Steering knuckle removal - Ford Taurus

Maintenance/Repairs
1

98 Taurus. Does anyone have any hints on how to remove the steering knuckle ? I’m replacing the wheel bearing and have to remove the knuckle in order to access the bolts holding the bearing on. In following the shop manual, it states you have to use a pry bar and push the control arm down off the ball joint, but it won’t move far enough (control arm bottoms out on the frame).

2

I just replaced the halfshaft on a 2000 Mercury Sable and I know what you mean about the control arm hitting the sub-frame.

You can try smacking the knuckle where the ball joint passes thru with BFH and that might seperate it. But here’s what I used to force the ball joint out of the knuckle. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/OEM-Pitman-tie-rod-arm-puller-for-compact-cars-and-smaller-pitman-arms//N-264w;jsessionid=EB56A828D07FC798C5321159E056BE3F.diyprod1-b2c1?counter=0&itemIdentifier=555631_0_0

Tester

3

I’m assuming you used this tool by turning it upside down and then gripping the knuckle and pushing the ball joint stem through ??

4

You take the tool and tilt it so it fits over the lower control arm near the hub. Center the forcing screw below the ball joint stud and tighten the forcing screw. It might make a BANG!sound.

Tester

5

I’ll try this tool tomorrow. Does the CV joint spline tend to slide right out once you are able to tilt the knuckle forward ?

6

No. You’ll also need this tool to force the halfshaft out of the hub. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/OEM-FWD-Hub-Puller//N-264n?itemIdentifier=2050_0_0

Tester

7

Is the sway bar link disconnected from the control arm?

8

There is no sway bar connnected to the control arm. The control arm is connected to the sub frame and then to the steering knuckle with the ball joint.

9

If a 1998 is like my 1994, I found that if I put a small block of wood under just the hub and jacked up about 1-2 inches, then it gives more downward travel to pry the lower cotrol arm down to clear the ball joint stud.

10

I actually replaced this same hub assembly several years ago and the CV joint had enough “play” in it that I was able to push it in about an inch. That “inch of play” allowed me to do the job without removing the knuckle. I was able to get the 15mm socket on each bolt. I’m wondering now if there shouldn’t have been any play in the CV joint ??