Dodge RAM 1500 1998 Owner's Manual page 54

DR
KNUCKLE (Continued)
(8) Remove the hub/bearing from the steering
knuckle (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/FRONT/HUB /
BEARING - REMOVAL).
INSTALLATION
CAUTION: The ball joint stud tapers must be
CLEAN and DRY before installing the knuckle.
Clean the stud tapers with mineral spirits to remove
dirt and grease.
NOTE: When installing hub/bearing with ABS
brakes, position the speed sensor opening towards
the front of the vehicle.
(1) Install the hub/bearing to the steering knuckle
and tighten the bolts to 163 N·m (120 ft. lbs.)(LD) or
176 N·m (130 ft. lbs.)(HD 4X2) (Fig. 19).
(2) Install the knuckle onto the upper and lower
ball joints (Fig. 19).
Fig. 19 STEERING KNUCKLE
1 - STEERING KNUCKLE
2 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
3 - LOWER BALL JOINT NUT
(3) Install the upper and lower ball joint nuts.
Tighten the upper ball joint nut to 54 N·m (40 ft.
lbs.) (on 1500 series only an additional 90° turn is
required) and the lower ball joint nut to 52 N·m (38
ft. lbs.)(on 1500 series only an additional 90° turn is
required)(LD) or 135 N·m (100 ft. lbs.)(HD 4X2).
(4) Remove the hydraulic jack from the lower sus-
pension arm.
(5) Install the tie rod end and tighten the nut to
61 N·m (45 ft. lbs.).
(6) Install the front halfshaft into the hub/bearing
(if equipped).
(7) Install the the halfshaft nut and tighten to 251
N·m (185 ft. lbs.) (if equipped).
FRONT - INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION
(8) Install the ABS wheel speed sensor if equipped
(Refer to 5
WHEEL SPEED SENSOR - INSTALLATION) and
brake shield, rotor and caliper (Refer to 5 - BRAKES/
HYDRAULIC/MECHANICAL/ROTORS - INSTALLA-
TION).
(9) Install the wheel and tire assembly (Refer to 22
- TIRES/WHEELS/WHEELS - STANDARD PROCE-
DURE).
(10) Remove the support and lower the vehicle.
(11) Perform a wheel alignment (Refer to 2 - SUS-
PENSION/WHEEL
PROCEDURE).
LOWER BALL JOINT
DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - LOWER BALL
JOINT
NOTE: If the ball joint is equipped with a lubrication
fitting, grease the joint then road test the vehicle
before performing test.
(1) Raise the front of the vehicle. Place safety floor
stands under both lower control arms as far outboard
as possible. Lower the vehicle to allow the stands to
support some or all of the vehicle weight.
(2) Mount a dial indicator solidly to the topside of
the lower control arm and then zero the dial indica-
tor.
(3) Position the indicator plunger against the bot-
tom surface of the steering knuckle.
NOTE: The dial indicator plunger must be perpen-
dicular to the machined surface of the steering
knuckle.
(4) Position a pry bar under the tire assembly. Pry
upwards on the tire assembly.
(5) If the travel exceeds 0.5 mm (0.020 in.), replace
the lower ball joint (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/
FRONT/LOWER BALL JOINT - REMOVAL).
REMOVAL
(1) Remove the tire and wheel assembly.
(2) Remove the brake caliper and rotor (Refer to 5
- BRAKES/HYDRAULIC/MECHANICAL/ROTORS -
REMOVAL).
(3) Disconnect the tie rod from the steering
knuckle (Refer to 19 - STEERING/LINKAGE/TIE
ROD END - REMOVAL).
(4) Remove the steering knuckle (Fig. 20)(Refer to
2 - SUSPENSION/FRONT/KNUCKLE - REMOVAL).
(5) Move the halfshaft to the side and support the
halfshaft out of the way (If Equipped).
- BRAKES/ELECTRICAL/FRONT
ALIGNMENT -
2 - 19
STANDARD