Rear Knuckle: Service and Repair

REMOVAL
1. Raise vehicle on jackstands or centered on a frame contact type hoist.
2. Remove the rear wheel and tire assembly from the vehicle.
3. Remove rear brake drum or disc brake caliper and rotor from rear hub and bearing assembly. Refer the the service manual group Brakes for the proper procedures.

Fig. 7:

4. If vehicle is equipped with antilock brakes remove the rear wheel speed sensor from the brake support plate and brake flex hose routing bracket.

Fig. 8:

Fig. 9:

5. Remove the park brake cable from the park brake actuating lever. Then remove the park brake cable from the rear brake support plate. Park brake cable is removed from brake support plate using this procedure. Position a 1/2 inch box end wrench over cable retainer to collapse retaining tabs. Then pull bear brake cable from brake support plate.

Fig. 10:

6. Remove the rear hub/bearing assembly retaining nut. Then remove the washer and the hub/bearing assembly from the knuckle.

Fig. 11:

Fig. 12:

7. Remove the 4 bolts attaching rear brake support plate to knuckle. Then remove brake support plate, brake shoes and wheel cylinder as an assembly from rear knuckle. It is not necessary to remove brake flex hose from wheel cylinder when removing support plate. Brake support plate when removed, must be supported using mechanics wire as shown in the image.

Fig. 13:

8. Remove the nuts and bolts attaching the forward and rear lateral links to the rear knuckle.
9. Remove cotter pin and castle nut attaching upper control arm ball joint to knuckle.

Fig. 14:

10. Remove ball joint stud from knuckle using Puller, Special Tool, CT-1106. When using puller, install castle nut on ball joint stud to protect threads from damage.

CAUTION: The installation position of the bushings and retainers on the trailing link is important. When separating the trailing link from the knuckle note the position and orientation of the bushings and the retainers to ensure the are installed correctly at assembly.

Fig. 15:

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

Fig. 16:

12. Remove the shock absorber clevis bracket to knuckle attaching nut and bolt.
13. Remove the knuckle assembly from the 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. 17:

CAUTION: The inner and outer bushing location on the trailing link to rear knuckle attachment is important. Do not interchange the inner and outer bushing location when installing knuckle back on trailing link. Also, when installing trailing link bushing retainers, the retainers must be installed with cupped side of retainer facing away from bushing and knuckle.

2. Install knuckle on trailing link. Then install the outer trailing link bushing, bushing retainer and retaining nut on trailing link. Using a large adjustable wrench, to keep trailing link from rotating securely tighten the trailing link retaining nutto a torque of 95 Nm (70 ft. lbs.).
3. Install upper ball joint stud in knuckle. Install and tighten the ball joint stud castle nut to a torque of 67 Nm (50 ft. lbs.). Install cotter pin in ball joint stud.
4. Install the front and rear lateral links and attaching nuts and bolts on the knuckle Tighten the lateral links to knuckle attaching bolts and nuts to 95 Nm (70 ft. lbs.).
5. Install rear brake support plate assembly onto the knuckle. Install the 4 bolts attaching rear brake support plate to rear knuckle. Tighten the attaching bolts to a torque of 61 Nm (45 ft. lbs.).

Fig. 18:

6. If vehicle is equipped with ABS brakes, install speed sensor head into rear brake support plate. Torque speed sensor head mounting bolt to 7 Nm (60 inch lbs.).
7. Attach routing bracket for speed sensor cable to brake flex hose bracket and securely tighten attaching bolt.
8. Install park brake cable into brake support plate. Ensure cable retainer is securely holding cable to support plate. Then connect park brake cable to park brake lever on brake shoe.
9. Install rear hub and bearing assembly on knuckle and install hub and bearing assembly retaining nut. Tighten retaining nut to a torque of 250 Nm (185 ft. lbs.).
10. Install the brake drum or disc brake rotor and caliper on the hub/bearing assembly. Refer to Brakes and Traction Control for the proper procedures.
11. Install wheel and tire assembly on vehicle. Tighten the wheel mounting stud nuts in proper 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.).
12. Lower vehicle.
13. Check and reset rear wheel alignment to specifications if required. Refer to Wheel Alignment for the required alignment setting procedure.