stage.

Install the wheel hub retaining nut.





4. CAUTION: Make sure the heat shield is installed to prevent damage to the ball joint.

Install the lower arm to wheel knuckle nut and bolt.





5. WARNING: Install a new tie-rod end retaining nut. Failure to follow this instruction may result in personal injury.

Install the tie-rod end.





Vehicles with anti-lock brakes
6. Attach the wheel speed sensor.

All vehicles
7. Install the brake disc.





8. CAUTION: Do not tighten the front wheel hub nut with the vehicle on the ground. The nut must be tightened to specification before the vehicle is lowered onto the wheels. Wheel bearing damage will occur if the wheel bearing is loaded with the weight of the vehicle applied.

NOTE: Apply the brake to keep the halfshaft from rotating.
Install the new front wheel hub nut.
^ Tighten to 316 Nm (233 ft. lbs.).





9. Tighten the strut tower nuts.