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Chrysler RG Voyager. Manual - part 632

REMOVAL

(1) Remove steering knuckle from vehicle. (Refer

SUSPENSION/FRONT/KNUCKLE

REMOVAL)

(2) Using a screwdriver or other suitable tool, pry

seal boot off of ball joint (Fig. 17).

(3) Inspect ball joint for evidence of dirt or water

intrusion and wipe clean as necessary. If dirt or
water intrusion is extreme and joint cannot be prop-
erly cleaned, lower control arm will need to be
replaced.

(Refer

SUSPENSION/FRONT/

LOWER CONTROL ARM - REMOVAL)

REMOVAL - EXPORT

(1) Remove steering knuckle from vehicle. (Refer

SUSPENSION/FRONT/KNUCKLE

REMOVAL)

(2) Remove shield from seal boot by gently pulling

on it.

(3) Using a screw driver or other suitable tool, pry

seal boot off lower ball joint.

INSTALLATION

(1) Place a liberal dab of Mopar

t Wheel Bearing

Grease around base of ball joint stud at socket.

(2) Install a NEW seal boot by hand as far as pos-

sible on ball joint. Ensure seal boot shield is posi-
tioned outward from control arm as shown (Fig. 18).

CAUTION: Do not use an arbor press to install seal
boot on ball joint. Damage to seal boot will occur if
excessive pressure is applied while it is being
installed.

(3) Place Installer, Special Tool 6758, over top of

seal boot and squarely align it with bottom edge of
seal boot (Fig. 19). Apply hand pressure (or gently
tap with a hammer if necessary) to top of Installer
until seal boot is pressed squarely down against top
surface of lower control arm.

(4) Wipe any grease off ball joint stem using a

clean shop towel with Mopar

t Brake Parts Cleaner

applied to it.

CAUTION: Do not attempt to install a normal grease
zirc in ball joint in an effort to lubricate joint
through zirc fitting.

(5) Install steering knuckle on vehicle. (Refer to 2 -

SUSPENSION/FRONT/KNUCKLE

INSTALLA-

TION)

INSTALLATION - EXPORT

(1) Place a liberal dab of Mopar

t Wheel Bearing

Grease around the base of the ball joint stem at the
socket.

(2) Install a NEW seal boot by hand as far as pos-

sible on the ball joint.

Fig. 17 Ball Joint Seal Boot Removal

1 - BALL JOINT STUD
2 - SCREWDRIVER
3 - SEAL BOOT

Fig. 18 Ball Joint Seal Boot Installed Position

1 - BALL JOINT STUD
2 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
3 - SEAL BOOT SHIELD

FRONT SUSPENSION

2 - 11

LOWER BALL JOINT SEAL BOOT (Continued)

CAUTION: Do not use an arbor press to install the
sealing boot on the ball joint. Damage to the seal-
ing boot will occur if excessive pressure is applied
to the sealing boot when it is being installed.

(3) Place Installer, Special Tool 6758, over seal

boot and squarely align it with bottom edge of seal
boot (Fig. 20). Apply hand pressure to Special Tool
6758 until seal boot is pressed squarely against top
surface of lower control arm.

(4) Wipe any grease off the ball joint stem.

(5) Place the shield over the top of the seal boot

and stretch it into the groove at the top of the seal
boot.

CAUTION: Do not attempt to install a normal grease
zirc in the ball joint and lubricate the joint through
the zirc fitting.

(6) Reinstall steering knuckle on vehicle. (Refer to

2 - SUSPENSION/FRONT/KNUCKLE - INSTALLA-
TION)

LOWER CONTROL ARM

DESCRIPTION

The lower control arm is mounted to the front sus-

pension crossmember using a pivot bolt through the
center of the front pivot bushing, and the front sus-
pension cradle crossmember reinforcement traps the
rear bushing in the crossmember (Fig. 1).

The lower control arm is an iron casting with two

rubber bushings and a ball joint. The lower control
arm front bushing is the spool type and is pressed
into the lower control arm. The standard (Low-line,
High-line) lower control arm rear bushing is a
push-on bushing that is pushed over a stem on the
rear of the lower control arm. The lower control arm
rear bushing used on all other models is a hydro-
bushing that is pressed on. It has liquid filled voids
that provide more effective dampening than the stan-
dard bushing. Vehicles with rear hydro-bushings uti-
lize a different lower control arm than vehicles with
standard bushings. They have a straight slightly
tapered round stem where the hydro-bushing is
mounted whereas the standard arm has a straight
stem with a squared knob on the end to retain the
bushing.

The lower control arm ball joint is pressed into the

outer end of the arm. The ball joint has a tapered
stud and retainer nut for fastening it to the steering
knuckle.

OPERATION

The lower control arm supports the lower end of

the steering knuckle and allows for the up and down
movement of the suspension during the jounce and
rebound travel. The lower control arm ball joint con-
nects the arm to the steering knuckle.

