Front Suspension Chevrolet Cavalier III

MODEL IDENTIFICATION

MODEL IDENTIFICATION

DESCRIPTION

Suspension uses combined strut and coil spring assemblies. Lower control arms pivot on bushings at the frame (crossmember). (Scheme 1) Lower end of strut is attached to the steering knuckle. Steering knuckle pivots on a ball joint on the lower control arm.

Scheme 1

WHEEL ALIGNMENT

Note. See appropriate SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

Bearing Looseness Check

Raise vehicle, supporting it by lower control arms. Mount Dial Indicator (J-8001) onto stand. Ensure dial indicator contacts vertical surface of wheel closest to top wheel stud. Push and pull top of tire. If measurement exceeds .005" (.127 mm), replace wheel bearing/hub assembly.

Note. Hub and bearing assembly is sealed and requires no maintenance or adjustment. Replace as complete assembly.

RIDE HEIGHT

Note. See appropriate SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

BALL JOINT CHECKING

1. Raise and support vehicle. Support lower control arm with jack stand, as far outboard as possible, near lower ball joint. Wipe ball joint clean. Inspect ball joint seals for cracks or tears. Replace ball joint if seal is damaged.
2. Check Ball Joint For Horizontal Looseness: Position Dial Indicator (J-8001) against lowest outboard point on wheel rim. Move wheel in and out using rocking motion. Dial indicator reading should be no more than .125" (3.18 mm). If reading is too high, check ball joint for vertical looseness.
3. Check Ball Joint For Vertical Looseness: Check ball joint by observing position of housing. On new ball joint, round housing projects .050" (1.27 mm) beyond surface of ball joint cover. If round housing is flush with (or inside of) cover surface, replace ball joint. Pry between lower control arm and steering knuckle while reading dial indicator. If dial indicator reading is more than .125" (3.18 mm), replace lower control arm.

Removal

1. Raise and support vehicle, allowing suspension to hang freely. Remove wheel. Remove wiring harness from lower control arm. Remove stabilizer bar link. Remove cotter pin and nut from ball joint stud. Use Ball Joint Separator (J-43828) to remove ball joint stud from steering knuckle.
2. Remove lower control arm from crossmember. Place control arm into vise, and drill out rivets securing ball joint to lower control arm. Remove ball joint.

Installation

Install ball joint and fasteners. Tighten ball joint bolts to specifications found in ball joint kit. To complete installation, reverse removal procedure. Tighten all fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS . Check wheel alignment. See appropriate SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLY

Note. Hub and bearing are not serviceable separately.

Raise and support vehicle. Remove wheel. Remove axle shaft (hub) nut. (Scheme 1)and (Scheme 2). Remove caliper, and wire aside. Remove rotor. Remove hub/bearing assembly mounting bolts. Remove hub/bearing assembly from steering knuckle and axle shaft.

To install, reverse removal procedure. Liberally coat inside diameter of caliper bushings with silicone grease. Tighten all fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS . Check wheel alignment. See appropriate SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

Scheme 2

1. Raise and support vehicle, allowing suspension to hang freely. Remove wheel. If vehicle is equipped with stabilizer bar, remove stabilizer bar link. If removing right control arm, remove engine mount strut. If removing left control arm, remove front suspension support brace.
2. Remove wiring harness from control arm. Remove ball joint from steering knuckle, using Ball Joint Separator (J-43828) to pull ball joint. Remove control arm mounting bolts, and remove control arm from vehicle.

Note. Tighten lower control arm bolts with vehicle weight on lower control arms.

To install, reverse removal procedure. Tighten all fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS . Check wheel alignment. See appropriate SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

Removal & Installation

Remove lower control arm. See LOWER CONTROL ARM under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Place lower control arm in vise, and remove and install bushings using tools as shown in illustration. (Scheme 3) Use High Pressure Lubricant (J-23444-A) on bolts. When installing, lubricate outer casing of front bushing.

Scheme 3

1. Raise and support vehicle, allowing suspension to hang freely. Remove front wheels. Remove lower pinch bolt from intermediate shaft. Remove stabilizer shaft links. (Scheme 1)
2. Support crossmember with jack, and remove mounting bolts. Lower crossmember approximately 6" (15 cm) with jack. Remove stabilizer bar insulator brackets. Remove stabilizer bar from vehicle.

Install stabilizer bar, and hand-tighten insulator bracket bolts. Install crossmember, and hand-tighten bolts. Ensure stabilizer bar is centered from side to side. To complete installation, reverse removal procedure. Tighten all fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS . Check wheel alignment. See appropriate SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

STEERING KNUCKLE

1. Raise and support vehicle, allowing suspension to hang freely. Remove wheel. Disconnect tie rod from knuckle by removing nut from ball stud, loosening jam (adjuster) nut, and pulling ball stud from knuckle using Universal Steering Linkage Puller (J-24319-B).
2. Disconnect ABS electrical connector, if equipped. Remove hub and bearing assembly. See «HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLY»(/chevrolet/cavalier/iii-1995-2005/remont/suspension-front/#front-suspension__hub-bearing-assembly) .
3. Mark strut in relation to steering knuckle. Remove steering knuckle-to-strut fasteners. Remove stabilizer bar link. Remove wiring harness from lower control arm. Remove ball joint stud from knuckle, using Ball Joint Separator (J-43828) to pull ball joint. Remove steering knuckle from vehicle.

To install, reverse removal procedure. Tighten all fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS . Check wheel alignment. See appropriate SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

1. Remove bolt and nuts securing upper strut to body mount (DO NOT remove nut on end of strut rod).
2. Raise and support vehicle, allowing suspension to hang freely. Remove wheel. Mark strut in relation to steering knuckle. Remove strut-to-knuckle fasteners, and remove strut assembly from vehicle.

Disassembly

Mount Strut Spring Compressor (J-34013-B) into Holding Fixture Bench Mount (J-3289-20). Install strut assembly into spring compressor using Lower Strut Spring Compressor Adapter (J-34013-88). Compress strut spring. While using a socket to prevent strut rod from turning, remove nut from top of strut rod. Loosen spring compressor, and disassemble strut assembly.

Reassembly

To reassemble, reverse disassembly procedure. Ensure flat on upper spring seat faces strut mounting flange. (Scheme 4) Tighten all fasteners to specification. See TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS.

1. Before installation, modify strut mounting flange to allow for camber adjustment during wheel alignment. File bottom mounting holes on strut outer flanges to enlarge holes until they match slots on inner flanges. (Scheme 5)
2. To install, reverse removal procedure. If installing old strut assembly, align marks made during removal. When installing bolts that secure strut assembly onto steering knuckle, ensure machined flats on bolt heads are horizontal. Tighten fasteners to specification. See «TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS»(/chevrolet/cavalier/iii-1995-2005/remont/suspension-front/#front-suspension__torque-specifications). Check wheel alignment. See appropriate SPECIFICATIONS & PROCEDURES article in WHEEL ALIGNMENT.

Scheme 4

Scheme 5

TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS

See also:
• TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS
• LOWER CONTROL ARM
• HUB & BEARING ASSEMBLY