Rear Knuckle: Service and Repair

Removing and installing wheel bearing housing (wheel carrier)





- Wheel bearing housing- with wheel hub and brake disc.








Tools

Removal

Caution! Danger of injury and material damage if the wheel carrier is raised incorrectly.
^ Do not raise the wheel suspension higher than the normal vehicle position (vehicle resting on wheels). When raising the suspension, use a suitable intermediate layer rubber).
^ Do not damage the brake cover plate.
^ Danger of crushing. Always wear protective gloves.

Note!
^ Before raising the vehicle, undo the drive shaft fastening at the wheel side. Operate the brake whilst doing so (second worker required).
^ In order to prevent damage to the drive shaft, suspension subframe or transmission flange, a protective tube -B- should be pulled over the drive shaft or the drive shaft should be secured.
^ The brake discs do not have to be removed in order to disengage the brake cable.

1. Loosen axle nuts (wheel-side drive shaft fastening). (Do not remove them!) This prevents the drive shaft from slipping out when removing the wheel bearing housing. Actuate the brake while doing this.
2. Raise the vehicle.





3. Push (press) the drive shaft peg by approximately 20 mm - 25 mm into the wheel hub using the universal drive shaft/wheel hub extractor 37-1. When doing this, observe drive shaft clearance on the halfshaft flange.
4. Loosen the drive shaft on the halfshaft flange.
5. Open the plug connections on the wheel bearing housing and pull off the plugs.
6. Remove the brake caliper from the wheel bearing housing and suspend it at a suitable position in the wheel arch (do not open brake hydraulics!).





7. Attach the foot-operated parking brake to the actuating mechanism using an -auxiliary pin-. To do this, press the adjustment fixture -(arrow)and relieve it with a maximum 3.5-mm drill (or similar).





8. Unclip the brake cable from the Quickfit in the wheel bearing housing. Remove the -screw plug (arrow). The screw plug obscures the view of the Quickfit. The Quickfit is positioned at approximately 3 o'clock to the right and approximately 9 o'clock to the left.





Note!
^ The spring strut screws are under tension. Carefully lever out the lower spring strut connection. Use a suitable lift with a rubber base.

1. Remove the spring strut at the wheel bearing housing.
2. Remove the two top control arms.
3. Remove the tie rod (toe control arm) at the wheel bearing housing.





4. Loosen the lower control arm -2- at the attachment -1- and take out the wheel bearing housing with the drive shaft (a second worker is required for this!).
5. Remove the axle nuts and take out the drive shaft.

Installation
Install in reverse order.

Caution! Danger of injury and material damage if the wheel carrier is raised incorrectly.
^ Do not raise the wheel suspension higher than the normal vehicle position (vehicle resting on wheels).
^ When raising the suspension, use a suitable intermediate layer (hard rubber).
^ Do not damage the brake cover plate.
^ Danger of crushing. Always wear protective gloves.

Note!





^ The entire threaded parts of the axle must be tightened in vehicle position. Vehicle position means: vehicle standing on the wheels, or the wheel suspension is raised using a universal vehicle lift. -Dimension X-, from lower edge of wing to middle of axle 506 mm ± 10 mm corresponds to vehicle position.





^ Use an intermediate layer (hard rubber). Do not damage the brake cover plate.
^ Screws are Dacromet-coated and must not be greased.
^ Grease the toothing of the drive shaft with Optimoly TA aluminum paste.
^ Grease axle nuts with a little Optimoly TA aluminum paste only at mounting-face ring.
^ Drive shafts must not be left hanging from the joint stop. Support wheel carriers.
^ Use new screws and fastening nuts.
^ Use a new snap ring on the Quickfit.
^ Make sure the bevel pinions from the ball joints are clean. Clean with a lint-free cloth as necessary. Do not use cleaning agent.
^ Use correct tightening torques.





1. Insert the drive shaft into the wheel hub. If it is not possible to push shaft in all the way, use assembly fixture T10206 to pull drive shaft in. Screw on the axle nuts in order to prevent the shaft from slipping out.
2. Insert the wheel bearing housing (second worker required).
3. Fit the control arms, the spring strut and the brake caliper.
4. Fit the drive shaft on the halfshaft flange.
5. Mount the Quickfit. Make sure that the snap ring is sealed and seated well and that the end of the cable engages audibly.
6. Plug in the plug connections. Ensure correct routing.
7. Fit the axle nuts and wheel.
8. Remove the auxiliary pin from the pedal module of the foot-operated parking brake.
9. Perform suspension alignment.