Freeing Front Knuckle from Lower Control Arm

**xav78** · 05-25-2011

Looking for some advice on how to remove the steering knuckle from the lower control arm. I'm trying to replace the driver side / front bearing on a 2003 SE with ABS. I've googled this several times and it seems to be a pretty straight forward process. Here is what I am doing.

1. Removed Lugs
2. Removed Axel Nut
3. Removed Caliper
4. Removed Rotor
5. Removed "Castle" Nut and Tie Rod
6. Losened Lower Ball Joint Castle Nut that is directly under the outer CV joint (unable to remove it completely as the axel is in the way)

I have tried prying the lower control arm from the knuckle but it is not budging downwards so I can swing the knuckle free.

I have a question, do I also need to also completely free the sway bar from the control arm as well in order to free the control arm and ball joint?

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated

**real diehl** · 05-25-2011

The ball joint needs to be separated from the knuckle with a separator tool. These look like a tapered fork, and need to be struck with a hammer.

First, disconnect tie-rod ends. Then use a separator and pound them out. After that, you need to take off your axle nut (the big one...I use an 1 1/4" socket), and your strut bolts. The bolts are splined and wont twist out. You need to loosen the nut on those two strut bolts. Once that's free, you can pivot the control arm and the knuckle/hub downward and pull the axles out. Then remove the ball joint bolt and use the separator to pound it out.

15mm does the brake caliper and caliper bracket bolts as well.

The axle nut needs to be torqued somewhere between 118-120 ft-lbs.

**stealthee** · 05-25-2011

Ball joint seperator fork is the last tool to use. It tears ball joints up. Only reason to use one is if the ball joint is already junk and you are replacing it.

A few good whacks to the side of the knuckle with a hammer is all that is needed to seperate it.

Been there, and done that multiple times.

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