2000 DODGE NEON wheel alignment

SUSPENSION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page page
WHEEL ALIGNMENT........................ 1
FRONT SUSPENSION....................... 9REAR SUSPENSION....................... 35
WHEEL ALIGNMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page page
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION
WHEEL ALIGNMENT.......................1
DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING
SUSPENSION AND STEERING DIAGNOSIS.....3
SERVICE PROCEDURES
CURB HEIGHT MEASUREMENT..............5WHEEL ALIGNMENT.......................5
SPECIFICATIONS
WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS.........8
DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION
WHEEL ALIGNMENT
Proper vehicle wheel alignment is the proper
adjustment of all interrelated front and rear suspen-
sion angles. These angles are what affects the han-
dling and steering of the vehicle when it is in motion.
The method of checking a vehicle's front and rear
wheel alignment will vary depending on the type and
manufacturer of the equipment being used. Instruc-
tions furnished by the manufacturer of the equip-
ment being used should always be followed to ensure
accuracy of the alignment, except when alignment
specifications recommended by this corporation differ.
Typical wheel alignment angles and measurements
are camber, caster, toe, and thrust angle.
²Camber is the number of degrees the top of the
tire and wheel are tilted either inward or outward
(Fig. 1). Camber is a tire wearing angle. Excessive
negative camber will cause tread wear at the inside
of the tire, while excessive positive camber will cause
outside tire wear.²Caster is the number of degrees of forward or
rearward tilt of the steering knuckle. Forward tilt
provides a negative caster angle, while rearward tilt
provides a positive caster angle. Caster is not adjust-
able on this vehicle.
²Cross Camber is the difference between left and
right camber. The right side camber is to be sub-
tracted from the left, resulting in the cross camber
reading. For example, if the left camber is +0.3É and
the right camber is 0.0É, the cross camber would be
+0.3É.
²Toe is measured in degrees or inches and is the
difference in width between the centered leading and
trailing edges of the tires on the same axle (Fig. 1).
Toe-in means that the front width is more narrow
than the rear. Toe-out means that the front width is
wider than the rear.
²Thrust Angle is defined as the average of the toe
settings on each rear wheel. If this measurement is
out of specification, readjust the rear wheel toe so
that each wheel has 1/2 of the total toe measure-
ment. When readjusting, do not exceed the total toe
specification.
PLSUSPENSION 2 - 1

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING
SUSPENSION AND STEERING DIAGNOSIS
CONDITION POSSIBLE CAUSES POTENTIAL CORRECTIONS
Front End Whine On
Turns1. Defective Wheel Bearing 1. Replace Wheel Bearing
2. Incorrect Wheel Alignment 2. Check And Reset Wheel Alignment
3. Worn Tires 3. Replace Tires
Front End Growl Or
Grinding On Turns1. Defective Wheel Bearing 1. Replace Wheel Bearing
2. Engine Mount Grounding
Against Frame Or Body Of Vehicle.2. Check For Motor Mount Hitting Frame
Rail And Reposition Engine As Required
3. Worn Or Broken C/V Joint 3. Replace C/V Joint
4. Loose Wheel Lug Nuts 4. Verify Wheel Lug Nut Torque
5. Incorrect Wheel Alignment 5. Check And Reset Wheel Alignment
6. Worn Tires 6. Replace Tires
Front End Clunk Or
Snap On Turns1. Loose Wheel Lug Nuts 1. Verify Wheel Lug Nut Torque
2. Worn Or Broken C/V Joint 2. Replace C/V Joint
3. Worn Or Loose Tie Rod Or Ball Joint 3. Tighten Or Replace Tie Rod End Or Ball
Joint
4. Worn Control Arm Bushing 4. Replace Control Arm Bushing
5. Loose Sway Bar Or Upper Strut
Attachment5. Tighten Sway Bar Or Upper Strut
Attachment To Specified Torque
Front End Whine
With Vehicle Going
Straight At A
Constant Speed1. Defective Wheel Bearing 1. Replace Wheel Bearing
2. Incorrect Wheel Alignment 2. Check And Reset Wheel Alignment
3. Worn Tires 3. Replace Tires
Front End Growl Or
Grinding With
Vehicle Going
Straight At A
Constant Speed1. Engine Mount Grounding 1. Reposition Engine As Required
2. Worn Or Broken C/V Joint 2. Replace C/V Joint
Front End Whine
When Accelerating
Or Decelerating1. Worn Or Defective Transaxle Gears Or
Bearings1. Replace Transaxle Gears Or Bearings
Front End Clunk
When Accelerating
Or Decelerating1. Worn Or Broken Engine Mount 1. Replace Engine Mount
2. Worn Or Defective Transaxle Gears Or
Bearings2. Replace Transaxle Gears Or Bearings
PLSUSPENSION 2 - 3

SERVICE PROCEDURES
CURB HEIGHT MEASUREMENT
The wheel alignment is to be checked and all align-
ment adjustments made with the vehicle at its
required curb height specification.
