🔧 Highlander - Front Lower Control Arm Replacement

This repair replaces the front lower control arms on your Highlander. The control arm holds the wheel in position and uses rubber bushings and a ball joint to let the suspension move smoothly.

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

Assumption: This guide covers the front lower control arms. Replace both sides in pairs if one side has worn bushings or ball joint play.

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support your Highlander with jack stands only. Never work under a vehicle held by a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ The front coil spring is part of the strut assembly and remains installed, but suspension parts can shift when bolts are removed.
• ⚠️ Do not loosen the axle nut or pull the axle from the hub unless absolutely necessary.
• ⚠️ Final tightening of control arm bushing bolts must be done at normal ride height to avoid tearing the new bushings.
• ⚠️ Get a wheel alignment after this repair. Control arm replacement can change alignment angles.

---

🔧 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
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves
• Breaker bar 1/2-inch drive
• Torque wrench 1/2-inch drive
• Ratchet 1/2-inch drive
• Ratchet 3/8-inch drive
• 21mm socket
• 19mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 10mm socket
• 21mm wrench
• 19mm wrench
• 17mm wrench
• 14mm wrench
• Needle-nose pliers
• Ball joint separator (specialty)
• Pry bar 18-inch
• Dead blow hammer 2-lb
• Trim clip removal tool
• Paint marker
• Penetrating oil
• Wire brush

---

🔩 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 cotter pins - Qty: 2
• Front lower control arm mounting bolts and nuts - Qty: as needed
• Sway bar end link nuts - Qty: as needed

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park your Highlander on level ground and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Spray penetrating oil on the lower ball joint nut, rear bushing bolts, front bushing bolt, and sway bar end link nut.
• Use a paint marker to mark the position of the old control arm washers and bolts before removal. This helps keep alignment close enough to drive to the shop.
• A ball joint separator is a tool that separates the tapered ball joint stud from the steering knuckle without hammering directly on the joint.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the Front Wheel Lug Nuts

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen the front lug nuts one turn while the vehicle is 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 to lift the front of your Highlander at the front center jacking point.
• Place jack stands rated 3-ton minimum under the front side support points.
• Slowly lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.
• Gently shake the vehicle to confirm it is stable before working underneath.

Step 3: Remove the Front Wheels

• Use a 21mm socket and ratchet to remove the lug nuts.
• Remove both front wheels and place them flat under the side of the vehicle as an extra safety backup.

Step 4: Remove Any Lower Splash Shield Blocking Access

• Use a 10mm socket to remove lower splash shield bolts if they block access to the control arm bolts.
• Use a trim clip removal tool to remove plastic clips without breaking them.
• Set the shield and fasteners aside in order.

Step 5: Disconnect the Sway Bar End Link from the Control Arm

• Use a 17mm socket or 17mm wrench to remove the sway bar end link nut from the lower control arm.
• If the stud spins, hold the stud with the correct internal hex or wrench flats if equipped, then remove the nut with the 17mm wrench.
• Move the end link away from the control arm.
• A sway bar end link connects the suspension arm to the sway bar, which helps reduce body roll in turns.

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 and breaker bar to loosen the lower ball joint castle nut.
• Remove the nut after the taper is separated, or leave it threaded on a few turns while separating to keep parts from dropping suddenly.
• A cotter pin is a small safety pin that keeps the nut from backing off.

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

• Use a ball joint separator to separate the lower ball joint stud from the steering knuckle.
• Do not strike the rubber boot if reusing any nearby parts.
• Use a dead blow hammer only on the separator tool if needed.
• Remove the 19mm castle nut fully after the joint pops loose.
• The pop sound is normal.

Step 8: Mark the Control Arm Mounting Positions

• Use a paint marker to mark the position of the front and rear control arm mounting points.
• These marks are not a replacement for alignment, but they help keep the vehicle drivable afterward.

Step 9: Remove the Front Control Arm Mounting Bolt

• Use a 19mm socket and 19mm wrench to remove the front lower control arm mounting bolt and nut.
• Support the arm with one hand as the bolt comes out.
• If the bolt is rusty, clean exposed threads with a wire brush and apply penetrating oil.

Step 10: Remove the Rear Control Arm Mounting Bolts

• Use a 19mm socket and breaker bar to loosen the rear control arm bracket bolts.
• Use a 19mm socket and ratchet to remove the bolts fully.
• Keep track of bolt direction and washer position.

Step 11: Remove the Old Control Arm

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

Step 12: Install the New Control Arm Loosely

• Position the new front lower control arm into the subframe.
• Use a pry bar 18-inch only as needed to line up the bushings with the mounting holes.
• Install the front mounting bolt and nut by hand.
• Install the rear mounting bolts by hand.
• Do not fully tighten the bushing bolts yet.
• Hand-start bolts to prevent cross-threading.

Step 13: Connect the Lower Ball Joint

• Guide the lower ball joint stud into the steering knuckle by hand.
• Install the castle nut by hand.
• Use a 19mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the lower ball joint nut to Torque to 98 Nm (72 ft-lbs).
• Continue tightening only enough to line up the cotter pin hole. Do not loosen the nut to align the hole.
• Use needle-nose pliers to install a new cotter pin and bend the ends around the nut.

Step 14: Reconnect the Sway Bar End Link

• Insert the sway bar end link stud into the control arm.
• Install the nut by hand.
• Use a 17mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the sway bar end link nut to Torque to 74 Nm (55 ft-lbs).

Step 15: Repeat on the Other Side

• Use the same tools and steps to replace the opposite front lower control arm.
• Replace both sides in pairs for even handling and braking stability.

Step 16: Raise the Suspension to Normal Ride Height

• Place the floor jack under the outer end of the control arm near the ball joint area.
• Use the floor jack to raise the control arm until the vehicle just begins to lift off the jack stand slightly.
• This simulates normal ride height so the rubber bushings are tightened in their natural position.

Step 17: Final-Tighten the Control Arm Bushing Bolts

• Use a 19mm socket, 19mm wrench, and torque wrench to tighten the front control arm mounting bolt to Torque to 137 Nm (101 ft-lbs).
• Use a 19mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the rear control arm mounting bolts to Torque to 137 Nm (101 ft-lbs).
• Repeat this ride-height tightening process on the other side.

Step 18: Reinstall the Splash Shield

• Use a trim clip removal tool to reinstall plastic clips by hand.
• Use a 10mm socket to reinstall splash shield bolts snugly.
• Do not overtighten plastic shield fasteners.

Step 19: Reinstall the Front Wheels

• Install the wheels by hand.
• Use a 21mm socket and ratchet to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Lower the vehicle fully with the floor jack.
• Use a 21mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts to Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).

---

✅ After Repair

• ✅ Turn the steering wheel left and right to make sure nothing binds or contacts the tire.
• ✅ Test drive slowly at first. Listen for clunks, pops, or rubbing.
• ✅ Recheck the lug nut torque after the first short drive.
• ✅ Schedule a professional four-wheel alignment immediately after replacing the control arms.
• ✅ If the steering wheel is off-center or the vehicle pulls, avoid highway driving until aligned.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $850-$1,400 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $250-$650 (parts only)

You Save: $600-$750 by doing it yourself!

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