2x Front Lower Control Arms Ball Joints For Chevy Impala Monte Carlo Buick Regal

Suspension Control Arm Replacement Guideline

Control arms are installed in pairs on the front and rear axle and connect the chassis to the wheels as part of the suspension. Therefore, they have a significant influence on the driving characteristics of the vehicle.

A dynamic or a comfortable driving style? The control arms are individually adjusted to the vehicle depending on the desired characteristics. They also absorb lateral movements and forces resulting from driving off and braking.

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Warning

Warning:Depending on the axle design, the control arm may need to be secured against falling with a suitable device, e.g. a transmission lifter.

2.Treat the fixing screws and nuts of the control arm with rust solvent and leave it to work for a few minutes so that they are easier to loosen.

3.On vehicles with automatic headlight levelling, it may be necessary to detach the leveling sensor from the control arm.

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4.If the stabilizer is connected to the control arm, the next step is to loosen and remove the corresponding stabiliser fixing screws.

5.Loosen and remove the control arm fixing screws.

6.Loosen the ball joint at the steering knuckle with a suitable special tool (e.g. a puller).

7.Remove the old control arm.

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8.Clean the mounting flange of the ball joint pin on the steering knuckle with sandpaper and then with brake cleaner. Otherwise single rust particles can enter the new control arm joint via the ball pin, potentially leading to premature failure of the joint.

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9.Fit the new control arm with the supplied accessories and attach new fixing screws and nuts.

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10.Reattach the stabilizer and, if applicable, the leveling sensor for headlight leveling to the control arm.

A defective control arm can manifest in the following ways

(1).Noise (squeaking, creaking, rumbling).

(2).Deteriorating driveability.

(3).Increasingly woolly and imprecise steering.

(4).Uneven tyre wear.

Tip:If the control arm is in working order, it is possible to only replace the defective bearings and joints. However, replacing bearings, control arm bushings and ball joints can be very complex and costly.

Picture(B)

1.First lift the vehicle using a car lift, ideally a wheel-free four-post car lift. This makes it easier to correctly tighten the control arm fixing screws.

Note

Although some parts have grease fittings, other parts are factory sealed, but do not affect the fit and quality of the parts.

Do not tighten the fixing screws and nuts in this step, otherwise the rubber mounts will twist when the suspension compresses. This would lead to undesired preloading onf the mounts.

Picture(G)

11.Now lower the vehicle until the suspension is compressed. Depending on vehicle type, load or unload the vehicle until the required height published in the specific installation instruction is reached. This is where a wheel-free four-post car lift is advantageous, as the underside of the vehicle can still be easily accessed once lowered.

12.Tighten the fixing screws with the torque stipulated by the vehicle manufacturer.

13.Lower the vehicle all the way.

14.Measure the chassis and adjust if necessary.

15.Check and, if necessary, adjust the headlight settings on vehicles with automatic headlight leveling where the leveling sensor is attached to the control arm.

16.To conclude, test-drive the vehicle.

Frequently Asked Questions

(1).What's the function of control arm?

The control arm connects the hub and the frame of the car. There are ball joints on the hub side and bushings on the frame side to achieve up and down instead of forward and rearward.

(2).What is the significance of the control arm for the car?

As an important part of the car suspension, the control arm is used to transmit the required supporting force of the wheel and to withstand all the front and rear direction stresses. It is an important safety part of the chassis system. Therefore, it requires high strength and reliability in the design. Its fatigue strength is directly related to the safety of vehicles and members.

(3).How to tell the quality of control arm?

Look at the materials and processing of the control arm: the materials used to control the arm, common are steel and aluminum alloy. In ordinary family cars, steel control arms are very common, and the basic appeal is to meet the strength while controlling costs. In the middle and high-end models, you will see the control arm of the aluminum alloy and the wheel bearing housing. In addition to meeting the strength of the suspension, this material can further reduce the weight and reduce the weight of the suspension spring to improve the suspension response. Improve driving performance.

Look at chassis protection and workmanship: Regarding chassis protection, we mainly pay attention to whether it is equipped with engine under guard, whether there is coating or cover at the bottom of the car body, whether the oil pipe is covered with a guard plate, whether the front and rear wheel arches are protected. Board or coating coverage, etc.

(4).Do I need to replace the control arm if the bushings are worn? What is the safety risk?

Because the weight of the car is transferred through the control arm two rubber bushings are fitted at the pivot point and bolted to the frame. Road conditions and driving habits can contribute to the wear of these bushings which will become worn and fall apart. These bushing can be inspected by raising the car up and looking for an irregular configuration of the rubber center of the bushing. Many control arms have the ball joint manufactured into the arm which will be replaced along with the control arm itself. When one control arm is worn it is highly advised to replace the opposing arm.

(5).What is the average cost of replacing control arms?

The cost to replace control arms depend on the vehicle. Control arms cost different amounts depending on the vehicle, as well as the labor to install. Some are easy to install and take little time, while others can take several hours.

Package Includes

Ball Joints come Pre-Assembled onto the Lower Control Arms

1 x Part # Front Lower Control Arm and Ball Joint - Driver Side - K80539

1 x Part # Front Lower Control Arm and Ball Joint - Passenger Side - K80538