Control Arm: Service and Repair
REMOVAL-LOWER CONTROL ARM1. Raise vehicle on jackstands or centered on a frame contact hoist.
2. Remove the wheel and tire assembly from the vehicle.
3. Remove the ball joint stud to steering knuckle attaching nut and bolt.
CAUTION: Pulling steering knuckle out from vehicle after releasing from ball joint can separate inner ON joint.
CAUTION: When lower control arm is separated from steering knuckle, do not let ball joint seal hit up against steering knuckle. If ball joint seal hits steering knuckle, seal damage may occur. If ball joint seal becomes torn, replace seal before assembling lower control arm to knuckle.
4. Carefully insert a pry bar between lower control arm and steering knuckle. Push down on pry bar to separate ball joint stud from steering knuckle.
5. Remove tension strut to cradle attaching nut and washer from end of tension strut. When removing tension strut nut, keep strut from turning by holding tension strut at flat using an open end wrench. Discard tension strut to cradle retaining nut. A NEW tension strut to cradle nut must be used when installing tension strut.
6. Loosen and remove lower control arm pivot bushing to cradle assembly pivot bolt.
7. Remove lower control arm and tension strut from the cradle as an assembly. Remove them from cradle by first removing pivot bushing end from cradle and then sliding tension strut out of isolator bushing.
8. Remove tension strut to control arm retaining nut and washer from end of tension strut. While removing nut, keep strut from turning by holding tension strut at flat using an open end wrench. Discard the retaining nut. A NEW nut must be used when installing tension strut.
9. Separate the tension strut from the lower control arm.
DISASSEMBLY-LOWER CONTROL ARM (PIVOT BUSHING)
1. Remove lower control arm and tension strut as an assembly from the vehicle.
2. Separate the tension strut from the lower control arm assembly.
3. Position lower control arm in arbor press with large end of pivot bushing inside Receiver, Special Tool MB-990799, as shown. Position Remover, Special Tool 6644-2, on top of pivot bushing.
4. Using the arbor press, press the lower control arm pivot bushing out of lower control arm.
5. Remove the pressed out lower control arm pivot bushing from the Receiver and discard.
DISASSEMBLY-LOWER CONTROL ARM (TENSION STRUT BUSHING)
1. Remove lower control arm and tension strut as an assembly from the vehicle.
2. Separate the tension strut from the lower control arm assembly.
3. Position lower control arm in arbor press with tension strut bushing inside Receiver, Special Tool MB-990799, as shown. Position Remover, Special Tool 6644-4, on top of tension strut bushing.
4. Lower the arbor press ram, pressing Remover, Special Tool 6644-4, down through the tension strut bushing until the arbor press can push it no farther. This action will cut the bushing into two pieces.
5. Remove lower control arm from arbor press. Remove pieces of tension strut and Remover, Special Tool 6644-4, from lower control arm.
ASSEMBLY-LOWER CONTROL ARM (PIVOT BUSHING)
1. Position the lower control arm so it is supported by Receiver, Special Tool MB-990799, as shown.
2. Place new pivot bushing in lower control arm so it is square with the bushing hole. Position Installer, Special Tool 6644-1, on top of pivot bushing, with pivot bushing setting in recessed area of
3. Press pivot bushing into lower control arm until Installer, Special Tool 6644-1, squarely bottoms against surface of lower control arm. At that point, the bushing is installed to the correct position in control arm.
4. Attach tension strut to lower control arm and install on car as an assembly.
ASSEMBLY-LOWER CONTROL ARM (TENSION STRUT BUSHING)
1. Thoroughly lubricate the replacement tension strut bushing, lower control arm and Installer, Special Tool 6644-3, using Mopar Rubber Bushing Installation Lube, or an equivalent.
2. By hand, install tension strut bushing into large end of Installer, Special Tool 6644-3. Press bushing into installer as far as it will go by hand.
3. Position lower control arm in arbor press, so tension strut hole in lower control arm is centered on Receiver, Special Tool MB-990799. Position Installer, Special Tool 6644-3 (with previously installed bushing) inside of tension strut bushing hole in lower control arm. Position Installer, Special Tool 6644-2 on top of tension strut bushing.
4. Using the arbor press, press the tension strut bushing into the lower control arm. As the bushing is being pressed into the control arm a pop noise will be heard. When the pop is heard, Installer, Special Tool 6644-3, will move slightly up off the control arm. At this time, remove the control arm assembly from the arbor press and pull Special Tool 6644-3 off the tension strut bushing in the control arm. Tension strut bushing is now installed.
5. Attach tension strut to lower control arm and install lower control arm and tension strut as an assembly back on the vehicle.
INSTALLATION-LOWER CONTROL ARM
1. Position tension strut in lower control arm as shown. Make sure the word FRONT which is stamped in tension strut, is positioned away from control arm.
2. Install the washer and a NEW retaining nut on the end of the tension strut at the control arm. Place an open end wrench on flat of tension strut to keep it from turning tension while tightening retaining nut. Tighten retaining nut to a torque of 130 Nm (96 ft. lbs.).
3. Install the lower control arm and tension strut assembly on the engine/suspension cradle in the following manner. Install tension strut and isolator bushing end into cradle first, then install lower control arm pivot bushing end into bracket on cradle.
4. Install the lower control arm to cradle bracket attaching pivot bolt and nut. Do not tighten the lower control arm to cradle bracket attaching bolt at this time.
6. Install washer on end of tension strut. Install a NEW tension strut to cradle bracket nut, on tension strut. Tighten the tension strut to cradle bracket retaining nut to a torque of 130 Nm (95 ft. lbs.). When torquing tension strut nut, keep tension strut from turning by holding tension strut at flat using an open end wrench.
CAUTION: Pulling steering knuckle out from vehicle after releasing from ball joint can separate inner ON joint.
CAUTION: When ball joint stud is installed into steering knuckle, do not let ball joint seal hit up against steering knuckle. If ball joint seal hits steering knuckle, seal damage may occur. If ball joint seal becomes torn, replace seal before assembling lower control arm to knuckle.
6. Install lower ball joint stud into steering knuckle. Install steering knuckle to lower ball joint stud, clamp bolt and nut into steering knuckle. Tighten the clamping bolt to a torque of 56 Nm (40 ft. lbs.).
7. Install the wheel and tire assembly.
8. Tighten the wheel mounting stud nuts in proper sequence until all nuts are torqued to half specification. Then repeat the tightening sequence to the full specified torque of 129 Nm (96 ft. lbs.).
9. Lower vehicle so the suspension is supporting vehicles weight (control arm at design height). Tighten the lower control arm pivot bushing to cradle bracket attaching bolt to a torque of 142 Nm (106 ft. lbs.).