Chrysler Sebring, Stratus sedan, Sebring Convertible. Manual - part 264

CAUTION: When striking the steering knuckle, do
not hit the heat shield covering the ball joint grease
seal. Bending the heat shield against the ball joint
grease seal will cause the grease seal to fail.

(9) Turn steering knuckle so front of it is facing as

far outboard in wheel well as possible. Using a ham-
mer, strike boss on steering knuckle (Fig. 9) until
steering knuckle separates from lower ball joint stud.

CAUTION: Care must be taken not to separate the
inner C/V joint during the following steps. Pulling
steering knuckle out from vehicle after releasing
from ball joint can separate inner C/V joint, thus
damaging it. Do not allow driveshaft to hang by
inner C/V joint; driveshaft must be supported upon
removal from knuckle.

(10) Lift up on steering knuckle separating it from

lower ball joint stud. Use caution when separat-
ing ball joint stud from steering knuckle so ball
joint seal does not get cut.

(11) Separate steering knuckle from outer C/V

joint. Separate steering knuckle from outer C/V joint
holding driveshaft in place while pulling steering
knuckle away from outer C/V joint (Fig. 10).

(12) Remove nut from upper ball joint stud.
(13) Remove upper ball joint stud from steering

knuckle using Puller, Special Tool, C-3894-A (Fig. 11).

(14) Remove steering knuckle from vehicle.
(15) If necessary, remove lower ball joint grease

seal heat shield on steering knuckle.

(16) If steering knuckle is being replaced and hub

and bearing is found to be in usable condition, it can

be transferred to replacement steering knuckle. To
remove the hub and bearing, (Refer to 2 - SUSPEN-
SION/FRONT/HUB / BEARING - REMOVAL).

INSTALLATION

(1) If required, install hub/bearing assembly into

steering knuckle before installing steering knuckle
on vehicle. (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/FRONT/HUB
/ BEARING - INSTALLATION)

(2) If removed, install lower ball joint grease seal

heat shield on steering knuckle.

Fig. 9 Separating Ball Joint Stud From Steering

1 - HAMMER
2 - BALL JOINT STUD
3 - STEERING KNUCKLE BOSS
4 - HEAT SHIELD
5 - LOWER CONTROL ARM

Fig. 10 Separating Steering knuckle from driveshaft

1 - HUB/BEARING
2 - BEARING SHIELD
3 - OUTER C/V JOINT
4 - STEERING KNUCKLE

Fig. 11 Ball Joint Stud Removal From Steering

Knuckle

1 - BALL JOINT
2 - BALL JOINT STUD
3 - SPECIAL TOOL C-3894-A
4 - SHOCK ABSORBER ASSEMBLY
5 - UPPER CONTROL ARM

FRONT SUSPENSION

2 - 9

KNUCKLE (Continued)

(3) Slide driveshaft into front hub/bearing assem-

bly as steering knuckle is installed onto lower ball
joint stud.

(4) Install lower ball joint castle nut. Do not

tighten at this time.

(5) Install upper ball joint in steering knuckle.

Install upper ball joint nut. Tighten upper ball joint
nut to 27 N·m (20 ft. lbs.) torque.

(6) Using a crowfoot and torque wrench, tighten

the lower ball joint nut 75 N·m (55 ft. lbs.) torque
(Fig. 8). Install cotter pin.

(7) Install

wheel

speed

sensor

cable

routing

bracket on steering knuckle (Fig. 7) and securely
tighten attaching bolt.

CAUTION: When installing tie rod on steering
knuckle, the heat shield (Fig. 12) must be installed.
If heat shield is not installed, tie rod seal boot can
fail due to excessive heat from brake rotor.

(8) Install outer tie rod stud into steering knuckle.

Start outer tie rod attaching nut onto tie rod stud.
While holding stud of tie rod stationary, tighten nut
using a crowfoot and socket to 55 N·m (40 ft. lbs.)
torque (Fig. 12).

(9) Install brake rotor, and caliper, shoes and

adapter assembly. (Refer to 5 - BRAKES/HYDRAU-
LIC/MECHANICAL/ROTORS - INSTALLATION)

(10) Clean all foreign matter from threads of outer

C/V joint stub axle. Install hub nut onto driveshaft
stub axle. With vehicle brakes applied to keep brak-
ing disc from turning, tighten hub nut to 203 N·m
(150 ft. lbs.) torque.

(11) Install front wheel and tire assembly. Install

front wheel lug nuts and progressively tighten in
crisscross sequence to 135 N·m (100 ft. lbs.) torque.

(12) Lower vehicle.
(13) Set front toe on vehicle to required specifica-

tion. (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/WHEEL ALIGN-
MENT - STANDARD PROCEDURE).

LOWER BALL JOINT

DESCRIPTION

The ball joint used in the lower control arm of this

vehicle is a sealed for life ball joint. The ball joint
can not be replaced as a separate component of the
lower control arm assembly. If the ball joint is deter-
mined to be defective it will require replacement of
the complete lower control arm assembly.

The lower ball joint connection to the steering

knuckle is achieved by an interference fit created by
the tapered stud of the ball joint and a tapered hole
in the steering knuckle. The ball joint stud is
retained in the steering knuckle using a castle nut
and a cotter pin. The cotter pin is used for positive
retention of the castle nut.

The lower ball joint is lubricated for life at the

time it is assembled in the lower control arm.

NOTE: The ball joint does not require any type of
additional lubrication for the life of the vehicle. No
attempt should be made to ever add any lubrication
to the lower ball joint.

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - LOWER BALL
JOINT

(1) Raise the vehicle on jack stands or centered on

a frame contact type hoist. (Refer to LUBRICATION
& MAINTENANCE/HOISTING - SERVICE PROCE-
DURE).

