Control Arm Replacement near Washington, District of Columbia

A technician will replace a lower control arm by first lifting and supporting the vehicle in the air on a hoist and removing the wheel and tire. A lower control arm must be disconnected from the lower ball joint (attached to the steering knuckle) and from the vehicle frame or body. An upper control arm is disconnected from the strut tower on the body and from the top of the steering knuckle. Some control arms come with bushings permanently installed in them, while others require the bushings to be installed. It is common to replace related components - ball joints, tie rod ends, sway bar links - at the same time that a control arm is replaced.

Replacement of a control arm is generally an intermediate DIY repair. On some vehicles, the control arms come with the bushings already installed. On other vehicles, the bushings need to be pressed into their housings on the control arm before installation into the vehicle. In this case, the repair will be more difficult. Also, this repair requires that the vehicle be safely lifted and supported with a jack and jack stands. Failure to do so in a safe manner can result in serious injury or death.