Chrysler Dodge Caravan 2002 Manual page 47

2 - 24 FRONT SUSPENSION
STRUT (Continued)
Fig. 47 Hook Placement On Upper Seat
1 - HOOKS POSITIONED 1 INCH FROM EDGE
2 - PIVOT BEARING AND UPPER SEAT
(5) If the pivot bearing has been removed from the
upper seat, install the pivot bearing on the top of the
upper spring seat (Fig. 48). The bearing must be
installed on upper seat with the smaller diameter
side of the pivot bearing toward the spring seat. Be
sure the pivot bearing is sitting flat on the spring
seat once mounted.
Fig. 48 Pivot Bearing Installation
1 - PIVOT BEARING
2 - UPPER SEAT
(6) Install the spring isolator on the lower spring
seat of the strut (Fig. 38).
(7) Install the jounce bumper on the strut shaft
(Fig. 38). The jounce bumper is to be installed with
the small end pointing downward.
(8) Install the dust shield on the strut. Collapse
and stretch the dust shield down over the top of the
jounce bumper until the dust shield snaps into the
slot on the jounce bumper. The jounce bumper will be
at the top of the inner dust boot. Return the dust
shield to its fully extended length.
(9) Install the strut through the bottom of the coil
spring until the lower spring seat contacts the lower
end of the coil spring. The clevis bracket on the strut
should point straight outward away from the com-
pressor (to the 6 o'clock position). This position
should be within 5° of the lower end tip of the coil
spring (Fig. 49). If necessary, reposition the strut or
coil spring in the compressor so both of these line up
straight outward away from the compressor (to the 6
o'clock position). Install the clamp to hold the strut
and coil together.
Fig. 49 Coil Spring Positioning
1 - FRONT OF VEHICLE
2 - END OF RIGHT COIL SPRING AT STRUT LOWER SEAT
3 - LOWER SEATS OF STRUTS
4 - STRUT CLEVIS BRACKETS
5 - END OF LEFT COIL SPRING AT STRUT LOWER SEAT
(10) Install the strut mount over the strut shaft
and onto the top of the pivot bearing and upper seat
as shown (Fig. 44). Loosely install the retaining nut
on the strut shaft.
(11) Install Strut Nut Socket (on the end of a
torque wrench), Special Tool 6864, on the strut shaft
retaining nut (Fig. 45). Next, install a 10 mm socket
on the hex on the end of the strut shaft. While hold-
ing the strut shaft from turning, tighten the strut
shaft retaining nut to a torque of 100 N·m (75 ft.
lbs.).
NOTE: Before releasing the tension the compressor
has on the spring, using the following figure as ref-
erence (Fig. 50), make sure the upper spring seat,
coil spring and strut clevis bracket are all lined up
properly (within 5° of one another).
RS