Vehicle height is to be checked with the vehicle on
a flat, level surface, preferably a vehicle alignment
rack. The tires are to be inflated to the recommended
pressure. All tires are to be the same size as stan-
dard equipment. Vehicle height is checked with the
fuel tank full of fuel, and no passenger or luggage
compartment load.
Vehicle height is not adjustable. If the measure-
ment is not within specifications, inspect the vehicle
for bent or weak suspension components. Compare
the parts tag on the suspect coil spring(s) to the
parts book and the vehicle sales code, checking for a
match. Once removed from the vehicle, compare thecoil spring height to a correct new or known good coil
spring. The heights should vary if the suspect spring
is weak.
NOTE: Prior to reading the curb height measure-
ment, the front an rear of the vehicle should be
jounced. Induce jounce by grasping the center of
the rear, then front bumper (or fascia) and jouncing
the vehicle an equal number of times. Release the
bumper at the bottom of the jounce cycle.
(1) Measure from the inboard edge of the wheel
opening fender lip directly above the wheel center
(spindle), to the floor or alignment rack surface.
(2) When measuring, maximum left-to-right differ-
ential is not to exceed 10 mm (0.39 in.).
(3) Compare the measurements to specifications
listed in the following CURB HEIGHT SPECIFICA-
TIONS chart.
CURB HEIGHT SPECIFICATIONS
VEHICLE FRONT REAR
ALL NEON672 mm68 mm 679 mm68mm
26.46 in.60.32 in. 26.73 in.60.32 in.
WHEEL ALIGNMENT
PRE-WHEEL ALIGNMENT VEHICLE INSPECTION
CAUTION: If during the inspection the front sus-
pension crossmember shows any sign of impact
damage, the steering column lower coupling must
be inspected. Refer to DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING in
the STEERING group in this service manual.
Before any attempt is made to change or correct
the wheel alignment, the following inspection and
necessary corrections must be made to the vehicle to
ensure proper alignment.
(1) Be sure the fuel tank is full of fuel. If the fuel
tank is not full, the reduction in weight will affect
the curb height of the vehicle and the alignment
specifications.
(2) The passenger and luggage compartments of
the vehicle should be free of any load that is not fac-
tory equipment.
(3) Check the tires on the vehicle. The tires are to
be inflated to the recommended air pressure. All tires
must be the same size and in good condition with
approximately the same tread wear.
(4) Check the front tire and wheel assemblies for
excessive radial runout.(5) Inspect all suspension component fasteners for
looseness and torque.
(6) Inspect the lower front ball joints and all steer-
ing linkage for looseness and any sign of wear or
damage.
(7) Inspect the rubber bushings on all the suspen-
sion components for signs of wear or deterioration. If
any bushings show signs of wear or deterioration,
they should be replaced prior to aligning the vehicle.
WHEEL ALIGNMENT SETUP
(1) Position the vehicle on an alignment rack.
(2) Install all required alignment equipment on
the vehicle, per the alignment equipment manufac-
turer's instructions. On this vehicle, a four-wheel
alignment is recommended.
NOTE: Prior to reading the vehicle's alignment
readouts, the front and rear of vehicle should be
jounced. Induce jounce (rear first, then front) by
grasping the center of the bumper and jouncing
each end of vehicle an equal number of times. The
bumper should always be released when vehicle is
at the bottom of the jounce cycle.
(3) Read the vehicle's current front and rear align-
ment settings. Compare the vehicle's current align-
ment settings to the vehicle specifications for camber,
caster and toe-in. Refer to WHEEL ALIGNMENT
PLSUSPENSION 2 - 5

SPECIFICATIONS in this section of this service
manual group.
(4) If the rear alignment is out of specification,
adjust it first before proceeding to the front.
CAMBER AND CASTER
Front and rear camber and caster settings on this
vehicle are determined at the time the vehicle is
designed, by the location of the vehicle's suspension
components. This is referred to as Net Build. The
result is no required adjustment of camber and
caster after the vehicle is built or when servicing the
suspension components. Thus, when performing a
wheel alignment, caster and camber are not normally
considered adjustable angles. Camber and caster
should be checked to ensure they meet vehicle speci-
fications.
