OEM 2002 Dodge Neon Steering Knuckle

2002 Dodge Neon Steering Knuckle Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Remove and Install a Steering Knuckle on 2002 Dodge Neon?

  A: First, press the brakes and hold them down, next raise the car and remove the front wheel and assembly to get at the steering knuckle. Take out the cotter pin, lock nut and spring washer from the hub nut, press the brake pedal, work the loosening bolt and then release the brake pedal. Take out the two guide pin bolts, lift the brake caliper up and tug it off the slide. Place the caliper out of reach, but make sure it isn't hung by its hose, then remove the clips on the wheel mounting studs and the brake rotor. With a wrench, hold the tie rod end stud and then loosen the attaching nut on the knuckle. With Remover, Special Tool MB991113, connect to the tie rod end and then detach it from the knuckle and get rid of the tie rod heat shield. After that, uncork the bolt that secures the ball joint stud to the steering knuckle, but make sure the bolts holding the strut assembly to the steering knuckle do not move. Sink a pin punch into the bolt hole, then take out the two bolts in the steering knuckle, but be careful not to damage the ball joint seal. Pry down on the lower control arm and up against the ball joint boss to remove the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle. Help support the driveshaft so the inner ON joint isn't separated, then remove the steering knuckle from the outer C/V joint splines on the driveshaft. If changing the steering knuckle, you must remove the hub and wheel bearing because the cartridge front wheel bearing cannot be transferred. Remove the hub, wheel bearing and steering knuckle as a unit and afterward, remove one wheel mounting stud from the hub flange using Remover, Special Tool 4150A. Place the hub on the bearing retainer plate so that the hub's hub aligns with the notch, then take out the stud. Fit one half of Special Tool 1130, Bearing Splitter, onto the hub, so that it aligns the threaded hole with the caliper rail on the steering knuckle. Place the rest of the Bearing Splitter parts and then use the nuts to secure everything. First, get the three connecting bolts to line up with the bearing splitter, then support the whole assembly on the arbor press and keep it in place with the bearing splitter. Press out the hub piece with Driver, Special Tool 6644-2 and this will likely remove the outer bearing race from the wheel bearing. Retrieve the bearing splitter and all three bolts holding the retainer plate, then use Bearing Driver, Special Tool MB-990799, to remove the wheel bearing from the knuckle. When assembling, wipe the open steering knuckle bore, insert the new wheel bearing and then press it in by using Receiver, Special Tool C-4698-2 and Driver, Special Tool 5052. Attach the bearing retainer plate and fasten the three bolts to 28 Nm (250 inch lbs.) of torque. After you remove the hub flange, insert the previous stud back in and press it until it's fully in place. Return the steering knuckle with the bearing to the arbor press and press it into the bearing so the hub fits within the bearings as square and snug as possible. Slide the hub onto the splines of the driveshaft C/V joint, line the knuckle with the ball joint stud and secure it with a new pinch bolt and nut after tightening to 95 Nm (70 ft. lbs.). Line up the bottom end of the strut with the top end of the steering knuckle and secure with two attaching bolts using nuts facing forward, then tighten to 53 Nm (40 ft. lbs.) plus 90° more turns. Set up the tie rod heat shield and then install and secure the outer tie rod ball stud. Secure your disc brake caliper to the rotor with the help of two guide pin bolts tightened to 22 Nm (192 inch lbs.). Wash the driving shaft outer C/V joint, install the hub nut and tighten it to 244 Nm (180 ft. lbs.) after a worker has applied brakes. Following this, place the spring washer, lock nut and cotter pin on the hub nut, fasten the cotter pin around the lock nut, fit the tire and wheel assembly, tighten the wheel bolts to 135 Nm (100 ft.-lb.), drop the vehicle and level the front toe.