Chrysler 300M, Dodge Interpid. Manual — part 11

(4) Carefully insert a pry bar between lower con-

trol arm and steering knuckle (Fig. 25). Push down
on pry bar to separate ball joint stud from steering
knuckle (Fig. 25).

(5) Remove tension strut to cradle attaching nut

and washer from end of tension strut (Fig. 26). When
removing tension strut nut, keep strut from turning
by holding tension strut at flat using an open end
wrench (Fig. 26). Discard tension strut to cradle
retaining nut. A NEW tension strut to cradle
nut must be used when installing tension strut.

(6) Loosen and remove lower control arm pivot

bushing to cradle assembly pivot bolt (Fig. 27).

(7) Remove lower control arm and tension strut

from the cradle as an assembly. Remove them from
cradle by first removing pivot bushing end from cra-
dle and then sliding tension strut out of isolator
bushing (Fig. 28) (Fig. 29).

(8) Remove tension strut to control arm retaining

nut and washer from end of tension strut (Fig. 29).
While removing nut, keep strut from turning by hold-
ing tension strut at flat using an open end wrench.
Discard the retaining nut. A NEW nut must be
used when installing tension strut.

(9) Separate the tension strut from the lower con-

trol arm.

Fig. 25 Separating Ball Joint From Steering Knuckle

1 - STEERING KNUCKLE
2 - BALL JOINT STUD
3 - PRY BAR
4 - LOWER CONTROL ARM

Fig. 26 Tension Strut To Cradle Mounting

1 - NUT
2 - WASHER
3 - TENSION STRUT
4 - CRADLE ASSEMBLY
5 - ISOLATOR BUSHING
6 - FLAT

Fig. 27 Lower Control Arm Pivot Bolt

1 - CRADLE ASSEMBLY
2 - PIVOT BOLT
3 - LOWER CONTROL ARM

Fig. 28 Lower Control Arm Removal/Installation

1 - ISOLATOR BUSHING
2 - TENSION STRUT
3 - CRADLE
4 - PIVOT BUSHING
5 - LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKET
6 - LOWER CONTROL ARM

LH

FRONT SUSPENSION

2 - 13

LOWER CONTROL ARM (Continued)

DISASSEMBLY

DISASSEMBLY - LOWER CONTROL ARM
(PIVOT BUSHING)

(1) Remove lower control arm and tension strut as

an assembly from the vehicle.

(2) Separate the tension strut from the lower con-

trol arm assembly.

(3) Position lower control arm in arbor press with

large end of pivot bushing inside Receiver, Special
Tool

MB-990799,

as

shown

(Fig.

30).

Position

Remover, Special Tool 6644-2, on top of pivot bushing
(Fig. 30).

(4) Using the arbor press, press the lower control

arm pivot bushing out of lower control arm.

(5) Remove the pressed out lower control arm

pivot bushing from the Receiver and discard.

DISASSEMBLY - LOWER CONTROL ARM
(TENSION STRUT BUSHING)

(1) Remove lower control arm and tension strut as

an assembly from the vehicle. See Lower Control
Arm/Removal in this section.

(2) Separate the tension strut from the lower con-

trol arm assembly.

(3) Position lower control arm in arbor press with

tension strut bushing inside Receiver, Special Tool
MB-990799, as shown (Fig. 31). Position Remover,
Special Tool 6644-4, on top of tension strut bushing
(Fig. 31).

(4) Lower the arbor press ram, pressing Remover,

Special Tool 6644-4, down through the tension strut
bushing until the arbor press can push it no farther.
This action will cut the bushing into two pieces.

(5) Remove lower control arm from arbor press.

Remove pieces of tension strut and Remover, Special
Tool 6644-4, from lower control arm.

