Two rubber bushings at the pivot point are used to transfer the car's weight through the control arm. They are bolted onto the frame by bolting them to the pivot point. These bushings can be affected by driving habits and road conditions. They will eventually wear out and become damaged. You can inspect these bushings by lifting the car and looking for irregularities in the rubber center. The ball joint is often built into control arms. This joint will need to be replaced with the control arm. First, you need to know how to remove a lower control arm.
How to remove the lower control arm？
Start by taking off the wheel, lifting the car onto jack stands, and supporting it. Protective eyewear and gloves are recommended.
1. Release the ball Joint
The ball joint must first be removed. This can be done with a wrench between 20 and 24mm, or a socket. After the cotter pin is removed, loosen the ball joint nuts. Next, use a hammer to loosen the control arm bulkhead or spindle taper. If you are using "live spring" suspension (shock), the lower control arm must first be held by a hydraulic Jack and then slowly lowered after the ball joint has been released.
2. Take out the sway bar link
The swaybar link will connect to the control arm. This connection could have a small taper, so you might need to shock it loose like the ball joint. Use a wrench or socket to remove the nut.
Grab the swaybar link and pull it off the lower control arm mount. This will ensure that the swaybar link stays out of the way throughout the entire job.
3. Take out the control mounting bolts
There will be two bolts for mounting control arms, either horizontally or vertically. To loosen the bolts, use a wrench or socket measuring 19 mm to 22 mm. A few bolts have a nut at the back that must be held in place by an additional wrench. These bolts are very tight, so ensure that the socket or wrench is secured on the bolt head to prevent rounding.
It is possible to remove the lower control arms bolt using a universal joint and socket. This makes it more accessible. The arm might be loose after the bolts are removed, so make sure you have your hands on it.
4. Remove the lower control arm
To remove the lower control arm from its mounts, grab it with your fist and move it up and downwards.
For more information on removing the lower control arm, please visit https://www.yitahomeshop.com/blogs/installation-and-video.
