Lower Control Arm

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Justy

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Raise and safely support the vehicle on jackstands.
3. Remove the tire and wheel assembly.
4. Remove the nuts that attach the tension rod to the control arm.
5. Remove the center undercover, if equipped.
6. Remove the tension rod bushing lock nut and remove the washer, bushing and tension rod.
7. Remove the control arm-to-crossmember mounting bolt.
8. Remove the lower ball joint pinch bolt from the steering knuckle.
9. Spread the ears on the steering knuckle and disconnect the ball joint from the steering knuckle.
10. Remove the lower control arm.
11. Installation is the reverse of removal. Secure the following components accordingly.
    • Ball joint pinch bolt — 33 ft. lbs. (44 Nm)
    • Tension rod-to-frame nut — 47 ft. lbs. (64 Nm)
    • Tension rod-to-control arm nuts — 62 ft. lbs. (83 Nm)
    • Control arm-to-crossmember bolt to 50 ft. lbs. (69 Nm)
12. Check the front end alignment.

Sedan, Coupe, Loyale, XT, Wagon And Brat

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Raise and safely support the vehicle on jackstands.
3. Remove the front tire and wheel assembly.
4. Remove the cotter pin and castle nut from the lower ball joint. Using a suitable ball joint separator, disconnect the lower ball joint from the lower control arm.
5. Remove the parking brake cable mounting bracket bolts from the lower control arm, if equipped.
6. Remove the tension rod mounting nuts and bolts and disconnect the rod from the lower control arm.
7. Remove the nut and bolt securing the sway bar link to the lower control arm and position the link out of the way.
8. Remove the lower control arm to-frame mounting bolt and nut, then remove the lower control arm.

   To install:

9. Position the lower control arm in the vehicle and install the lower control arm-to-frame mounting nut and bolt. DO NOT tighten at this time.
10. Connect the strut rod to the lower control arm and install the mounting nuts and bolts. DO NOT tighten at this time.
11. Connect the lower ball joint to the lower control arm and install the castle nut and tighten to 22 ft. lbs. (29 Nm). Install a new cotter pin.
12. Connect the sway bar link to the lower control arm and install the mounting bolt and nut and tighten to 22 ft. lbs. (29 Nm).
13. Tighten the lower control arm-to-frame mounting bolt to 78 ft. lbs. (98 Nm).
14. Tighten the strut rod to control arm mounting bolts to 27 ft. lbs. (36 Nm).
15. Install the front tire and wheel assembly.
16. Lower the vehicle.
17. Connect the negative battery cable.
18. Check the front end alignment.

Legacy and Impreza

1. Raise and support the vehicle safely on jackstands.
2. Remove the wheel and tire assembly.
3. Disconnect the sway bar from the lower control arm.
4. Remove the bolt securing the ball joint to the steering knuckle.
5. Remove the nuts (not bolts) securing the lower control arm to the crossmember.
6. Remove the bolts securing the bushing bracket of the lower control arm to body.
7. Remove the lower control arm-to-crossmember bolts, then remove the lower control arm.

   To install:

8. Install the lower control arm and temporarily tighten the two bolts used to secure the rear bushing of the lower control arm to the body.

   NOTE: These bolts should be tightened to such an extent that they can still move back and forth in the oblong shaped hole in the bracket which holds the busing.

9. Install the bolts used to connect the lower control arm to the crossmember and temporarily tighten the nuts. Insert the ball joint, and tighten the bolt.
10. Connect the sway bar link to the lower control arm and temporarily tighten the bolts.
11. Lower the vehicle and tighten the bolts to following specifications:
    1. Lower control arm-to-sway bar link; 21 ft. lbs. (27 Nm)
    2. Lower control arm-to-crossmember; 72 ft. lbs. (98 Nm)
    3. Lower control arm rear link bushing-to-body; 181 ft. lbs. (245 Nm)

       NOTE: Move the rear bushing back and forth until the lower control arm link-to-rear bushing clearance is established before tightening the bolts.

SVX

1. Raise and safely support the vehicle on jackstands.
2. Remove the tire and wheel assembly.
3. Remove the lower ball joint-to-steering knuckle pinch bolt.
4. Separate the ball joint from the steering knuckle.
5. Remove the three bolts mounting the rear support and remove the support.
6. Remove the front and rear control arm through-bolts, then remove the control arm.

   To install:

7. Position the control arm on the vehicle, and install the front and rear through-bolts. DO NOT tighten the bolts at this time.

   NOTE: The lower control arm through-bolts must be tightened with the weight of the vehicle on the suspension.

8. Line up the ball joint with the hole in the steering knuckle and insert the ball joint until the notch in the ball stud is visible through the steering knuckle hole and tighten the pinch bolt to 38 ft. lbs. (52 Nm). Install the tire and wheel assembly.
9. Lower the vehicle. Tighten the lower control arm through-bolts to 65 ft. lbs. (88 Nm).
10. Raise the vehicle. Install the rear support and tighten the rear support mounting bolts to 108 ft. lbs. (147 Nm).
11. Lower the vehicle. Check the front end alignment and adjust as necessary.