If either front or rear camber is found not to meet
alignment specifications, it can be adjusted using an
available camber adjustment bolt package. Before
installing a camber adjustment bolt package on a
vehicle found to be outside the specifications, inspect
the suspension components for any signs of damage
or bending.
No adjustment can be made to the caster setting
on this vehicle. If the vehicle's caster is not within
alignment specifications, check for damaged suspen-
sion components or body parts.
CAUTION: Do not attempt to adjust the vehicles
wheel alignment by heating or bending any of the
suspension components.
CAMBER ADJUSTMENT BOLT PACKAGE INSTALLATION
NOTE: The following procedure should only be
used on vehicles without the ACR competition
package.
The camber adjustment bolt package contains new
bolts and nuts for attaching the strut clevis bracket
to the steering knuckle. The bolts contained in the
package are slightly undersize allowing for move-
ment between the strut clevis bracket and the steer-
ing knuckle. The movement allowed by the undersize
bolts provide approximately two degrees of camber
adjustment per side of the vehicle. To install and
adjust the camber adjustment bolt package, follow
the procedure below.
CAUTION: There are separate camber adjustment
bolt packages for the front and rear of the vehicle.
Be sure to use the correct package.
(1) Raise the vehicle until its tires are not support-
ing the weight of the vehicle.CAUTION: The knuckle to strut assembly attaching
bolt shanks are serrated and must not be turned
during removal. Remove the nuts while holding the
bolts stationary.
(2) Remove the original upper bolt attaching the
strut clevis bracket to the knuckle (Fig. 2) (Fig. 3).
(3) Install a bolt from the adjustment package into
the hole where the original bolt was removed. Install
the bolt from the rear.
Fig. 2 Front Strut Clevis Bracket Attaching Bolts
1 ± STRUT CLEVIS BRACKET
2 ± STRUT CLEVIS BRACKET TO STEERING KNUCKLE
ATTACHING BOLTS
3 ± STEERING KNUCKLE
4 ± LOOSEN THIS BOLT
5 ± REMOVE AND REPLACE THIS BOLT
Fig. 3 Rear Strut Clevis Bracket Attaching Bolts
1 ± KNUCKLE
2 ± STRUT ASSEMBLY CLEVIS BRACKET
3 ± CLEVIS BRACKET TO KNUCKLE ATTACHING BOLTS
2 - 6 SUSPENSIONPL
SERVICE PROCEDURES (Continued)

(4) Install a nut provided in adjustment package
on the replacement bolt. Tighten the nut until it's
snug, but still allowing the knuckle to slide in the
clevis bracket.
(5) Remove the original lower bolt.
(6) Install a bolt from the adjustment package into
the bottom hole of the strut clevis bracket. Install the
bolt from the rear.
(7) Install a nut provided in adjustment package
on the replacement bolt. Tighten the nut until it's
snug.
(8) Reinstall the tire and wheel assembly.
(9) Perform the above procedure to any of the
remaining struts as required.
(10) Lower the vehicle and jounce the front and
rear of the vehicle.
(11) Adjust the front or rear camber to the pre-
ferred setting by pushing or pulling on the top of the
tire. When camber is set to specifications, tighten the
upper and lower strut clevis bracket bolts. Again
jounce the front and rear of the vehicle, then verify
the camber settings.
(12) Torque front strut clevis bracket-to-steering
knuckle attaching bolts to 53 N´m (40 ft. lbs.), plus
an additional 1/4 turn after the torque is met. Torque
the rear strut clevis bracket-to-rear knuckle attach-
ing bolts to 95 N´m (70 ft. lbs.).
(13) Once camber is within specifications, adjust
toe to meet the preferred specification setting. Refer
to TOE within this wheel alignment service proce-
dure.
TOE
(1) Center the steering wheel and lock it in place
using a steering wheel clamp.
NOTE: When performing the toe setting procedure,
make sure the rear toe is set to the preferred spec-
ification before setting the front toe to the preferred
specification.
REAR TOE
(1) Loosen the nuts on the left and right rear lat-
eral link attaching bolts at the rear crossmember as
necessary to allow rotation of the rear toe adjustment
cams (Fig. 4).CAUTION: When adjusting rear toe, the notches on
the toe adjustment cams are not to be facing down.
The notches in the adjustment cams are only to be
facing up or toward one side.
(2) Rotate each toe adjustment cam until the pre-
ferred rear toe specification is obtained (Fig. 4). Refer
to WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS in this
section of this service manual group.