(2) Install a dial indicator on the vehicle so it is

contacting the top surface of the steering knuckle
near the lower ball joint stud castle nut.

(3) Grab wheel and tire assembly and push it up

and down firmly.

(4) Record the amount of up and down movement

of the steering knuckle recorded on the dial indicator.

(5) Replace lower control arm if the movement in

the lower control arm exceeds 1.5 mm (.059 in.).

Fig. 12 Torquing Tie Rod Attaching Nut

1 - HEAT SHIELD
2 - OUTER TIE ROD
3 - STEERING KNUCKLE
4 - TORQUE WRENCH
5 - 11/32 SOCKET
6 - CROWFOOT

2 - 10

FRONT SUSPENSION

KNUCKLE (Continued)

LOWER BALL JOINT SEAL
BOOT

REMOVAL

CAUTION: The replacement of the lower ball joint
seal boot can only be done in the event that the
seal boot is damaged while performing a service
procedure on the vehicle.

CAUTION: Under no circumstances can a lower ball
joint seal boot be replaced if it is determined that
the vehicle had been driven with the seal boot dam-
aged. If the vehicle has been driven with a damaged
seal boot contamination of the ball joint has
occurred. When contamination of the ball joint has
occurred the lower control arm must be replaced.
This is to ensure excessive wear of the ball joint
does not occur from the contamination present in
the ball joint.

CAUTION: Excessive wear in the ball joint can lead
to a separation of the ball joint from the lower con-
trol arm.

CAUTION: The procedure below must be carefully
followed when replacing the ball joint seal in the
event it is damaged while servicing a vehicle.

CAUTION: The ball joint used in the lower control
arm of this vehicle is a lubricated for life ball joint.
This ball joint does not required any additional
lubrication for the life of the vehicle. Do not alter
the lower control arm or ball joint in an attempt to
lubricate the lower control arm ball joint. If it is
determined that the ball joint is lacking proper lubri-
cation, the lower control arm will need to be
replaced.

(1) Remove lower control arm assembly from vehi-

cle. (Refer to 2 - SUSPENSION/FRONT/LOWER
CONTROL ARM - REMOVAL).

(2) Wrap a shop towel around the ball joint and

seal boot. This is to prevent dirt and cleaning solvent
to enter ball joint when cleaning area around ball
joint.

(3) Using ONLY a solvent such as Mopar Foamy

Engine Degreaser or an equivalent, thoroughly clean
lower control arm in area around ball joint and seal.
Then using a shop towel saturated with the engine
degreaser, carefully wipe off the ball joint seal boot.

(4) Using 2 screwdrivers (Fig. 13) remove the ball

joint seal retaining ring from the bottom of the ball
joint seal.

(5) Remove ball joint seal from ball joint.

INSTALLATION

CAUTION: The replacement of the lower ball joint
seal boot can only be done in the event that the
seal boot is damaged while performing a service
procedure on the vehicle.

CAUTION: Excessive wear in the ball joint can lead
to a separation of the ball joint from the lower con-
trol arm.

CAUTION: The procedure below must be carefully
followed when replacing the ball joint seal in the
event it is damaged while servicing a vehicle.

Fig. 13 Removing Ball Joint Seal Retaining Ring

1 - UPPER SEALING RING
2 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
3 - BALL JOINT
4 - SCREWDRIVERS
5 - BALL JOINT SEAL RETAINING RING
6 - BALL JOINT SEAL

FRONT SUSPENSION

2 - 11

CAUTION: When replacing ball joint seal, do not
use any other type of grease to lubricate ball joint
other than the lubricant provided in the Mopar Ball
Joint Seal service kit.

(1) Apply grease from the ball joint seal kit, to the

specified areas of the ball joint stud and seal (Fig.
14). Be sure no grease is present on the seal boot
installation section of the seal boot or lower control
arm (Fig. 14).

(2) Slide ball joint seal boot with upper seal ring

installed, (Fig. 14) down tapered section of ball joint
stud (Fig. 14). Seal boot is to be installed on stud of
ball joint until seal boot is sitting on seal groove in
lower control arm.

(3) Carefully position ball joint seal boot in seal

retaining groove on lower control arm. After install-
ing seal boot in retaining groove, carefully bleed air
out of sealing boot without getting grease pushed
into seal boot retaining groove in lower control arm.

(4) Place Retaining Ring Installer, Special Tool,

6875-1 over ball joint seal boot (Fig. 15). Using
adjusting knob, adjust tool so bottom edge of tool is
even with top of retaining ring groove in seal boot
(Fig. 15).

(5) Place seal boot retaining ring on Installer, Spe-

cial Tool, 6875- 1 (Fig. 16). Then place expandable
collar from Installer, Special Tool, 6875 over tapered
cone of the special tool (Fig. 16).

Fig. 14 Grease Correctly Applied To Ball Joint Stud

And Seal Boot

1 - UPPER SEALING RING
2 - LIP
3 - GREASE
4 - BALL JOINT STUD TAPERED SECTION
5 - GREASE
6 - BOOT INSTALLATION SECTION
Wipe off the grease.
7 - BOOT INSTALLATION SECTION
Wipe off the grease.
8 - BALL JOINT SEAL BOOT

Fig. 15 Correctly Installed Ball Joint Seal Retaining

Ring Tool

1 - SPECIAL TOOL 6875-1
2 - ADJUSTING KNOB
3 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
4 - SEAL BOOT RETAINING RING GROOVE
5 - BOTTOM EDGE OF TOOL MUST BE EVEN WITH TOP OF
RETAINING RING GROOVE IN SEAL BOOT AS SHOWN

2 - 12

FRONT SUSPENSION

LOWER BALL JOINT SEAL BOOT (Continued)

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