Fig. 29 Lower Control Arm And Tension Strut

1 - BALL JOINT STUD
2 - BALL JOINT SEAL
3 - LOWER CONTROL ARM TENSION STRUT BUSHING
4 - NUT
5 - TENSION STRUT
6 - TENSION STRUT TO CRADLE ISOLATOR BUSHING
7 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
8 - LOWER CONTROL ARM PIVOT BUSHING
9 - WORD

9

FRONT

9

STAMPED IN CONTROL ARM HERE

Fig. 30 Lower Control Arm Pivot Bushing

1 - ARBOR PRESS RAM
2 - SPECIAL TOOL 6644-2
3 - SPECIAL TOOL MB990799
4 - PIVOT BUSHING
5 - LOWER CONTROL ARM

Fig. 31 Removing Lower Control Arm Tension Strut

Bushing

1 - ARBOR PRESS RAM
2 - SPECIAL TOOL 6644-4
3 - SPECIAL TOOL MB990799
4 - TENSION STRUT BUSHING
5 - LOWER CONTROL ARM

2 - 14

FRONT SUSPENSION

LH

LOWER CONTROL ARM (Continued)

ASSEMBLY

ASSEMBLY - LOWER CONTROL ARM (PIVOT
BUSHING)

(1) Position the lower control arm so it is sup-

ported by Receiver, Special Tool MB-990799, as
shown (Fig. 32).

(2) Place new pivot bushing in lower control arm

so it is square with the bushing hole. Position
Installer, Special Tool 6644-1, on top of pivot bushing,
with pivot bushing setting in recessed area of
Installer (Fig. 32).

(3) Press pivot bushing into lower control arm

until Installer, Special Tool 6644-1, squarely bottoms
against surface of lower control arm (Fig. 33). At that
point, the bushing is installed to the correct position
in control arm.

(4) Attach tension strut to lower control arm and

install on car as an assembly. See Lower Control
Arm/Installation.

ASSEMBLY - LOWER CONTROL ARM
(TENSION STRUT BUSHING)

(1) Thoroughly lubricate the replacement tension

strut bushing, lower control arm and Installer, Spe-
cial Tool 6644-3, using Mopar

t Rubber Bushing

Installation Lube, or an equivalent.

(2) By hand, install tension strut bushing into

large end of Installer, Special Tool 6644-3. Press
bushing into installer as far as it will go by hand.

(3) Position lower control arm in arbor press, so

tension strut hole in lower control arm is centered on
Receiver, Special Tool MB-990799 (Fig. 34). Position
Installer,

Special

Tool

6644-3

(with

previously

installed bushing) inside of tension strut bushing
hole in lower control arm (Fig. 34). Position Installer,
Special Tool 6644-2 on top of tension strut bushing
(Fig. 34).

Fig. 32 Installing Lower Control Arm Pivot Bushing

1 - ARBOR PRESS RAM
2 - SPECIAL TOOL 6644-1
3 - SPECIAL TOOL MB990799
4 - PIVOT BUSHING
5 - TENSION STRUT BUSHING
6 - LOWER CONTROL ARM

Fig. 33 Pivot Bushing

1 - SPECIAL TOOL 6644-1
2 - SPECIAL TOOL MB990799
3 - PRESS PIVOT BUSHING INTO LOWER CONTROL ARM
UNTIL INSTALLER TOUCHES THIS SURFACE OF CONTROL
ARM

Fig. 34 Installing Tension Strut Bushing Into Lower

Control Arm

1 - ARBOR PRESS
2 - SPECIAL TOOL 6644-2
3 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
4 - SPECIAL TOOL 6644-3
5 - SPECIAL TOOL MB990799

LH

FRONT SUSPENSION

2 - 15

LOWER CONTROL ARM (Continued)

(4) Using the arbor press, press the tension strut

bushing into the lower control arm. As the bushing is
being pressed into the control arm a pop noise will be
heard. When the pop is heard, Installer, Special Tool
6644-3, will move slightly up off the control arm. At
this time, remove the control arm assembly from the
arbor press and pull Special Tool 6644-3 off the ten-
sion strut bushing in the control arm. Tension strut
bushing is now installed.

