2000 DODGE NEON Service Repair Manual

REAR BUMPER FASCIA
REMOVAL
(1) Release decklid lock and open decklid.
(2) Remove nuts attaching fascia in the trunk (Fig.
3).
(3) Raise vehicle on hoist.
(4) Disconnect license lamp.
(5) Remove splash shield from fascia in the wheel
opening area.
(6) Remove nuts attaching fascia to lower quarter
panels.
(7) From under license plate area, remove fasten-
ers attaching lower fascia.
(8) Remove fascia from vehicle.
INSTALLATION
(1) Position fascia on vehicle.
(2) From under license plate area, install fasteners
attaching lower fascia.
(3) Install nuts attaching fascia to lower quarter
panels.
(4) Install splash shield in the wheel opening area.
(5) Connect license lamp.
(6) Lower vehicle.
(7) Install nuts attaching fascia in the trunk.
(8) Close decklid.
REAR BUMPER REINFORCEMENT
REMOVAL
(1) Remove rear fascia (Fig. 4).
(2) Support bumper reinforcement on a suitable
lifting device.
(3) Remove screws attaching reinforcement to rear
closure panel.
(4) Remove bumper reinforcement from vehicle.
INSTALLATION
(1) Position bumper reinforcement to vehicle.
(2) Install screws attaching reinforcement to rear
closure panel.
(3) Install rear fascia.
Fig. 3 Rear Bumper Fascia
1 ± REAR BUMPER FOAM
2 ± REAR BUMPER REINFORCEMENT3 ± REAR FASCIA TO BODY RETAINER
4 ± REAR FASCIA
Fig. 4 Rear Bumper Reinforcement
1 ± REAR BUMPER REINFORCEMENT
13 - 4 FRAME AND BUMPERSPL
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

FRAMES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page page
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION
FRONT SUSPENSION......................5
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION
FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER........5SPECIFICATIONS
FRAME DIMENSIONS......................9
STRUCTURAL DIMENSIONS................13
TORQUE SPECIFICATIONS.................15
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION
FRONT SUSPENSION
The front suspension crossmember must be prop-
erly installed to achieve design camber, caster set-
tings and wheel stagger. The crossmember can be
installed out of position on the frame rails due to its
design. Bolts and cage nuts hold the rear of the
crossmember to the frame torque boxes. Bolts and
J-nuts hold the front of the crossmember to the
frame rails. No designed in locating device is used to
position the crossmember in the vehicle. Before
removing the crossmember mark the frame torque
box around the rear mounting location to aid instal-
lation. A crossmember that is removed during service
must be installed in the same position from which it
was removed. To verify that crossmember is in the
proper position, refer to the dimensions provided.
Front end dimensions are gauged from the principal
locating point (PLP) holes located under the frame
torque boxes rearward of the front wheels. After
removal and installation of the crossmember is per-
formed, verify that front suspension alignment is
within specifications. If camber, caster settings and
wheel stagger is not within specifications, loosen and
reposition crossmember to bring suspension within
specifications. Refer to Group 2, Front Suspension for
additional information.
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION
FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER
CAUTION: If the front suspension crossmember is
being replaced due to collision damage, inspect the
steering column lower coupling for damage. Refer
to STEERING COLUMN in the STEERING service
manual group for the procedure.
REMOVAL
(1) Raise the vehicle. Refer to HOISTING in the
LUBRICATION AND MAINTENANCE group in this
service manual for the correct lifting procedure.
(2) Remove both front tire and wheel assemblies
from the vehicle.
(3) Remove both stabilizer bar links from the vehi-
cle (Fig. 1). Remove each link by holding the upper
retainer/nut with a wrench and turning the link bolt.
(4) Remove the stabilizer bar cushion retainer
bolts and retainers (Fig. 1), and remove the stabilizer
bar with cushions attached from the vehicle.
(5) Remove the nut and pinch bolt clamping each
ball joint stud to the steering knuckle (Fig. 2).
Fig. 1 Stabilizer Bar
1 ± STABILIZER BAR CUSHION RETAINERS
2 ± CUSHIONS
3 ± FRONT STABILIZER BAR
4 ± STABILIZER BAR LINKS
PLFRAME AND BUMPERS 13 - 5

