Dodge RAM 1500 1998 Owner's Manual page 63

2 - 28 FRONT - INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION
UPPER CONTROL ARM
REMOVAL
(1) Raise and support vehicle.
(2) Remove wheel and tire assembly.
(3) Remove the nut from upper ball joint.
(4) Separate upper ball joint from the steering
knuckle with Remover 8677 (Fig. 33)
CAUTION: When installing Remover 8677 to sepa-
rate the ball joint, be careful not to damage the ball
joint seal.
Fig. 33 UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATION
1 - UPPER CONTROL ARM
2 - REMOVER
3 - STEERING KNUCKLE
(5) Remove the control arm pivot bolts and remove
control arm (Fig. 34).
Fig. 34 UPPER CONTROL ARM
1 - REAR PIVOT BOLT
2 - FRONT PIVOT BOLT
3 - UPPER CONTROL ARM
INSTALLATION
(1) Position the control arm into the frame brack-
ets. Install bolts and tighten to 132 N·m (97 ft.
lbs.)(LD) or 170 N·m (125 ft. lbs.)(HD 4X2 only).
(2) Insert the ball joint in steering knuckle and
tighten the upper ball joint nut to 54 N·m (40 ft.
lbs.)(on 1500 series only an additional 90° turn is
required).
(3) Install the wheel and tire assembly,(Refer to 22
- TIRES/WHEELS/WHEELS - STANDARD PROCE-
DURE).
(4) Remove the support and lower vehicle.
(5) Perform a wheel alignment, (Refer to 2 - SUS-
PENSION/WHEEL ALIGNMENT
PROCEDURE).
DR
- STANDARD