B
80
Repair and Service Manual
FRONT SUSPENSION AND STEERING
Read all of SAFETY and this section before attempting any procedure. Pay particular attention to Notices, Cautions, Warnings and Dangers.
653045
MAINTENANCE
NOTICE: Hardware that is removed must always be
installed in its original position unless otherwise
specified. If torque values are not specified, refer to
the Torque Specifications table in the GENERAL
INFORMATION AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE sec-
tion.
Routine maintenance of the front suspension and steer-
ing consists of:
•
Periodic inspections for loose, worn or damaged
components
•
Alignment checks
•
Lubrication of ball joints and wheel bearings
See Lubrication Points in the
GENERAL INFORMATION
& ROUTINE MAINTENANCE s e ction and Pe riodic S e r-
vice S che dule Table in PERIODIC S ERVICE S CHEDULE
section. Maintain correct adjustment of the front bearings.
Repack in accordance with the Periodic Service Sched-
ule, or if a bearing replacement is required. Routine
examination of tires provides indications of a required
alignment.
Lubrication
Tool List
Quantity
Grease Pump ..............................................................1
Shop Towels .............................................................AR
Apply grease to the rack ball joint (1) (Figure 2). Wipe off
old grease and dirt from the grease fitting. Do not use
more than three (3) pumps of grease in any grease fitting.
Wipe off grease that is forced out of the rubber boot.
Figure 2 Lubrication Points
Do not use more than three (3)
pumps of grease in any grease fit-
ting at any one time. Excess grease
can cause grease seals to fail, or grease to move
into areas that could damage components.
Wheel Bearing and King Pin Bushing
Inspection
To decrease the risk of possible
injury or death resulting from a
vehicle falling from a jack, follow
the lifting procedure in SAFETY section of this man-
ual. Be sure vehicle is on a firm and level surface.
Never get under a vehicle while it is supported by a
jack. Use jack stands and test stability of vehicle on
stands before starting any repair procedure. Always
place chocks in front and behind wheels not being
raised. Use extreme care since the vehicle is
extremely unstable during the lifting process.
Lift the front of the vehicle and support on jack stands as
instructed in SAFETY section. Observe all warnings.
Rotate the front wheel and feel for any roughness. While
holding the spindle with one hand, grasp the bottom of the
tire with other hand and rock the tire back and forth on the
spindle.
NOTICE: Some minor rocking movement of the tire
is normal.
If excess movement is detected, the wheel bearing may
require repacking/adjusting or replacement. For instruc-
tions on wheel bearing packing and wheel bearing adjust-
ment, refer to Wheel Bearing Packing.
If the wheel bearing is in good condition, a worn spindle
bearing is indicated. The spindle bearings cannot be
replaced. Spindles with pre-installed bearings are avail-
able through the service parts department. See Spindle
Wheel Bearing Packing
Tool List
Quantity
Grease Pump...............................................................1
Bearing Packer (Recommended).................................1
Lift the front of the vehicle and support on jack stands as
instructed in the SAFETY section. Observe all warnings.
Remove the hub assembly (1) from the spindle and disas-
semble (Figure 3).
Clean all bearings (2), grease seal (3), hub (4) and dust
cap (5) in solvent (Figure 13). Dry thoroughly.
Inspect bearings (3) for signs of damage. Pitting or a blue
coloration of the rollers indicates bearing replacement is
necessary. If the roller portion of the bearing is to be
replaced, the race (2) must also be replaced. (Figure 3).
The front wheel bearings are tapered roller type and must
be packed with grease at installation or any time the bear-
ing is removed for inspection.
Front of Vehicle
1