(3) While holding the toe adjustment cams from
turning, tighten the attaching bolt nuts. This will
securely hold the adjustment cams in position.
Tighten the attaching bolt nuts to a torque of 88 N´m
(65 ft. lbs.).
(4) Proceed to FRONT TOE to set the front toe.
FRONT TOE
CAUTION: Do not twist the inner tie rod-to-steering
gear rubber boots while turning the inner tie rod
during the front toe adjustment.
(1) Loosen the tie rod adjusting jam nuts (Fig. 5).
Grasp each inner tie rod at its hex and rotate it one
way or the other until the front wheel toe is set to
the preferred specification. Refer to WHEEL ALIGN-
MENT SPECIFICATIONS in this section of this ser-
vice manual group.
Fig. 4 Adjustment Cams
1 ± BOLTS
2 ± ADJUSTMENT CAMS
3 ± NUTS
PLSUSPENSION 2 - 7
SERVICE PROCEDURES (Continued)

(2) Tighten tie rod adjusting jam nuts to a torque
of 75 N´m (55 ft. lbs.).
(3) Make sure the inner tie rod-to-steering gear
rubber boots are not twisted. If twisted, loosen the
boot clamp at the inner tie rod and move the boot as
necessary.
(4) Remove steering wheel clamp.
(5) Remove the alignment equipment.
(6) Road test the vehicle to verify the steering
wheel is straight and the vehicle does not pull or
wander.
SPECIFICATIONS
WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS
NOTE: All specifications are given in degrees.
NOTE: All wheel alignments are to be set with the
vehicle at curb height. Refer to CURB HEIGHT MEA-
SUREMENT in SERVICE PROCEDURES.
FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT PREFERRED SETTING ACCEPTABLE RANGE
CAMBER 0.00É -0.40É to +0.40É
Cross Camber (Maximum
Side-To-Side Difference)0.00É 0.50
CASTER +2.60É +1.60É to +3.60É
Cross Caster (Maximum Side-To-
Side Difference)0.00É 1.00É
TOTAL TOE* +0.10É þ0.10É to +0.30É
REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT PREFERRED SETTING ACCEPTABLE RANGE
CAMBER -0.25É -0.65É to +0.15É
TOTAL TOE* +0.30É +0.10É to +0.50É
THRUST ANGLE 0.00É -0.10É to +0.10É
Note:
* TOTAL TOE is the sum of both the left and right wheel toe settings. TOTAL TOE must be equally split between
each front wheel to ensure the steering wheel is centered after setting toe. Positive toe (+) is toe-in and negative
toe (þ) is Toe-out.
Fig. 5 Jam Nuts
1 ± OUTER TIE ROD
2 ± INNER TIE ROD HEX
3 ± JAM NUT
2 - 8 SUSPENSIONPL
SERVICE PROCEDURES (Continued)

once installed. Install the nuts. Holding the bolts in
place tighten the nuts to a torque of 53 N´m (40 ft.
lbs.) plus an additional 90É turn after the specified
torque is met.
(6) Place the tie rod heat shield on the steering
knuckle arm so that the shield is positioned straight
away from the steering gear and tie rod end once
installed. Algn the hole in the shield with the hole in
the steering knucle arm.
(7) Install the outer tie rod ball stud into the hole
in the steering knuckle arm. Start the tie rod attach-
ing nut onto the stud. Hold the tie rod end stud with
a wrench while tightening the nut with a standard
wrench or crowfoot wrench (Fig. 9). To fully tighten
the nut to specifications, use a crowfoot wrench on a
torque wrench to turn the nut, and a wrench on the
stud. Tighten the nut to a torque of 55 N´m (40 ft.
lbs.).
(8) Install the brake rotor on the hub (Fig. 8).
(9) Install the disc brake caliper (with pads) on the
brake rotor and steering knuckle. The left side cali-
per is installed by first sliding the top of the caliper
past the top abutment on the steering knuckle to
hook the top edge of the caliper, then pushing the
lower end of the caliper into place against the
knuckle (Fig. 13). The right side caliper is installed
by first sliding the bottom edge of the caliper past
the lower abutment on the steering knuckle to hook
the lower edge of the caliper, then pushing the top of
the caliper into place against the steering knuckle.
(10) Install the two guide pin bolts securing the
front disc brake caliper to the steering knuckle (Fig.
8). Tighten the guide pin bolts to a torque of 22 N´m
(192 in. lbs.).(11) Clean all foreign matter from the threads of
the driveshaft outer C/V joint (Fig. 7).
