Rear Suspension

UPPER CONTROL ARM

REMOVAL

NOTE: The rear control arm, control arm bushings, and pivot bar are serviced as a complete assembly on this vehicle. Do not attempt to disassemble the control arm from the pivot bar to service the rear control arm bushings.

1. Raise vehicle.
2. Remove both rear wheel and tire assemblies from the vehicle.





3. Remove the shock absorber clevis bracket to rear knuckle attaching bolt and nut (Fig. 29) on both sides of the vehicle.





4. Remove muffler support bracket from rear frame rail (Fig. 30).





5. Remove the rear exhaust pipe hanger bracket from the rear suspension crossmember (Fig. 31). Let exhaust system drop down as far as possible.





6. If vehicle is equipped with antilock brakes, remove routing clips for wheel speed sensor cable from brackets on both upper control arms (Fig. 32).
7. If vehicle is equipped with antilock brakes, remove bolts and wheel speed sensor heads from both rear knuckles.
8. Remove both rear disc brake calipers from knuckles and hang out of way using wire or cord. Do not allow calipers to hang by brake hoses.
9. Release brake tubing from clips on top of crossmember.
10. On the side of the vehicle requiring control arm removal, separate the control arm ball joint from the rear knuckle using this procedure:
a) Back off nut retaining upper control arm ball joint to knuckle until nut is even with end of stud. This action will help avoid damaging the stud threads when the stud is released from the knuckle in the following step.





b) Remove ball joint stud from knuckle using Puller, Special Tool, CT- 1106 (Fig. 33).
c) Remove nut retaining upper control arm ball joint to knuckle.





11. Position a transmission jack and wooden block under the center of the rear suspension crossmember to support and lower crossmember during removal (Fig. 34).





12. Remove the 4 bolts (Fig. 35) attaching rear suspension crossmember to rear frame rails.

CAUTION: When lowering rear suspension crossmember do not put a strain on the rear brake flex hoses.

13. Lower the rear suspension crossmember far enough to access the upper control arm pivot bar to crossmember attaching bolts.





14. Remove the 2 bolts attaching the upper control arm to the rear suspension crossmember (Fig. 36).
15. Remove the upper control arm from the rear suspension crossmember.
16. Transfer any required components to the replacement control arm.

DISASSEMBLY - UPPER BALL JOINT
The rear upper control arm must be removed from the vehicle for replacement of the ball joint.





1. Position Receiving Cup, Special Tool 6758, to support control arm when removing ball joint assembly (Fig. 37). Install Remover/Installer, Special Tool 6804 on top of ball joint assembly (Fig. 37).
2. Using an arbor press, press the ball joint assembly out of the control arm.

INSPECTION
Inspect the control arm for physical damage. If it is determined that the upper control arm is broken or bent, the upper control arm must be replaced. The rear suspension upper control arm is not a repairable component and no attempt is to be made to repair or to straighten it. The upper control arm must be replaced if found to be damaged in any way.
Inspect the control arm pivot bushings for deterioration. If found to need replacement, the upper control arm is to be replaced.
The rear control arm, control arm bushings, and pivot bar are serviced as a complete assembly on this vehicle. Do not attempt to disassemble the control arm from the pivot bar to service the rear control arm bushings.
The only component on the upper control arm that is serviceable is the rear upper ball joint and its seal.

ASSEMBLY - UPPER BALL JOINT
1. By hand, position ball joint assembly into ball joint bore of control arm. Be sure ball joint assembly is not cocked in the bore of the control arm. This will cause binding of the ball joint assembly when being pressed into lower control arm.





2. Position assembly in an arbor press with Receiving Cup, Special Tool 6758, supporting lower control arm (Fig. 38). Then install Remover/Installer, Special Tool 6804, on the top of the ball joint assembly (Fig. 38).

CAUTION: When installing the ball joint in the upper control arm, do not press the ball joint into the control arm all the way. The lip on the ball joint must not touch the surface of the control arm.

3. Carefully align all pieces. Using the arbor press, press the ball joint into the control arm until a gap of 3 mm (1/8 inch) is between lip on ball joint and surface of lower control arm.
4. Reinstall the control arm on the vehicle.

INSTALLATION
1. Align the pivot bar on the upper control arm with the mounting holes in the rear suspension crossmember. Install the pivot bar attaching bolts (Fig. 36). Tighten the 2 pivot bar attaching bolts to a torque of 108 Nm (80 ft. lbs.).
2. Using transmission jack, raise rear suspension crossmember up to the rear frame rails and loosely install the 4 attaching bolts (Fig. 35).





3. Position an appropriate size drift into the positioning hole in each side of rear suspension crossmember and crossmember locating holes in frame rails of the vehicle (Fig. 39). This is required to properly position rear suspension crossmember to the body of the vehicle. Tighten the 4 crossmember to frame rail attaching bolts to 108 Nm (80 ft. lbs.). Remove drifts from rear suspension crossmember.
4. Remove transmission jack supporting rear suspension crossmember.
5. Install upper ball joint stud in knuckle. Install and tighten the ball joint stud nut to a torque of 27 Nm (20 ft. lbs.).
6. Install the brake tubing above the rear suspension crossmember into the routing clips on top of the crossmember.
Install rear brake calipers onto rear knuckles.
7. If vehicle is equipped with antilock brakes, attach wheel speed sensor heads to both rear knuckles. Tighten sensor mounting bolts to a torque of 8 Nm (75 inch lbs.).
8. If vehicle is equipped with antilock brakes, install routing clips for wheel speed sensor cables onto brackets on both upper control arms (Fig. 32). Securely tighten routing clip attaching bolts.
9. Install muffler support bracket on rear frame rail (Fig. 30).
10. Install rear exhaust pipe hanger on rear suspension crossmember (Fig. 31).
11. Install the shock absorber clevis brackets on the rear knuckles (Fig. 29). Tighten the shock absorber mounting bolts to a torque of 95 Nm (70 ft. lbs.).
12. Install wheel and tire assembly on vehicle. Progressively tighten the wheel mounting nuts in crisscross sequence until all nuts are torqued to half specification. Then repeat the tightening sequence to the full specified torque of 135 Nm (100 ft. lbs.).
13. Lower vehicle.
14. Check and reset if required, rear wheel Camber and Toe to preferred specifications.