CAUTION: After removing the steering knuckle from
the ball joint stud, do not pull outward on the knuckle.
Pulling the steering knuckle outward at this point can
separate the inner C/V joint on the driveshaft. Refer to
FRONT DRIVESHAFTS in the DIFFERENTIAL AND
DRIVELINE group for further information.
NOTE: Use caution when separating the ball joint
stud from the steering knuckle, so the ball joint seal
does not get cut.
(6) Separate each ball joint stud from the steering
knuckle by prying down on lower control arm and up
against the ball joint boss on the steering knuckle
(Fig. 3).
(7) If the vehicle is equipped with a power steering
fluid cooler, remove the two screws securing the
cooler to the front suspension crossmember. They are
located behind the cooler and can be accessed from
above. Allow the cooler to hang out of the way.
(8) Using wire or cord, support and tie off the
power steering gear to the underbody of the vehicle,
so when the crossmember is lowered, the gear does
not fall away being held to the vehicle by only the
steering column coupler and the fluid hoses.
(9) Loosen and remove the four bolts attaching the
power steering gear to the front suspension cross-
member (Fig. 4). Remove the power steering gear
from the front suspension crossmember.
(10) Remove the bolt mounting the engine torque
strut to the right forward corner of the front suspen-
sion crossmember (Fig. 5).
NOTE: Before removing the front suspension
crossmember from the vehicle, the location of thecrossmember must be scribed on the body of the
vehicle (Fig. 9). Do this so that the crossmember
can be relocated upon reinstallation against the
body of vehicle in the same location as before
removal. If the front suspension crossmember is
not reinstalled in exactly the same location as
before removal, the preset front wheel alignment
settings (caster and camber) will be lost.
(11) Using an awl, scribe a line (Fig. 6) marking
the location of where the front suspension crossmem-
ber is mounted against the body of the vehicle.
(12) Position a transmission jack under the center
of the front suspension crossmember and raise it to
support the bottom of the crossmember.
(13) Loosen and completely remove the two front
bolts (one right and one left) attaching the front sus-
pension crossmember to the frame rails of vehicle.
The right side bolt can be viewed in the mounting
bolt figure (Fig. 5). The left side bolt is located in the
same location on the other side of the vehicle.
(14) Loosen the two rear bolts (one right and one
left) attaching the front suspension crossmember and
lower control arms to the body of the vehicle until
they release from the threaded tapping plates in the
body of the vehicle. Remove the rear bolts from the
body of the vehicle, but do not completely remove the
rear bolts because they are designed to disengage
from the body threads yet stay within the lower con-
trol arm rear isolator bushing. This allows the lower
control arm to stay in place on the crossmember. The
right side bolt can be viewed in the mounting bolt
figure (Fig. 5). The left side bolt is located in the
same location on the other side of the vehicle.
(15) Lower the front suspension crossmember.
Fig. 2 Ball Joint Bolt And Nut
1 ± NUT
2 ± BOLT
3 ± BALL JOINT
Fig. 3 Pry Bar Usage
1 ± STEERING KNUCKLE
2±PRYBAR
3 ± LOWER CONTROL ARM
4 ± BALL JOINT STUD
13 - 6 FRAME AND BUMPERSPL
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

(16) Remove each lower control arm from the
crossmember by removing the front pivot bolt.
INSTALLATION
(1) Install the lower control arms on the front sus-
pension crossmember. Install the pivot bolts, but do
not completely tighten them at this time.(2) Using the transmission jack, raise the front
suspension crossmember and lower control arms
until the crossmember contacts its mounting spot
against the body and frame rails of the vehicle. As
the crossmember is raised, carefully guide the power
steering gear into mounting position.
Fig. 4 Steering Gear Mounting
1 ± OUTER TIE ROD
2 ± JAM NUT3 ± STEERING GEAR
4 ± FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER
Fig. 5 Mounting Bolts
1 ± FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER MOUNTING BOLTS
2 ± ENGINE TORQUE ISOLATOR STRUT MOUNTING BOLT
3 ± FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER
Fig. 6 Marking Crossmember Location
1 ± SCRIBED LINE
2 ± FRONT SUSPENSION CROSSMEMBER
3±AWL
4 ± BODY
PLFRAME AND BUMPERS 13 - 7
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

