OEM 2001 Dodge Neon Steering Knuckle

2001 Dodge Neon Steering Knuckle Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Service and Repair a Steering Knuckle on 2001 Dodge Neon?

  A: Before you start on the steering knuckle service or repair, press the brake pedal, hold it and raise the car. Then, take away the front tire and wheel. Take out the cotter pin, lock nut and spring washer from the hub nut, so that when you press the brakes, you can loosen and remove the hub nut before easing off the foot pedal. Detach the guide pin bolts from the front disc brake caliper and pull it up away and off the caliper slide while allowing it to tilt off the brake rotor. Remove the caliper from its place, not by the hose and then take off any clips holding the wheel mounting studs and get the brake rotor out of the front hub. After that, use a connector who is qualified to remove and clean rust and leave the stud area free of debris. Remove the heat shield from the tie rod, then get rid of the bolt and pinch bolt attaching the ball joint stud to the steering knuckle. Hold the serrated strut bolts in place as you remove their nuts. With a pin punch, loosen the two bolts connecting the strut to the steering knuckle, be sure not to slide the inner ball joint when separating its stud from the steering knuckle. Support the driveshaft when pulling the steering knuckle off the splines of the driveshaft C/V joint on the outer side. Before swapping your steering knuckle, take the wheel and bearing off to avoid using the previous wheel bearing. To disassemble, remove the steering knuckle, hub and wheel bearing all at once, then press one stud out of the hub flange using Remover, Special Tool 4150A and remove from the hub. Set half of the Bearing Splitter, Special Tool 1130, between the bearing and hub, making sure it aligns with the caliper rail on the steering knuckle. Then, add the other parts of the bearing splitter and hand tighten all the nuts. Be sure the retainer plate is not helping the steering knuckle and then support the assembly with a bearing splitter in an arbor press. Apply Driver, Special Tool 6644-2, to the wheel bearing to become free of the hub and afterwards, remove the bearing splitter and the bolts mounting the retainer plate. Put the steering knuckle back in the arbor press and attach the Bearing Driver, Special Tool MB-990799 to press out the wheel bearing. Before assembly, wipe the steering knuckle bore clean, insert the new wheel bearing there and press it into place with Driver, Special Tool 5052. Place the bearing retainer plate in place and tighten the mounting bolts to 28 Nm which is about 250 inch lbs. Put the wheel mounting stud that was removed earlier back into the hub flange and push it firmly until it's seated. Put the steering knuckle with its wheel bearing into the arbor press and press the hub all the way inside the wheel bearing. Assemble the steering knuckle on the vehicle and remember to replace the wheel bearing each time you change the knuckle. Put the hub over the C/V joint part of the driveshaft, align the knuckle with the ball joint and attach one pinch bolt and nut, pressing them to within 95 Nm (70 ft. lbs.). Align the bottom of the strut assembly with the top of the steering knuckle, hold it in place with two attaching bolts and nuts and tighten them to 53 Nm (40 ft. lbs.) plus an additional 90° turn. Place the tie rod heat shield under the tie rod end and then attach the outer tie rod ball stud, tightening the nut to 55 Nm (40 ft. lbs.). Insert the brake rotor and the disc brake caliper into their hole and then use two guide pin bolts to tighten to 22 Nm (192 inch lbs.). Wipe the threads of the outer C/V joint, attach the hub nut and tighten to 244 Nm (180 ft. lbs.) with the hand brake on. Install the hub nut's spring washer and lock nut, plus a cotter pin, secure the end of the cotter pin around the lock nut, reinstall the tire and wheel assembly, tighten the wheel mounting nuts to 135 Nm (100 ft. lbs.), lower the car and set the toe to the correct specification.