(5) Attach tension strut to lower control arm and

install lower control arm and tension strut as an
assembly back on the vehicle. See Lower Control
Arm/Installation.

INSTALLATION - LOWER CONTROL ARM

(1) Position tension strut in lower control arm as

shown (Fig. 35). Make sure the word FRONT which
is stamped in tension strut, is positioned away from
control arm.

(2) Install the washer and a NEW retaining nut

on the end of the tension strut at the control arm.
Place an open end wrench on flat of tension strut to
keep it from turning tension whilt tightening retain-
ing nut. Tighten retaining nut to a torque of 130 N·m
(95 ft. lbs.).

(3) Install the lower control arm and tension strut

assembly on the engine/suspension cradle in the fol-
lowing manner. Install tension strut and isolator
bushing end into cradle first, then install lower con-
trol arm pivot bushing end into bracket on cradle
(Fig. 28).

(4) Install the lower control arm to cradle bracket

attaching pivot bolt and nut (Fig. 27). Do not
tighten the lower control arm to cradle bracket
attaching bolt at this time.

(5) Install washer on end of tension strut (Fig. 26).

Install a NEW tension strut to cradle bracket nut, on
tension strut (Fig. 26). Tighten the tension strut to
cradle bracket retaining nut to a torque of 130 N·m
(95 ft. lbs.). When torquing tension strut nut, keep
tension strut from turning by holding tension strut
at flat using an open end wrench (Fig. 26).

CAUTION: Pulling steering knuckle out from vehicle
after releasing from ball joint can separate inner
C/V joint. See Driveshafts.

CAUTION: When ball joint stud is installed into
steering knuckle, do not let ball joint seal hit up
against steering knuckle. If ball joint seal hits steer-
ing knuckle, seal damage may occur. If ball joint
seal becomes torn, replace seal before assembling
lower control arm to knuckle.

(6) Install lower ball joint stud into steering

knuckle. Install steering knuckle to lower ball joint
stud, clamp bolt and nut into steering knuckle (Fig.
24). Tighten the clamping bolt to a torque of 55 N·m
(40 ft. lbs.).

(7) Install the wheel and tire assembly.
(8) Tighten the wheel mounting stud nuts in

proper sequence until all nuts are torqued to half
specification. Then repeat the tightening sequence to
the full specified torque of 129 N·m (95 ft. lbs.).

(9) Lower vehicle so the suspension is supporting

vehicles weight (control arm at design height).
Tighten the lower control arm pivot bushing to cradle
bracket attaching bolt (Fig. 27) to a torque of 142
N·m (105 ft. lbs.).

STABILIZER BAR

DESCRIPTION

The stabilizer bar interconnects both front struts of

the vehicle and is attached to the front cradle/cross-
member (Fig. 1).

Attachment of the stabilizer bar to the front cradle/

crossmember is through 2 rubber-isolator cushion
bushings and retainers. A double ball jointed stabi-
lizer bar link is used to attach each end of the stabi-
lizer bar to the front strut assemblies. All parts of
the stabilizer bar are replaceable as individual com-
ponents.

The stabilizer bar to front cradle cushion bushings

are slit for easy removal and installation. The slit

Fig. 35 Lower Control Arm And Tension Strut

1 - BALL JOINT STUD
2 - BALL JOINT SEAL
3 - LOWER CONTROL ARM TENSION STRUT BUSHING
4 - NUT
5 - TENSION STRUT
6 - TENSION STRUT TO CRADLE ISOLATOR BUSHING
7 - LOWER CONTROL ARM
8 - LOWER CONTROL ARM PIVOT BUSHING
9 - WORD

9

FRONT

9

STAMPED IN CONTROL ARM HERE

2 - 16

FRONT SUSPENSION

LH

LOWER CONTROL ARM (Continued)