Removal and Installation
NOTE: Before proceeding, review SERVICE PRECAUTIONS. Service PrecautionsREMOVAL
1. Loosen wheel nuts.
2. Raise vehicle on jack stands or centered on a frame contact type hoist.
3. Remove wheel and tire assembly from location on front of vehicle requiring strut removal.
4. If both shock absorbers are removed, mark the shock absorbers right and left according to which side of the vehicle they were removed from.
Fig. 6:
5. Remove the wheel speed sensor cable routing bracket from the steering knuckle.
Fig. 7:
6. Remove the cotter pin and castle nut from the upper ball joint stud.
Fig. 8:
7. Remove the upper ball joint stud from the steering knuckle using Puller, Special Tool, C-3894-A. Pull steering knuckle outward and position toward the rear of the front wheel opening.
Fig. 9:
8. Remove pinch bolt attaching shock absorber clevis to shock absorber.
Fig. 10:
9. Remove the thru-bolt attaching the shock absorber clevis to the lower control arm.
10. Remove the clevis from the shock absorber by carefully tapping the clevis off the shock absorber using a soft (brass) drift.
Fig. 11:
11. Remove the 4 bolts attaching the shock absorber/upper control arm mounting bracket to the shock tower of the vehicle.
12. Remove the shock assembly from the vehicle. The shock assembly is removed out through the front area of the front wheel well.
13. For disassembly and assembly of the shock assembly, refer to DISASSEMBLY AND ASSEMBLY of this group.
INSTALLATION
1. Install the shock assembly, with the clevis removed, into shock tower. Aligning the 2 locating pins and the 4 mounting holes on the upper control arm shock absorber mount with the 4 holes in shock tower. Install the 4 upper control arm mount to shock tower mounting bolts. Tighten the 4 bolts to a torque of 90 Nm (68 ft. lbs.).
Fig. 12:
2. Install the clevis bracket on the shock absorber. Clevis is installed by tapping it onto the fluid reservoir of the shock absorber using a soft (brass) drift until fully seated against locating tab on shock absorber. The orientation tab on the shock absorber locating tab must be positioned in the split of the clevis.
3. Install the clevis to shock absorber pinch bolt. Do not tighten or torque the bolt at this time.
4. Install the clevis bracket to lower control arm thru-bolt. Do not tighten or torque the thrubolt at this time.
5. Tighten the clevis to shock absorber pinch bolt to a torque of 70 Nm (52 ft. lbs.).
6. Install upper ball joint into steering knuckle. Install castle nut on ball joint stud. Tighten castle nut to a torque of 62 Nm (45 ft. lbs.). Install cotter pin in stud of ball joint.
7. Install the routing bracket for the speed control cable on the steering knuckle. Install and securely tighten the routing bracket attaching bolt.
Fig. 13:
CAUTION: When supporting lower control arm with jack stand, do not position jack stand under the ball joint cap on the lower control arm. Position in area of lower control arm shown in.
8. Lower vehicle to the ground with a jack stand positioned under the lower control arm. Continue to lower vehicle so the total weight of the vehicle is supported by the jack stand and lower control arm.
9. Tighten the shock absorber clevis to lower control arm bushing thru-bolt to a torque of 90 Nm (68 ft. lbs.).
10. Raise the vehicle, then remove the jack stand.
11. Install the tire and wheel assembly. 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 the vehicle.