How to Install a 1988 Prelude Control Arm

The 1988 Honda Prelude base model came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The lower control arm on your prelude serves as the lower pivot points for the steering and suspension. The control arm is secured to the sub-frame with two bolts through bushings and to the steering knuckle with a ball joint. Replacing the lower control arm is an in-depth repair, but is well within the realm of the home mechanic.

Instructions

Removal

1

Park your Prelude on a level surface and set the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts on the front side of the vehicle to be serviced with a lug wrench. Lift the front of the vehicle into the air with a floor jack and place jack stands under the front sub-frame rails. Lower the vehicle until it rests securely on the jack stands.

2

Bend the legs of the lower ball joint cotter pin and remove it from the ball joint stud with pliers. Remove the lower ball joint castle nut with a socket and ratchet. Place a ball joint separator between the lower control arm and steering knuckle. Tighten the push bolt on the ball joint separator until the ball joint stud separates from the lower control arm.

3

Look at the middle of the control arm and locate the sway bar link. Hold the sway bar link nut steady with a wrench and remove the sway bar link bolt with a socket and ratchet. Remove the sway bar link kit and lay out each component in the order it was removed; Discard the lock nut.

4

Loosen the control arm attaching bolts with a socket and ratchet, they should be loose enough to remove by hand. Support the lower control arm by hand and remove the attaching bolts. Lower the control arm from the vehicle and dispose of it properly.

Installation

5

Lift the new control arm into position at the sub-frame. Install the lower control arm to sub-frame mounting bolts hand tight. Position the lower ball joint stud into the hole on the lower control arm and install the castle nut hand tight.

6

Slide a washer and rubber bushing onto the sway bar link bolt and push the bolt through the lower control arm from underneath. Slide a rubber bushing follow by another washer and the center sleeve onto the sway bar link. Continue assembling the link by installing a washer and bushing and installing the link bolt through through the sway bar. Install the final bushing and washer followed by a new nut.

7

Tighten the control arm to sub-frame bolts to 40 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Tighten the lower ball joint castle nut to 40 foot-pounds. Tighten the sway bar link nut to 16 foot-pounds with a torque wrench while holding the bolt stationary with a wrench.

8

Tighten the lower ball joint castle slightly to align the castle nut grooves with the hole in the lower ball joint stud, if necessary. Install a new cotter pin through the lower ball joint stud and bend the legs around the nut in opposite directions with pliers.

9

Install the wheel to the vehicle and install the lug nuts hand tight. Lift the front of the vehicle off the jack stands and remove the jack stands from under the vehicle. Lower the vehicle to the ground and remove the floor jack. Tighten the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.