Removal

1. Remove cotter pin, nut lock, and spring washer from the front stub axle.

CAUTION: Wheel bearing damage will result if after loosening hub nut, vehicle is rolled on the ground or the weight of the vehicle is allowed to be supported by the tires.





2. Loosen hub nut while vehicle is on the floor with the brakes applied. The hub and driveshaft are splined together through the knuckle (bearing) and retained by the hub nut.
3. Raise vehicle on jack stands or centered on a frame contact type hoist.
4. Remove front tire and wheel assembly from the hub.





5. Remove front disc brake caliper to steering knuckle guide pin attaching bolts.





6. Remove disc brake caliper assembly from steering knuckle. Caliper is removed by first lifting bottom of caliper away from steering knuckle, and then removing top of caliper out from under steering knuckle.





7. Support brake caliper/adapter assembly using a wire hook and not by the hydraulic hose.
8. Remove the braking disc from the front hub/bearing assembly.

Fig. 9:

9. Remove nut attaching outer tie rod end to the steering knuckle. Nut is to be removed from tie rod end using the following procedure, hold tie rod end stud with a 11/32 socket while loosening and removing nut with wrench.

Fig. 10:

10. Remove the tie rod end from the steering knuckle using Remover, Special Tool MB-991113, or equivalent.





11. Remove the speed sensor cable routing bracket from the steering knuckle.

Fig. 25:

12. Remove cotter pin and castle nut from the stud of the lower ball joint.

CAUTION:
- No tool is to be inserted between the steering knuckle and the lower ball joint to separate stud of lower ball joint from the steering knuckle. The steering knuckle is to be separated from the stud of the ball joint only using the procedure as described in step Step 13 below.

- When striking the steering knuckle, do not hit the heat shield covering the ball joint grease seal. Bending the heat shield against the ball joint grease seal will cause the grease seal to fail.





13. Turn steering knuckle so the front of the steering knuckle is facing as far outboard in the wheel well as possible. Using a hammer strike the boss on the steering knuckle, until the steering knuckle separates from the stud of lower ball joint.

CAUTION: Pulling steering knuckle out from vehicle after releasing from ball joint can separate inner C/V joint.

14. Lift up on steering knuckle separating it from the lower ball joint stud. Use caution when separating ball joint stud from steering knuckle, so ball joint seal does not get cut.

NOTE: Care must be taken not to separate the inner C/V joint during this operation. Do not allow driveshaft to hang by inner C/V joint, driveshaft must be supported.

Fig. 23:

15. Separate the steering knuckle from the outer C/V joint. Separate steering knuckle from outer C/V joint, by supporting the driveshaft while pulling steering knuckle away from the outer C/V joint.





16. Remove the cotter pin and nut from the upper ball joint stud to steering knuckle attachment.





17. Remove the upper ball joint stud from the steering knuckle using Puller, Special Tool, C-3894-A, or equivalent.
18. Remove steering knuckle from vehicle.
19. The bolt in type front wheel bearing used on the vehicle is transferable to the replacement steering knuckle if bearing is found to be in usable condition. Refer to Transmission and Drivetrain.