(12) Install the hub nut in the end of the drive-
shaft and snug it.
(13) Have a helper apply the brakes. With vehicle
brakes applied to keep brake rotor and hub from
turning, tighten the hub nut to a torque of 244 N´m
(180 ft. lbs.)
(14) Install the tire and wheel assembly. Install
the wheel mounting nuts and tighten them to a
torque of 135 N´m (100 ft. lbs.).
(15) Lower the vehicle.
(16) Set the front toe on the vehicle to required
specification. Refer to WHEEL ALIGNMENT in this
service manual group.
LOWER CONTROL ARM
NOTE: Before proceeding with this procedure,
review SERVICE WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS at the
beginning of REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION in this
section.
REMOVAL
(1) Raise the vehicle. Refer to HOISTING in the
LUBRICATION AND MAINTENANCE group for the
proper lifting procedure.
(2) Remove the front tire and wheel assembly.
(3) Remove both stabilizer bar links from the vehi-
cle (Fig. 14). Remove each link by holding the upper
retainer/nut with a wrench and turning the link bolt.
(4) Rotate the forward ends of the stabilizer bar
downward. It may be necessary to loosen the stabi-
Fig. 13 Brake Caliper Installation
1 ± SLIDE TOP OF BRAKE CALIPER UNDER TOP ABUTMENT
OF STEERING KNUCKLE AS SHOWN
2 ± BRAKING DISC
3 ± DISC BRAKE CALIPER
4 ± STEERING KNUCKLE BRAKE ABUTMENT
Fig. 14 Stabilizer Bar Links
1 ± STABILIZER BAR CUSHION RETAINERS
2 ± CUSHIONS
3 ± FRONT STABILIZER BAR
4 ± STABILIZER BAR LINKS
2 - 18 SUSPENSIONPL
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)

(4) 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.
(5) 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.).
(6) Tighten the stabilizer bar cushion retainer
bolts to a torque of 28 N´m (250 in. lbs.).
WHEEL MOUNTING STUD (FRONT)
NOTE: Before proceeding with this procedure,
review SERVICE WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS at the
beginning of REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION in this
section.
Use the following procedure to remove and install
one of five studs on one wheel hub.
REMOVAL
(1) Raise the vehicle. Refer to HOISTING in the
LUBRICATION AND MAINTENANCE group for the
proper lifting procedure.
(2) Remove the front tire and wheel assembly.
(3) Remove the two guide pin bolts securing the
front disc brake caliper to the steering knuckle (Fig.
20).
(4) Remove the disc brake caliper from the steer-
ing knuckle. The caliper is removed by first tipping
either the top (right side) or bottom (left side) of thecaliper away from the brake rotor, then pulling the
caliper off the opposite end's caliper slide (on the
knuckle) and rotor.
(5) Hang the caliper out of the way using a wire
hanger or cord. Do not support the caliper by letting
it hang by the hydraulic hose.
(6) Remove any retainer clips from the wheel
mounting studs. Remove the brake rotor from the
front hub (Fig. 20).
CAUTION: Do not hammer wheel mounting studs
out of the hub. Damage to the wheel bearing will
occur, leading to premature bearing failure.
(7) Install a wheel mounting nut on the wheel
mounting stud being removed from the hub far
enough so the threads on the stud are even with end
of lug nut. Rotate the hub so the stud requiring
removal is aligned with notch cast into front of the
steering knuckle. Install Remover, Special Tool
C-4150, on hub flange and wheel stud (Fig. 21).
(8) Tighten the remover, pushing the wheel mount-
ing stud out the rear of the hub flange. When the
shoulder of the stud is past the flange, remove the
remover from the hub. Remove the nut from the
stud, then remove the stud from the flange.
INSTALLATION
(1) Install the wheel mounting stud in the flange
of hub from the rear side. Install several washers
and a wheel mounting nut on the stud (Fig. 22). The
wheel mounting nut must be installed with the flat
side of the wheel mounting nut against the washers
to eliminate binding.
Fig. 19 Downward Curve
1 ± STABILIZER BAR
2 ± LINK
3 ± DOWNWARD CURVE
4 ± CUSHION RETAINER
Fig. 20 Brake Caliper And Rotor
1 ± RETAINER CLIP
2 ± BRAKE ROTOR
3 ± HUB
4 ± GUIDE PIN BOLTS
5 ± DISC BRAKE CALIPER
PLSUSPENSION 2 - 21
REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION (Continued)