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 What Is A Steering Knuckle And Why Is It Important?

What Is A Steering Knuckle And Why Is It

Important?
The steering knuckle is chunky piece of steel with several protruding arms located
right behind your front wheels. It connects the wheel hub (or spindle) to the
suspension. The disc brake caliper mounts to the knuckle.

So what exactly is the steering knuckle and what does it do? Let's find out.

Image Credit: Clear Mechanic

Also known as a wheel carrier or an upright, the steering knuckle is the last part in
the steering system. There’s one steering knuckle attached to each front wheel, and
its purpose is to turn your wheel when you steer.
How A Steering Knuckle Helps Your Vehicle Change
Direction
The top and bottom arms of the steering knuckle attach to the suspension system via
pivots called "ball joints". The ball joints let the knuckle pivot left or right. They also
keep the knuckle in a vertical position. The steering knuckle also has a lateral arm
that connects to a tie rod.

When you steer, the tie rod either pushes the lateral arm outward or pulls it inward,
depending on the direction the steering wheel is turned. There are tie rods on both
sides of a vehicle. When the lateral arm on one side is pushed outward, the other
lateral arm is pulled inward at the same time. This turns the knuckles and front
wheels in unison.

Why A Broken Steering Knuckle Is A Big Deal

A steering knuckle is very sturdy. During normal use they usually last the life of the
vehicle. However, if you have a minor collision, hit a really big pothole, or slide into a
curb, you might damage the knuckle. If the knuckle breaks, your vehicle will be
obviously disabled.

When you have a cracked or bent steering knuckle, your vehicle might seem like you
could still drive it. But you really shouldn't. There are a few things could go wrong.
 Your wheel alignment will be thrown out of whack. This leads to uneven tire
wear and poor handling.
 The damaged part can put additional stress on the ball joints. Ball joints can
break suddenly.
If a ball joint breaks, it will suddenly become very difficult to steer, and you may loose
control of the vehicle. This is obviously very dangerous. If you suspect that a steering
knuckle is damaged, you should inspect it immediately.

How To Know If Your Steering Knuckle Is Damaged

Removing the wheel and tire (or lifting the vehicle) to visually inspect your steering
knuckle can be a cumbersome task. The good news is that there are symptoms to
tell you when it’s time to take a look. The sooner you detect the following symptoms
and catch the problem, the better.

 One front wheel appears more tilted than the other.

 Squealing noise when turning.
 The vehicle pulls to the left or right.
 Crooked steering wheel when driving straight.
 The vehicle corners worse when steering in one direction than the other.
The best way to determine for sure if your steering knuckle is bent or cracked is to
visually inspect it and/or to compare it to the other steering knuckle.

How To Deal With A Broken Steering Knuckle

A broken steering knuckle is unsafe to drive on at all. It needs immediate
replacement. With the right tools and a comprehensive tutorial you should be able to
replace it in a matter of two or three hours. You can buy an OEM steering knuckle
online at a reasonable price.

Keep in mind that replacing a steering knuckle will likely affect your car’s alignment
settings. We suggest taking your car in for an alignment after doing the job.

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   Subaru Parts Plus
1255 New State HWY
Raynham, MA 02767

 1-888-294-4979

 support@subarupartsplus.com

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