🔧 Altima - Suspension Bushing Replacement

Suspension bushings are rubber isolators pressed into control arms and links to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness. On your Altima, the most common front suspension bushings are part of the lower control arm assembly, so the practical DIY repair is replacing the complete lower control arm rather than pressing individual bushings out.

Assumption: This guide covers front lower control arm bushing replacement by replacing the complete lower control arm assembly on one side. Repeat the same process on the other side if needed.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Never work under your Altima supported only by a jack. Always use jack stands.
• ⚠️ The suspension must be tightened at ride height when possible. This prevents twisting the new rubber bushings.
• ⚠️ Do not hammer directly on the CV axle, brake rotor, or ball joint stud threads.
• ⚠️ If the ball joint boot tears, replace the control arm again or replace the damaged component before driving.
• ⚠️ An alignment is required after this repair because control arm position affects wheel alignment.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this repair.

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🔧 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
• 1/2-inch drive breaker bar
• 1/2-inch drive torque wrench
• 3/8-inch drive ratchet
• 21mm socket
• 19mm socket
• 18mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 10mm socket
• 21mm wrench
• 19mm wrench
• 18mm wrench
• 17mm wrench
• Needle-nose pliers
• Ball joint separator (specialty)
• Pry bar 18-inch
• Rubber mallet
• Paint marker
• Penetrating oil spray
• Wire brush

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front lower control arm assembly - Qty: 1 per side
• Front lower control arm assembly pair - Replace in pairs when mileage is high or both sides are worn - Qty: 1 pair
• New control arm mounting bolts and nuts - Qty: 1 hardware kit per side
• New lower ball joint nut - Qty: 1 per side
• New cotter pin - Qty: 1 per side

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park your Altima on flat, solid ground and set the parking brake.
• 🛞 Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• 🧰 Spray penetrating oil on the lower control arm bolts and ball joint nut if they look rusty.
• 📌 A ball joint separator is a tool that separates the tapered ball joint stud from the steering knuckle without damaging nearby parts.
• 📌 A torque wrench tightens bolts to an exact tightness so they are not too loose or too tight.
• 📌 Plan for a professional wheel alignment after the repair.

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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 1/2-inch drive breaker bar to loosen the front lug nuts about one turn while the tire is still on the ground.
• Do not remove the lug nuts yet.
• Loosen first, lift second.

Step 2: Raise and Support the Front of the Vehicle

• Use a floor jack at the front center jacking point or approved front side pinch weld area.
• Place jack stands under the approved side support points.
• Gently lower your Altima onto the jack stands.
• Push the vehicle lightly by hand to confirm it is stable before working underneath.

Step 3: Remove the Front Wheel

• Use a 21mm socket to remove the loosened lug nuts.
• Remove the wheel and place it flat under the side of the vehicle as an extra safety backup.

Step 4: Inspect the Control Arm Area

• Use safety glasses and a wire brush to clean dirt and rust from the control arm mounting bolts and lower ball joint nut.
• Use a paint marker to mark the original position of the control arm bolts and washers if visible.
• This mark is only a reference. It does not replace an alignment.

Step 5: Remove Any Attached Brackets or Shields

• Use a 10mm socket or 14mm socket to remove any small brackets, splash shield fasteners, or wire retainers attached near the control arm.
• Move brackets aside gently. Do not pull on brake hoses or ABS wiring.

Step 6: Remove the Lower 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 or 19mm wrench to remove the lower ball joint nut.
• If the nut is stuck, use penetrating oil spray and allow it to soak for several minutes.

Step 7: Separate the Lower Ball Joint from the Steering Knuckle

• Install the ball joint separator between the lower control arm ball joint and steering knuckle.
• Use the correct size wrench from the separator kit, commonly a 19mm wrench, to tighten the tool until the taper pops free.
• Use a rubber mallet only for light taps if needed.
• Do not strike the ball joint stud threads directly.
• A loud pop is normal.

Step 8: Remove the Rear Control Arm Mounting Bolt

• Support the control arm with one hand or a floor jack placed lightly under it.
• Use an 18mm socket and 18mm wrench to remove the rear lower control arm mounting bolt and nut.
• Keep track of bolt direction and washer position.

Step 9: Remove the Front Control Arm Mounting Bolt

• Use a 17mm socket and 17mm wrench to remove the front lower control arm mounting bolt and nut.
• If the bolt is difficult to slide out, use a rubber mallet and gently tap it out.
• Do not damage the bolt threads if reusing hardware temporarily.

Step 10: Remove the Old Control Arm

• Use an 18-inch pry bar to gently work the control arm out of the subframe pockets.
• Lower the arm out of the vehicle.
• Compare the old and new control arms side by side before installation.
• Confirm the ball joint, bushing shape, and mounting points match.

Step 11: Install the New Control Arm

• Slide the new control arm into the subframe pockets by hand.
• Use the rubber mallet for light taps only if needed.
• Install the front and rear mounting bolts by hand first.
• Use a 17mm socket, 17mm wrench, 18mm socket, and 18mm wrench only to snug the bolts at this stage.
• Do not fully tighten the bushing bolts yet.
• Loose first, final torque later.

Step 12: Reconnect the Lower Ball Joint

• Guide the lower ball joint stud into 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 63 Nm (46 ft-lbs).
• Continue tightening only enough to line up the cotter pin hole if needed. Do not loosen the nut to align the hole.
• Use needle-nose pliers to install and bend the new cotter pin.

Step 13: Preload the Suspension Before Final Tightening

• Place the floor jack under the outer end of the lower control arm near the ball joint.
• Raise the control arm until the suspension is near normal ride height.
• This step prevents the new rubber bushings from being twisted at rest.

Step 14: Final-Tighten the Control Arm Mounting Bolts

• Use an 18mm socket, 18mm wrench, and torque wrench to tighten the rear control arm mounting bolt to Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).
• Use a 17mm socket, 17mm wrench, and torque wrench to tighten the front control arm mounting bolt to Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).
• If using replacement hardware supplied with the control arm kit, follow the hardware maker’s torque note if it differs.

Step 15: Reinstall Brackets or Shields

• Use a 10mm socket or 14mm socket to reinstall any brackets, splash shield fasteners, or wire retainers removed earlier.
• Make sure brake hoses and ABS wiring are routed naturally and not stretched.

Step 16: Reinstall the Wheel

• Place the wheel back on the hub.
• Thread the lug nuts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 21mm socket to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.

Step 17: Lower the Vehicle and Torque the Lug Nuts

• Use the floor jack to raise your Altima slightly off the jack stands.
• Remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle to the ground.
• Use a 21mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern to Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• ✅ Bounce the repaired corner gently and listen for clunks or metal-on-metal noises.
• ✅ Test drive slowly first. Listen for knocking, popping, or pulling.
• ✅ Recheck the lug nut torque after the first short drive using a 21mm socket and torque wrench.
• ✅ Schedule a four-wheel alignment as soon as possible to prevent tire wear and steering pull.
• ✅ If the steering wheel is off-center, do not keep driving long distances before alignment.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$850 per side (parts + labor + alignment)

DIY Cost: $120-$300 per side (parts only, alignment extra)

You Save: $250-$500 per side by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-2.5 hours per side, plus alignment time.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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