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.

Fig. 28:

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 hydraulic hose.





8. Remove the braking disc from the front hub/ bearing assembly.





9. Remove nut attaching the 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.





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





11. If equipped with antilock brakes remove the speed sensor cable routing bracket from the steering knuckle.





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.

Fig. 36:

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 steering knuckle separates from stud of lower ball joint. When striking steering knuckle, care MUST be taken not to hit lower control arm or ball joint grease seal.

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.





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, C3894-A, or equivalent.
18. Remove steering knuckle from vehicle.
19. Mount steering knuckle securely in a vise.





20. Remove the 3 bolts attaching the hub/bearing assembly to the steering knuckle.
21. Remove the hub/bearing assembly out from the front of the steering knuckle. If bearing will not come out of steering knuckle, it can be tapped out using a soft faced hammer.
22. Thoroughly clean all hub/bearing assembly mounting surfaces on steering knuckle.
23. Install the replacement hub/bearing assembly in steering knuckle aligning bolt boles in bearing flange with holes in steering knuckle.
24. Install the 3 mounting bolts and tighten evenly to ensure bearing is square to face of steering knuckle. The tighten the 3 mounting bolts to a torque of 110 Nm (80 ft. lbs.).