Front Lower Control Arm

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Impreza and Legacy

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions in the beginning of this section.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Tire and wheel assembly
   • Sway link from the lower control arm
   • Bolt securing the ball joint to the steering knuckle
   • Nuts (NOT the bolts) securing the lower control arm to the crossmember
   • 2 bolts holding the bushing bracket of the control arm to the body
   • Ball joint from the steering knuckle
   • Bolts securing the lower control arm to the crossmember, then the lower control

   To install:

3. Install or connect the following:
   • Lower control arm; temporarily tighten the 2 bolts used to secure the rear bushing of the lower control arm to the body

   NOTE: These bolts should be tightened so they can still move back and forth in the oblong shaped hole in the bracket which holds the bushing.

4. Install or connect the following:
   • Bolts used to secure the lower control arm to the crossmember and temporarily tighten the nuts
   • Ball joint into the steering knuckle and secure with the retaining bolt
   • Sway link to the control arm and temporarily tighten the bolts

   WARNING
   Discard loosened self-locking nut and replace with a new one.

5. Lower the vehicle, then tighten the bolts to the following specifications:
   1. Lower control arm-to-sway bar: 21 ft. lbs. (27 Nm).

      NOTE: Move the rear bushing back and forth until the control arm-to-rear bushing clearance if established. Refer to the illustration for specifications.

      Proper control arm-to-rear bushing clearance specifications — Impreza and Legacy

   2. Lower control arm-to-crossmember: 72 ft. lbs. (98 Nm).
   3. Lower control arm-to-rear link bushing-to-body: 181 ft. lbs. (245 Nm).
6. Check the wheel alignment and adjust if necessary.

SVX

1. Before servicing the vehicle, refer to the precautions in the beginning of this section.
2. Remove or disconnect the following:
   • Tire and wheel assembly
   • Lower ball joint-to-steering knuckle pinch bolt
   • Ball joint from the steering knuckle
   • 3 bolts mounting the rear support
   • Rear support
   • Front and rear control arm through-bolts
   • Control arm

   To install:

3. Install or connect the following:
   • 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.

4. 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.
5. Install or connect the following:
   • Pinch bolt and tighten to 38 ft. lbs. (52 Nm)
   • Tire and wheel assembly
6. Tighten the lower control arm through-bolts to 65 ft. lbs. (88 Nm).
7. Install the rear support and tighten the rear support mounting bolts to 108 ft. lbs. (147 Nm).
8. Check the front end alignment and adjust as necessary.