REMOVAL - LOWER CONTROL ARM

(1) Raise vehicle. (Refer to LUBRICATION &

MAINTENANCE/HOISTING - STANDARD PROCE-
DURE)

(2) Remove wheel and tire assembly.
(3) Remove the steering knuckle. (Refer to 2 -

SUSPENSION/FRONT/KNUCKLE - REMOVAL)

Fig. 19 Installer Positioned On Ball Joint Seal Boot

1 - INSTALLER 6758
2 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
3 - SEAL BOOT SHIELD

Fig. 20 Installing Ball Joint Seal Boot (Typical)

1 - SHIELD (NOT ON RG VEHICLE)
2 - SPECIAL TOOL 6758
3 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
4 - BALL JOINT SEAL BOOT

2 - 12

FRONT SUSPENSION

LOWER BALL JOINT SEAL BOOT (Continued)

(4) Remove the bolts fastening the power steering

cooler to the front suspension cradle crossmember
reinforcement (Fig. 21).

(5) Remove the lower control arm rear bushing

retainer bolts located on each side of each lower con-
trol arm rear bushing.

NOTE: The bolts fastening the cradle crossmember
reinforcement are of three different thread sizes.
Note the location of the various sizes.

(6) Remove the bolts attaching the cradle cross-

member reinforcement to the front suspension cradle
crossmember (Fig. 22). Remove the 2 bolts fastening
the reinforcement and rear of cradle crossmember to
the body of the vehicle. Remove the reinforcement.

(7) Remove the pivot bolt attaching the front bush-

ing of the lower control arm to the front suspension
cradle crossmember.

(8) Remove the lower control arm.

DISASSEMBLY

DISASSEMBLY - LOWER CONTROL ARM
(REAR BUSHING - STANDARD)

(1) Remove the lower control arm from the front

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

(2) Mount the lower control arm in a vise without

using excessive clamping force.

(3) Using a sharp knife (such as a razor), slit the

bushing lengthwise (Fig. 23) to allow its removal
from the lower control arm (Fig. 23).

(4) Remove the bushing from the lower control

arm.

DISASSEMBLY - LOWER CONTROL ARM
(REAR BUSHING - HYDRO)

(1) Remove the lower control arm from the front

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

(2) Mount the lower control arm in a vise without

using excessive clamping force.

(3) Install Remover, Special Tool 8460, on hydro-

bushing as shown (Fig. 24). Removal Pin, Special
Tool 8460–3, must extend though hole in center of
bushing rear.

(4) Tighten forcing screw of Bridge (Special Tool

8460–1), removing bushing from lower control arm.

Fig. 21 Power Steering Cooler

1 - CRADLE CROSSMEMBER REINFORCEMENT
2 - POWER STEERING COOLER

Fig. 22 Cradle Crossmember Reinforcement

Attachment

1 - STEERING GEAR
2 - RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM
3 - LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM
4 - CRADLE CROSSMEMBER REINFORCEMENT
5 - REAR CRADLE CROSSMEMBER ISOLATOR BUSHING
6 - STABILIZER BAR
7 - CRADLE CROSSMEMBER

FRONT SUSPENSION

2 - 13

LOWER CONTROL ARM (Continued)

INSPECTION - LOWER CONTROL ARM

Inspect lower control arm for signs of damage from

contact with the ground or road debris. If lower con-
trol arm shows any sign of damage, inspect lower
control arm for distortion. Do not attempt to repair
or straighten a broken or bent lower control arm. If
damaged, the lower control arm casting is serviced
only as a complete component.

Inspect both lower control arm isolator bushings

for severe deterioration, and replace as required.
Inspect the rear hydro-bushing for seepage. Both
type rear bushings are serviceable. If the front bush-
ing fails, the lower control arm must be replaced.

Inspect and test the ball joint per the procedure

listed in Lower Ball Joint. (Refer to 2 - SUSPEN-

SION/FRONT/LOWER BALL JOINT - DIAGNOSIS
AND TESTING)

ASSEMBLY

ASSEMBLY - LOWER CONTROL ARM (REAR
BUSHING - STANDARD)

CAUTION: Do not apply grease or any other type of
lubricant other than the silicone lubricant specified
below to the control arm bushing.

(1) Apply Mopar Silicone Spray Lube or an equiv-

alent, to the hole in lower control arm rear bushing.
This will aid in the installation of the bushing on the
lower control arm.

(2) With the lower control arm held securely in a

vise, install bushing on lower control arm. Install
bushing by pushing and rocking the bushing until it
is fully installed on lower control arm. Be sure that
when bushing is installed it is past the upset on the
end of the lower control arm (Fig. 25).

(3) The rear bushing of the lower control arm,

when correctly installed, is to be positioned on the
lower control arm as shown (Fig. 25).

(4) Install lower control arm on vehicle. (Refer to 2

- SUSPENSION/FRONT/LOWER CONTROL ARM -
INSTALLATION)

Fig. 23 Slit Lower Control Arm Rear Bushing

1 - REAR BUSHING
2 - SLIT CUT IN BUSHING
3 - LOWER CONTROL ARM

Fig. 24 HYDRO-BUSHING REMOVAL

1 - REMOVAL PIN (8460-3)
2 - BRIDGE (8460-1)
3 - HYDRO-BUSHING
4 - LOWER CONTROL ARM

Fig. 25 Correctly Installed Lower Control Arm

Bushing

1 - ROUND SURFACE OF BUSHING
2 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
3 - LOWER CONTROL ARM REAR BUSHING
4 - UPSET
5 - FLAT SURFACE OF BUSHING

2 - 14

FRONT SUSPENSION

LOWER CONTROL ARM (Continued)

Content .. 630 631 632 633 ..