🔧 Highlander - Front Lower Control Arm Replacement

This repair replaces the front lower control arms on your Highlander. The lower control arm connects the wheel hub area to the vehicle frame and uses rubber bushings plus a ball joint to keep the wheel stable while driving.

Difficulty Level: Advanced | Estimated Time: 3-5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Your Highlander is a hybrid, so do not touch orange high-voltage cables or hybrid battery components.
• ⚠️ Support the vehicle only on jack stands. Never work under a vehicle held up by a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ The lower control arm holds suspension load. Keep hands clear when separating the ball joint and moving the arm.
• ⚠️ Disconnecting the 12V battery is recommended before working near electrical harnesses. This does not disable the high-voltage hybrid system.
• ⚠️ Replace control arms in pairs if the bushings or ball joints are worn unevenly. This keeps steering and braking balanced.
• ⚠️ A wheel alignment is required after this repair.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Breaker bar 1/2-inch drive
• Torque wrench 1/2-inch drive
• Torque wrench 3/8-inch drive
• 21mm socket
• 19mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 10mm socket
• 21mm wrench
• 19mm wrench
• 17mm wrench
• Ratchet 1/2-inch drive
• Ratchet 3/8-inch drive
• Long extension 1/2-inch drive
• Pry bar 24-inch
• Ball joint separator (specialty)
• Needle-nose pliers
• Flathead screwdriver
• Paint marker
• Rubber mallet
• Penetrating oil
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front lower control arm assembly - Qty: 2
• Front lower ball joint cotter pins - Qty: 2
• Front lower control arm mounting bolts and nuts - Qty: 1 set
• Front stabilizer bar link nuts - Qty: 2

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park your Highlander on level ground, shift to Park, and apply the parking brake.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• 🔋 Open the hood and disconnect the 12V battery negative cable using a 10mm socket.
• 📌 Spray penetrating oil on the control arm bolts, ball joint nut, and stabilizer link nut. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
• 🧭 Use a paint marker to mark the position of the old control arm bolts and washers before removal. This helps keep the alignment close enough to drive to the alignment shop.
• 📘 A ball joint separator is a tool that safely pops the tapered ball joint stud loose from the steering knuckle.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the Front Wheel Lug Nuts

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar 1/2-inch drive to loosen the front lug nuts one turn while the tires are still on the ground.
• Do not remove the lug nuts yet.
• Loose first, lift second.

Step 2: Raise and Support the Front of the Vehicle

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) under the front center jacking point.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the front side support points.
• Lower the vehicle 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 a 21mm socket and ratchet 1/2-inch drive to remove the lug nuts.
• Remove both front wheels and set them flat on the ground.

Step 4: Remove the Front Under Cover if Needed

• Use a 10mm socket, 14mm socket, and flathead screwdriver to remove the front lower splash shield fasteners if they block access to the control arm bolts.
• Set the splash shield and fasteners aside in order.

Step 5: Disconnect the Stabilizer Bar Link from the Control Arm

• Use a 17mm socket and 17mm wrench to remove the stabilizer bar link nut from the lower control arm.
• If the link stud spins, hold the stud with the proper wrench while turning the nut with the 17mm socket.
• Move the stabilizer link away from the control arm.

Step 6: Remove the Ball Joint Cotter Pin and Nut

• Use needle-nose pliers to straighten and pull out the cotter pin from the lower ball joint stud.
• Use a 19mm socket and ratchet 1/2-inch drive to loosen and remove the lower ball joint castle nut.
• A castle nut is a notched nut that uses a cotter pin to keep it from loosening.

Step 7: Separate the Ball Joint from the Steering Knuckle

• Install the ball joint separator (specialty) between the lower ball joint and steering knuckle.
• Tighten the separator with a 19mm socket until the joint pops free.
• Use a rubber mallet only for light tapping if needed. Do not hit the threaded stud directly.
• Protect the rubber boot.

Step 8: Remove the Rear Control Arm Mounting Bolt

• Use a 21mm socket, 21mm wrench, and breaker bar 1/2-inch drive to loosen the rear control arm mounting bolt and nut.
• Remove the nut and bolt. Support the arm with one hand as the bolt slides out.

Step 9: Remove the Front Control Arm Mounting Bolt

• Use a 19mm socket, 19mm wrench, and breaker bar 1/2-inch drive to loosen the front control arm mounting bolt and nut.
• Remove the bolt and nut.
• Use a pry bar 24-inch to gently move the control arm out of the subframe pocket.

Step 10: Remove the Old Control Arm

• Pull the control arm down and out of the vehicle by hand.
• Use the pry bar 24-inch only if the bushing sleeves are stuck in the brackets.
• Compare the old and new control arms before installation. The shape, bushing positions, and ball joint position must match.

Step 11: Install the New Control Arm into the Subframe

• Position the new front lower control arm assembly into the mounting pockets by hand.
• Install the front mounting bolt and nut finger-tight only.
• Install the rear mounting bolt and nut finger-tight only.
• Do not fully tighten the bushing bolts while the suspension is hanging.
• Tighten bushings at ride height.

Step 12: Reconnect the Ball Joint

• Guide the lower ball joint stud into the steering knuckle by hand.
• Install the castle nut by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 19mm socket and torque wrench 1/2-inch drive to tighten the lower ball joint nut to Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).
• Install a new front lower ball joint cotter pin using needle-nose pliers.
• If the cotter pin hole does not line up, tighten the nut slightly more until it lines up. Do not loosen the nut to align the hole.

Step 13: Reconnect the Stabilizer Bar Link

• Insert the stabilizer bar link stud into the control arm.
• Install a new stabilizer bar link nut by hand.
• Use a 17mm socket, 17mm wrench, and torque wrench 3/8-inch drive to tighten the nut to Torque to 74 Nm (55 ft-lbs).

Step 14: Load the Suspension Before Final Tightening

• Use the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) under the outer end of the lower control arm.
• Raise the control arm slowly until it sits close to normal ride height.
• Normal ride height means the suspension is positioned like it would be with the vehicle sitting on its wheels.

Step 15: Torque the Control Arm Mounting Bolts

• Use a 19mm socket, 19mm wrench, and torque wrench 1/2-inch drive to tighten the front control arm bolt to Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).
• Use a 21mm socket, 21mm wrench, and torque wrench 1/2-inch drive to tighten the rear control arm bolt to Torque to 162 Nm (119 ft-lbs).
• Lower and remove the floor jack from under the control arm.

Step 16: Repeat on the Other Side

• Repeat Steps 5 through 15 on the opposite front lower control arm using the same tools.
• Work one side at a time so you can compare routing and part position if needed.

Step 17: Reinstall the Front Under Cover

• Use a 10mm socket, 14mm socket, and flathead screwdriver to reinstall the lower splash shield and clips.
• Tighten small splash shield bolts snugly by hand. Do not overtighten plastic fasteners.

Step 18: Reinstall the Wheels

• Install the wheels and start all lug nuts by hand.
• Use a 21mm socket and ratchet 1/2-inch drive to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Raise the vehicle slightly with the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum), remove the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum), and lower the vehicle to the ground.
• Use a 21mm socket and torque wrench 1/2-inch drive to tighten the lug nuts to Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs) in a star pattern.

Step 19: Reconnect the 12V Battery

• Use a 10mm socket to reconnect the 12V battery negative cable.
• Tighten the terminal snugly. Do not overtighten it.

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✅ After Repair

• ✅ Start your Highlander and check that no warning lights stay on after a short drive.
• ✅ Turn the steering wheel slowly lock-to-lock while parked and listen for clunks or binding.
• ✅ Test drive at low speed first. Check that the steering feels stable and the vehicle does not pull hard.
• ✅ Schedule a four-wheel alignment immediately after replacing the control arms.
• ✅ Recheck the lug nut torque after 25-50 miles: Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).
• ✅ If the steering wheel is off-center or the vehicle pulls, avoid highway driving until aligned.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $850-$1,500 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $300-$700 (parts only)

You Save: $550-$800 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 3-5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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