🔧 Tucson - Front Lower Control Arm Replacement

This repair replaces the front lower control arms on your Tucson. The control arm holds the wheel in position and connects the suspension to the vehicle body; worn bushings or a loose ball joint can cause clunks, wandering, uneven tire wear, or poor alignment.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Always support your Tucson with jack stands before working underneath it. Never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ The coil spring and strut carry suspension load. Do not remove the strut or spring for this repair.
• ⚠️ Replace control arms in pairs if one side is worn; this keeps handling and braking balanced.
• ⚠️ Final tightening of control arm bushing bolts must be done at normal ride height. Tightening them while the suspension hangs can damage the new bushings.
• ⚠️ An alignment is required after replacing control arms.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this repair.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves
• 21mm lug nut socket
• 1/2-inch drive breaker bar
• 1/2-inch drive ratchet
• Torque wrench (10-200 ft-lbs)
• 17mm socket
• 19mm socket
• 22mm socket
• 17mm wrench
• 19mm wrench
• 22mm wrench
• Ball joint separator (specialty)
• Pry bar 18-inch
• Dead blow hammer 2-lb
• Needle nose pliers
• Paint marker
• Penetrating oil

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front lower control arm assembly - Left: 1, Right: 1
• Front lower ball joint nut - Qty: 2
• Front control arm mounting bolts and nuts - Qty: 1 set
• Cotter pins - Qty: 2

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park your Tucson on a flat, solid surface.
• Set the parking brake and place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Loosen the front lug nuts slightly before lifting the vehicle.
• Spray penetrating oil on the control arm mounting bolts and ball joint nut. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
• A ball joint separator is a tool that safely separates the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle without striking the joint directly.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the Front Wheel Lug Nuts

• Use a 21mm lug nut socket and 1/2-inch drive breaker bar to loosen the front wheel lug nuts about half a turn.
• Do not remove the lug nuts yet.
• Tip: Loosen wheels before lifting.

Step 2: Lift and Support the Front of the Vehicle

• Use a floor jack at the front center jacking point or approved front lift point.
• Place jack stands under the front side pinch welds or approved support points.
• Lower your Tucson gently onto the jack stands.
• Shake the vehicle lightly by hand to confirm it is stable before working underneath.

Step 3: Remove the Front Wheels

• Use the 21mm lug nut socket and 1/2-inch drive ratchet to remove the lug nuts.
• Remove both front wheels and set them flat on the ground.

Step 4: Mark the Control Arm Position

• Use a paint marker to mark the position of the control arm mounting bolts and brackets.
• This helps place the new arm close to the original position before alignment.
• Tip: Marks help, but alignment is still required.

Step 5: Remove the Ball Joint Cotter Pin and Nut

• Use needle nose pliers to straighten and remove the cotter pin from the lower ball joint stud.
• Use a 19mm socket and 1/2-inch drive ratchet to remove the lower ball joint nut.
• If the stud spins, hold the stud with the correct internal hex if equipped, or apply downward pressure with a pry bar 18-inch while loosening the nut.

Step 6: Separate the Ball Joint from the Steering Knuckle

• Install the ball joint separator between the lower control arm ball joint and the steering knuckle.
• Tighten the separator slowly with a 19mm wrench or matching tool size until the joint pops loose.
• Use a dead blow hammer 2-lb only on the side of the knuckle if extra vibration is needed.
• Do not strike the threaded ball joint stud directly.

Step 7: Remove the Front Control Arm Mounting Bolt

• Use a 19mm socket and 19mm wrench to remove the front control arm mounting bolt and nut.
• Keep the bolt direction in mind so the new hardware goes back the same way.

Step 8: Remove the Rear Control Arm Mounting Bolt

• Use a 22mm socket and 22mm wrench to remove the rear control arm mounting bolt and nut.
• Support the arm by hand as the last bolt comes out.
• Use a pry bar 18-inch to gently work the control arm out of the subframe brackets if it is stuck.

Step 9: Compare the New Control Arm

• Place the old and new control arms side by side.
• Check that the ball joint, bushings, and mounting points match.
• Confirm left and right arms are installed on the correct sides.

Step 10: Install the New Control Arm into the Subframe

• Slide the new control arm into the subframe brackets by hand.
• Use the pry bar 18-inch gently if needed to line up the bushing sleeves.
• Install the front mounting bolt and rear mounting bolt by hand first.
• Do not fully tighten the bushing bolts yet.

Step 11: Connect the Ball Joint to the Steering Knuckle

• Guide the ball joint stud into the bottom of the steering knuckle by hand.
• Install the new ball joint nut by hand.
• Use a 19mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the lower ball joint nut to Torque to 78-98 Nm (58-72 ft-lbs).
• Install a new cotter pin using needle nose pliers. If the hole does not line up, tighten the nut slightly until it does.

Step 12: Raise the Suspension to Ride Height

• Place the floor jack under the outer end of the control arm near the ball joint.
• Raise the control arm until the suspension sits close to normal ride height.
• Normal ride height means the control arm is positioned like it would be with the vehicle sitting on its wheels.

Step 13: Final-Tighten the Control Arm Bolts

• Use a 19mm socket, 19mm wrench, and torque wrench to tighten the front control arm mounting bolt to Torque to 137-157 Nm (101-116 ft-lbs).
• Use a 22mm socket, 22mm wrench, and torque wrench to tighten the rear control arm mounting bolt to Torque to 137-157 Nm (101-116 ft-lbs).
• Tip: Tighten bushings only at ride height.

Step 14: Repeat on the Other Side

• Use the same tools and steps to replace the control arm on the other side.
• Replacing both sides helps keep steering and braking even.

Step 15: Reinstall the Front Wheels

• Install the wheels by hand and start all lug nuts by hand.
• Use a 21mm lug nut socket and 1/2-inch drive ratchet to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Lower your Tucson with the floor jack until the tires touch the ground.
• Use a 21mm lug nut socket and torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts to Torque to 107-127 Nm (79-94 ft-lbs).

Step 16: Lower the Vehicle Fully

• Remove the jack stands.
• Use the floor jack to lower your Tucson fully to the ground.
• Remove the wheel chocks.

---

✅ After Repair

• ✅ Turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock while parked and listen for binding or clunks.
• ✅ Test drive slowly at first. Check for pulling, vibration, or knocking noises.
• ✅ Schedule a four-wheel alignment immediately after this repair.
• ✅ Recheck the lug nut torque after 25-50 miles.
• ✅ If the steering wheel is off-center or the vehicle pulls, do not delay the alignment.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $650-$1,100 (parts + labor + alignment)

DIY Cost: $250-$550 (parts only, alignment separate)

You Save: $300-$550 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-3 hours.

---

🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.