Front Suspension Cadillac DeVille Concours I final

DESCRIPTION

MacPherson strut springs bear vehicle weight, and strut cartridges absorb shock. (Scheme 1) Isolation mounts secure unibody to frame. Lower control arms pivot on rubber bushings. Upper end of strut rotates on a bearing. Lower end of strut is bolted to steering knuckle that rotates on ball joint. Lower control arm is anchoring point for stabilizer bar and tension strut rod.

Vehicle is also equipped with a ride control system which automatically controls the damping rate of the struts based on driving conditions. DO NOT use a hammer to loosen suspension components from the steering knuckle. Suspension components attached to the steering knuckle (i.e. ball join, strut damper) are made of steel and have a special coating to prevent corrosion. See ELECTRONIC - CV ROAD-SENSING - CADILLAC article.

Scheme 1

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

Note. See SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES - CARS - EXCEPT SATURN article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

WHEEL BEARINGS

Note. Hub and bearing assembly is sealed and non-serviceable. Replace as a complete assembly.

Bearing Looseness Check

1. Raise and support vehicle. Remove wheel. Free brake pads from rotor or remove caliper, and wire aside. Reinstall 2 wheel nuts to secure rotor to hub. Mount dial indicator to steering knuckle or lower control arm.
2. Position dial indicator plunger onto outer lip of hub (not onto rotor surface). Grasp rotor outer edges and, using a push-pull movement, note dial indicator readings. If looseness exceeds .005" (.127 mm), replace hub assembly.

RIDE HEIGHT

Note. See SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES - CARS - EXCEPT SATURN article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

BALL JOINT CHECKING

Raise and support vehicle. Allow suspension to hang free. Inspect ball joint seals for cracks and tears. Replace ball joint if seal is damaged. Grasp tire at top and bottom. Note horizontal movement of steering knuckle at ball joint while moving tire inward and outward. Replace ball joint if any movement is present.

Ball stud tightness in steering knuckle tapered boss should be checked by shaking wheel and looking for looseness at ball stud end and castle nut. When ball joint is disconnected from steering knuckle, check ball joint for free play. If stud can be turned in socket using finger pressure, replace ball joint.

Removal

Remove hub and bearing assembly. See HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLY . Using Tie Rod Separator (J-6627-A), separate tie rod end from steering knuckle. Using Ball Joint Separator (J-43828), separate lower ball joint stud from steering knuckle. At lower control arm, disconnect link rod for road-sensing suspension sensor (if equipped). Mark strut in relation to steering knuckle for installation. Remove nuts and bolts securing strut to steering knuckle. Remove steering knuckle.

Installation

To install, reverse removal procedure. Tighten fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table.

1. Raise and support vehicle, allowing lower control arms to hang free. Remove wheel. Remove axle shaft nut. Remove brake caliper, and wire aside, leaving brakeline connected. Remove caliper support.
2. Remove rotor. Using Front Hub Spindle Remover (J-28733-B), push drive axle toward engine to separate it from hub. (Scheme 2) Disconnect electrical harness connectors. Remove hub and bearing assembly bolts. Remove hub and bearing assembly. (Scheme 3)

Clean rust and foreign material from knuckle mounting face, bore, and chamfer to allow for proper seating of bearing. To complete installation, reverse removal procedure. Tighten fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table.

Scheme 2

Scheme 3

Note. The lower control arm ball joint is serviced only with control arm and cannot be service separately.

1. Remove tire and wheel. Remove cotter pin and nut from ball joint stud. Use ball joint separator (J 43828) to separate ball joint from steering knuckle.
2. Remove control arm mounting nuts and bolts. Remove control arm.

Install new ball joint with nuts on top of ball joint (bolt heads below lower control arm). Tighten nuts to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table. To install remaining components, reverse removal procedure.

1. Raise and support vehicle. Allow lower control arms to hang free. Remove wheel. At lower control arm, disconnect link rod for road-sensing suspension sensor (if equipped).
2. Using Ball Joint Separator (J-35315), separate lower ball joint stud from steering knuckle. Remove lower control arm bushing bolt. Remove tension strut rod nut, retainers and insulators. (Scheme 4) Remove lower control arm.

Bushing Replacement

The control arm bushing is serviced only with the control arm and cannot be serviced separately.

1. Install lower control arm at frame. DO NOT fully tighten bushing pivot bolt. Install lower control arm tension strut rod retainers, insulators and nut. DO NOT tighten nut.
2. Engage ball joint stud into steering knuckle. Tighten ball joint castle nut to specification. See «TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS»(/cadillac/deville-concours/i-final-1999-1999/remont/suspension-front/#front-suspension) table. Connect link rod for road-sensing suspension sensor (if equipped). Install wheel. Lower vehicle to ground (load suspension). Tighten lower control arm bushing pivot bolt and tension strut nut.

Scheme 4

1. Raise and support vehicle. Allow lower control arms to hang free. Remove wheels and tires.
2. Remove nut securing left and right stabilizer links to strut. If necessary, hold stabilizer link ball stud from turning while loosening nut. (Scheme 5) Remove stabilizer bar brackets and insulators at frame.
3. Remove tie rod end from steering knuckle using (J 24319-B). Separate ball joint. Turn right steering knuckle to the left and guide stabilizer shaft half out right side of vehicle in an upward direction, then remove stabilizer shaft out bottom center of vehicle.

To install, reverse removal procedure. Ensure stabilizer bar bracket insulator is installed with slit toward rear of vehicle. Tighten fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table.

Scheme 5

1. Open hood. Remove nuts securing strut mount to body (DO NOT remove nut on top of strut shaft). Disconnect electronic suspension electrical connector from top of strut. Raise and support vehicle, allowing suspension to hang free. Remove wheel. At lower control arm, disconnect link rod for road-sensing suspension sensor (if equipped).
2. Mark strut in relation to steering knuckle for installation. Remove brakeline bracket from strut. Remove stabilizer link from strut. (Scheme 5) Remove nuts and bolts securing strut to steering knuckle, and support steering knuckle with wire. Remove strut.

Disassembly

Compress strut spring with Strut Compressor (J-34013-A). Using a No. 50 Torx bit, hold strut rod from turning and remove strut rod nut. Slowly loosen compressor screw until spring tension is relieved. Remove remaining parts. (Scheme 6) Inspect and replace components as necessary.

Reassembly

To reassemble, reverse disassembly procedure. Ensure flat edge on upper spring seat faces same direction as steering knuckle flange (outboard). Compress spring until strut rod threads are visible through bearing cap. DO NOT compress spring any further. While holding strut rod using No. 50 Torx bit, tighten strut rod nut to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table.

To install, reverse removal procedure. Align reference marks on steering knuckle and strut. Tighten fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS table.

Scheme 6

TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

See also:
• ELECTRONIC - CV ROAD-SENSING - CADILLAC
• SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES - CARS - EXCEPT SATURN
• HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLY