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Chrysler Town & Country/Voyager, Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager. Manual - part 51

_FRONT SUSPENSION AND DRIVE SHAFTS

CONTENTS

page

DRIVESHAFTS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

FRONT SUSPENSION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

FRONT SUSPENSION SERVICE PROCEDURES

. 6

GENERAL INFORMATION

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

SPECIFICATIONS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

GENERAL INFORMATION

Throughout this group, references may be made to a

particular vehicle by letter or number designation. A
chart showing the breakdown of these designations is
included in the Introduction section at the front of this
Service Manual.

An independent MacPherson Type front suspension

is used on these vehicles. Vertical shock absorbing
struts attach to the upper fender reinforcement and

the steering knuckle to provide upper steering knuckle
position. Lower control arms are attached inboard to a
crossmember and outboard to the steering knuckle
through a ball joint to provide lower steering knuckle
position.

During

steering

maneuvers,

the

strut

(through a pivot bearing in the upper retainer) and the
steering knuckle turn as an assembly (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 Front Suspension (Typical)

FRONT SUSPENSION AND DRIVE SHAFTS

2 - 1

FRONT SUSPENSION

FRONT SUSPENSION MAJOR COMPONENTS (Fig.
1, 2 and 3)

STRUT SUPPORT

The system is supported by coil springs positioned

offset around the struts. The springs are contained
between an upper seat, located just below the top strut
mount assembly (Fig. 2) and a lower spring seat on the
strut lower housing.

The top of each strut assembly is bolted to the upper

fender reinforcement (shock tower) through a rubber
isolated mount.

The bottom attaches to the top of the steering

knuckle with two through bolts. On some vehicles, one
bolt has an eccentric cam located below the head of the
bolt for camber adjustment. On the other vehicles the
camber adjustment is done by manually moving the
steering knuckle within the strut assembly. Caster is a
fixed setting on all vehicles and is not adjustable.

STEERING KNUCKLE

The steering knuckle is a single casting with legs

machined for attachment to the strut damper, steering
linkage, brake adaptor, and lower control arm ball
joint. The knuckle also holds the front drive hub
bearing. The hub is positioned through the bearing and
knuckle, with the constant velocity stub shaft splined
through the hub.

LOWER CONTROL ARM

The lower control arm is a steel casting with 2 large

spool type rubber pivot bushings. The lower control
arm is bolted to the crossmember with pivot bolts
through the center of the rubber pivot bushings.

The ball joint is pressed into the control arm and has

a non-tapered stud with a notch for clamp bolt clear-
ance. The stud is clamped and locked into the steering
knuckle leg with a clamp bolt.

The lower control arms are inter-connected through

a rubber isolated sway bar (Fig. 2).

DRIVESHAFTS

A left and right driveshaft is attached inboard to the

transaxle differential side gears, and outboard to the
driven wheel hub.

To deliver driving force from the transaxle to the

front wheels during turning maneuvers and suspen-
sion movement. Both shafts are constructed with con-
stant velocity universal joints at both ends.

Both shafts have a Tripod (sliding) joint at the

transaxle end and Rzeppa joints (with splined stub
shafts) on the hub ends. Due to the transaxle location
the connecting shafts between the C/V joints are of
different length and construction. The right shaft is
longer and of tubular construction. The left shaft is
solid.

2 - 2

FRONT SUSPENSION AND DRIVE SHAFTS