(3) Start the two rear crossmember mounting bolts
into the tapping plates mounted in the body. The
right side bolt can be viewed in the mounting bolt
figure (Fig. 5). The left side bolt is located in the
same location on the other side of the vehicle. Next,
install the two front mounting bolts attaching front
suspension crossmember to frame rails of vehicle.
Lightly tighten all four mounting bolts to a approxi-
mately 2 N´m (20 in. lbs.) to hold the front suspen-
sion crossmember in position.
NOTE: When reinstalling the front suspension
crossmember back in the vehicle, it is very impor-
tant that the crossmember be attached to the body
in exactly the same spot as when it was removed.
Otherwise, the vehicle's wheel alignment settings
(caster and camber) will be lost.
(4) Using a soft face hammer, tap the front suspen-
sion crossmember back-and-forth or side-to-side until
it is aligned with the previously scribed positioning
marks on the body of the vehicle (Fig. 6). Once the
front suspension crossmember is correctly positioned,
tighten the rear two crossmember mounting bolts to
a torque of 203 N´m (150 ft. lbs.), then tighten the
front two crossmember mounting bolts to a torque of
142 N´m (105 ft. lbs.).
(5) Tighten the lower control arm front pivot bolts
to a torque of 163 N´m (120 ft. lbs.).
(6) Attach the steering gear to the front suspen-
sion crossmember (Fig. 4). Install the four power
steering gear mounting bolts. Tighten the mounting
bolts to a torque of 61 N´m (45 ft. lbs.).
(7) Remove the wire or cord suspending the power
steering gear to the underbody.
(8) If the vehicle is equipped with a power steering
fluid cooler, install the two screws securing the cooler
to the front suspension crossmember. They are
located behind the cooler.
(9)
Install each ball joint stud into the steering
knuckle aligning the bolt hole in the knuckle boss with
the notch formed in the side of the ball joint stud.
(10) Install a new ball joint stud pinch bolt and
nut (Fig. 2). Tighten the nut to a torque of 95 N´m
(70 ft. lbs.).
(11) Fasten the engine torque strut to the right
forward corner of the front suspension crossmember
using its mounting bolt (Fig. 5). Follow the procedure
described in the ENGINE service manual group to
properly align and tighten the torque strut and it's
mounting bolts.
NOTE: Before installing the stabilizer bar, make
sure the bar is not upside-down. The stabilizer bar
must be installed with the curve on the outboard
ends of the bar facing downward to clear the con-
trol arms once fully installed (Fig. 7).(12)
First, place the stabilizer bar in position on the
front suspension crossmember. The slits in each cush-
ion must point toward the front of the vehicle and sit
directly on top of the raised beads formed into the
stamping on the crossmember. Next, install the cush-
ion retainers, matching the raised beads formed into
the cushion retainers to the grooves formed into the
cushions. Install the cushion retainer bolts, but do not
completely tighten them at this time.
(13) Install both stabilizer bar links back on vehi-
cle (Fig. 1). Start each stabilizer bar link bolt with
bushing from the bottom, through the stabilizer bar,
inner link bushings, lower control arm, and into the
upper retainer/nut and bushing. Do not fully tighten
the link assemblies at this time.
(14) Install the tire and wheel assemblies back on
vehicle. Tighten the wheel mounting nuts to 135 N´m
(100 ft. lbs.) torque.
(15) Lower the vehicle.
NOTE: It may be necessary to put the vehicle on a
platform hoist or alignment rack to gain access to
the stabilizer bar mounting bolts with the vehicle at
curb height.
(16) Tighten each stabilizer bar link by holding the
upper retainer/nut with a wrench and turning the
link bolt. Tighten each link bolt to a torque of 23
N´m (200 in. lbs.).
(17) Tighten the stabilizer bar cushion retainer
bolts to a torque of 34 N´m (300 in. lbs.).
(18) Check the front wheel alignment on the vehi-
cle. Refer to WHEEL ALIGNMENT in the SUSPEN-
SION service manual group.
Fig. 7 Downward Curve
1 ± STABILIZER BAR
2 ± LINK
3 ± DOWNWARD CURVE
4 ± CUSHION RETAINER
13 - 8 FRAME AND BUMPERSPL
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

SPECIFICATIONS
FRAME DIMENSIONS
Structural dimensions are listed in metric mea-
surements. All dimensions are from center to center
of Principal Locating Point (PLP), or from center to
center of PLP and fastener location.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT TOP VIEW
PLFRAME AND BUMPERS 13 - 9

ENGINE COMPARTMENT SIDE AND BOTTOM VIEW
13 - 10 FRAME AND BUMPERSPL
SPECIFICATIONS (Continued)

FORWARD FRAME AND CROSSMEMBER
PLFRAME AND BUMPERS 13 - 11
SPECIFICATIONS (Continued)