Rear Knuckle: Service and Repair

REAR SUSPENSION

KNUCKLE

REMOVAL
(1) Raise vehicle.
(2) Remove rear wheel and tire assembly.

Fig. 1 Rear Wheel Speed Cable Routing And Attachment:

(3) If vehicle is equipped with antilock brakes (ABS), remove rear wheel speed sensor from brake flex hose routing bracket (Fig. 1).
(4) If equipped with ABS, remove wheel speed sensor head mounting bolt (Fig. 10).
(5) If equipped with rear drum brakes, remove brake drum.
(6) If equipped with rear disc brakes, remove caliper and rotor.

Fig.2 Hub/Bearing Assembly Retaining Nut:

(7) Remove rear hub and bearing assembly retaining nut and washer (Fig. 2), then remove hub and bearing assembly.
(8) If equipped with rear drum brakes, remove parking brake cable from parking brake actuating lever, then remove cable from drum brake support plate.

Fig.3 Rear Brake Support Plate Mounting Bolts:

(9) Remove four bolts attaching drum brake support plate/disc brake adapter to knuckle (Fig. 3).

Fig.4 Correctly Stored Rear Brake Support Plate:

(10) Remove drum brake support plate, brake shoes and wheel cylinder assembly/disc brake adapter from knuckle. It is not necessary to remove brake flex hose from drum brake wheel cylinder when removing support plate. Once drum brake assembly is removed, hang plate from rear shock assembly using mechanics wire as shown (Fig. 4). Do not allow drum brake assembly to hang by flex hose.

Fig.5 Lateral Link Attachment To Rear Knuckle:

(11) Remove nuts and bolts attaching the forward and rear lateral links (Fig. 5) to knuckle.
(12) Back off nut retaining upper control arm ball joint to knuckle until it is flush with the end of the ball joint stud. Leaving the nut on in this fashion will protect threads from damage during next step.

Fig.6 Removing Ball Joint Stud From Knuckle:

(13) Release ball joint stud from knuckle using Puller, Special Tool, CT-1106 (Fig. 6).
(14) Remove nut retaining upper control arm ball joint to knuckle.

Fig.7 Trailing Link Attachment To Rear Knuckle:

(15) Remove nut and washer attaching trailing link to rear knuckle. Use a wrench on the flat of the trailing link to keep it from turning when removing nut (Fig. 7).

Fig.8 Shock Absorber Attachment To Knuckle:

(16) Remove the shock absorber clevis bracket to knuckle attaching nut and bolt (Fig. 8).
(17) Remove knuckle from vehicle.

INSTALLATION
(1) Install knuckle on clevis bracket of rear shock absorber. Then install clevis bracket to shock absorber attaching bolt with head of bolt facing rear of vehicle (Fig. 8).

Fig.9 Trailing Link Bushing And Retainer Installation:

CAUTION: When installing trailing link bushing retainers, retainers must be installed with cupped side of retainer facing away from bushing and knuckle (Fig. 9).

(2) Install knuckle on trailing link. Install trailing link outer bushing, gold bushing retainer and retaining nut on trailing link (Fig. 9). Using a large adjustable wrench, to keep trailing link from rotating, tighten trailing link retaining nut to 95 Nm (70 ft. lbs.).
(3) Install upper ball joint stud into knuckle. Install and tighten the ball joint stud nut to 88 Nm (65 ft. lbs.).
(4) Install front and rear lateral links to knuckle with attaching nuts and bolts (Fig. 5). Tighten attaching bolt nuts to 95 Nm (70 ft. lbs.).
(5) Install rear drum brake assembly/disc brake adapter onto knuckle. Install four mounting bolts (Fig. 3) Tighten mounting bolts to 61 Nm (45 ft. lbs.).
(6) If equipped with rear drum brakes, install parking brake cable into support plate and attach to parking brake actuating lever.
(7) Install rear hub and bearing on knuckle and install hub nut. Tighten hub nut to 250 Nm (185 ft. lbs.).
(8) If equipped with rear disc brakes, install rotor and caliper.
(9) If equipped with rear drum brakes, install brake drum and adjust brake shoes as necessary.

Fig.10 Speed Sensor Head Attachment To Brake Support Plate:

(10) If equipped with ABS, install wheel speed sensor head (Fig. 10). Tighten speed sensor head mounting bolt to/ e1m7 Nm (60 inch lbs.).
(11) If equipped with ABS, attach routing bracket for wheel speed sensor cable to brake flex hose bracket and securely tighten attaching bolt (Fig. 1).
(12) Install wheel and tire assembly on vehicle. Install wheel mounting (lug) nuts and progressively tighten nuts in crisscross sequence to 135 Nm (100 ft. lbs.).
(13) Lower vehicle.
(14) Check and reset rear wheel alignment to specifications as required.