OEM 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser Front Cross-Member

2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser Front Cross-Member Parts and Q&A

• Q: How to Remove and Reinstall the Front Cross-Member on 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser?

  A: Before you remove the front suspension crossmember, make sure that the car is up and that the front tire and wheel assemblies are gone. Hold the upper retainer/nut with a wrench and rotate the link bolt to remove the stabilizer bar link, then remove the bolts from both cushion retainers and the cushioned stabilizer bar. Unscrew the nut and pinch bolt that clamp the ball joint stud to the steering knuckle, making sure to keep the knuckle in place so you don't pull out the inner c/v joint from the driveshaft. Loosen each ball joint stud by pushing the lower control arm down and the ball stud boss up. With a wrench removed the screws holding the cooler to the front crossmember, so it will swing to the side. Secure the power steering gear with wire or a bungee cord so it doesn't drop when you lower the crossmember. Unfasten the four bolts that hold the power steering to the front crossmember. After that, remove the pencil strut coming out of the right front side of the crossmember. Loosen the screws at the front of the car to get the drive belt splash shield loose and then remove it. Take out the engine torque strut bolt from the right front corner of the front suspension crossmember. Write a marker line on the body to show exactly where the front suspension crossmember should be placed during reinstallation. Put a transmission jack beneath the front suspension crossmember's center and raise it high enough to support the member. Remove all six bolts connecting the front suspension crossmember and lower control arms to the body and then remove the two bolts through the isolator bushings underneath the lower control arms enough to remove the tapping plates from the body. Take out each rear upper control arm bolt, end rivet, as well as the four lower bolts that hold the crossmember to the front suspension. As the first step for installation, set the lower control arms on the front suspension crossmember and then attach the pivot bolts without tightening them completely. Lift the front suspension crossmember and lower control arms until you see that they contact their points of attachment, securing the power steering gear as you go. Place the two crossmember bolts through the lower control arm bushings into the tapping plates and afterward install the four mounting bolts. Tighten all six mounting bolts just lightly to about 2 N.m (20 in. lbs.). Set the front suspension crossmember at the position shown by the earlier markings, tighten two bolts at the rear of the control arm bushings to 250 N.m (185 ft. lbs.) and then tighten the other four bolts to 153 N.m (120 ft. lbs.). Bolts at the lower control arm front pivot should be tightened to 163 N.m (120 ft. lbs.) and the wire or bungee, holding the power steering gear in place, can be removed. Connect the steering gear to the front suspension crossmember and set the four power steering gear bolts at 61 N.m (45 ft. lbs.). Prevail on the cooler screws, then fit each ball joint stud into the steering knuckle by lining up the bolt hole with the ball joint's notch. Replace the old ball joint stud pinch bolt and nut with new parts, turning the nut until the angular reading reaches 95 N.m (70 ft. lbs.). Tighten the engine torque strut to the right front corner of the suspension crossmember, applying the correct alignment and tightening steps. The washer is placed on the end of the stud attached to the torque strut bolt and the pencil strut is screwed in and tightened to 58 N.m (43 ft. lbs.). Reattach the drive-belt splash shield with all its fasteners and then install all screws around the front fascia. Confirm the stabilizer bar is right side up, then place it under the frame of the front suspension, making sure those holes in the life are pointed toward the vehicle's front. Fit the cushion retainers over the raised beads and put in the bolts, but don't tighten them yet. First insert the bushings on the stabilizer bar links and turn the bolt in by hand, but don't tighten anything just yet. Install the tire and wheel assemblies back in place, tighten the wheel mounting nuts to 135 N.m (100 ft. lbs.) and slowly lower the car. Secure the link on each stabilizer bar by holding the upper nut with a wrench and turning the bolt to 28 N.m (20 ft. lbs.) and after that, tighten the cushion retainer bolts to 28 N.m (20 ft. lbs.). Also, you should inspect the wheel alignment at the front.