Chevrolet 1980 Light Duty Truck Service Manual page 293

FREE POSITION
LOCK
Fig. 3C-5K--Hub Key Position - Typical
See NOTICE on page 1 of this section.
NOTICE:
KNUCKLE
K10, K20, (W ITH BALL JOINTS)
Removal
1. Remove hub and spindle components as outlined
earlier.
2. If the steering arm is to be removed, disconnect the
tie rod.
a. Remove cotter pin.
b. Loosen tie rod nuts and tap on nut with a soft
hammer to break the studs loose from the knuckle arm.
Fig. 3 C -6K -R e m o v in g Spindle and T hrust W a s h e r
FRONT SUSPENSION
c. Remove nuts and disconnect the tie rod. If it is
necessary to remove the steering arm, discard the self­
locking nuts (Fig. 3C-9K) and replace with new nuts at
assembly.
3. Remove the cotter pin from the upper ball socket
nut.
4. Remove the retaining nuts from the upper and lower
ball sockets as shown in Figure 3C-10K.
5. Remove the knuckle assembly from the yoke by
inserting a suitable wedge-shaped tool between the lower
ball stud and the yoke and tapping on the tool to release
the knuckle assembly. Repeat as required at the upper ball
stud location.
Ball Joint Service
NOTICE: Do not remove the yoke upper ball stud
adjusting sleeve unless new ball studs are being
installed. If it is necessary to loosen the sleeve to
remove the knuckle, do not loosen it more than two
threads using Spanner J-23447 as shown in Figure 3C-
15K. The nonhardened threads in the yoke can be
easily damaged by the hardened threads in the
adjusting sleeve if caution is not used during knuckle
removal.
Remove the lower ball joint snap ring before beginning.
Lower ball joint must be removed before any service can be
performed on the upper ball joint.
1. Remove the lower ball joint using tools J-9519-10,
J-23454-1, and sleeve J-6382-3 or equivalent as shown in
Figure 3C-11K.
If Tool J-6382-3 is not available, a suitable tool may
be fabricated from 63.50 mm (2-1/2") O.D. steel tubing
with 4.75 mm (3/16") wall thickness, cut 63.50 mm (2-1/
2") long.
2. Remove the upper ball joint using tools J-9519-10,
J-23454-1, and sleeve J-6382-3 or equivalent as shown in
Figure 3C-12K.
3. Install the lower ball joint into the knuckle. Make
sure that the lower ball joint (the joint without cotter pin
hole in the stud end) is straight. Press the stud into the
knuckle until properly seated using tools J-9519-10, J-
23454-2, and J-6382-3 or equivalent as shown in Figure 3C-
13K and install snap ring.
4. Install the upper ball joint into the knuckle. Press
the stud into the knuckle until properly seated using Tools
J-9519-10, J-23454-2, and J-6382-3 or equivalent as shown
in Figure 3C-14K.
Installation
NOTICE: See NOTICE on page 1 of this section
regarding the fasteners in the following steps.
1. Position the knuckle and sockets to the yoke. Install
new nuts finger tight to the upper (the nut with the cotter
pin slot) and lower ball socket studs.
2. Push up on the knuckle (to keep the ball socket from
turning in the knuckle) while tightening the lower socket
retaining nut. Torque lower nut to 95 N-m (70 ft. lbs.).
3C-29
LIG H T T R U CK S ER V IC E M AN U AL