How to Install a Lower Control Arm in My 1998 Grand-Am

The 1998 Pontiac Grand Am is power by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission. The front suspension has the common coil over strut setup. The lower control arm is connected to the steering knuckle by a ball joint that allows the steering knuckle to rotate back and forth when the vehicle is turning. The rear of the lower control arm is connected to the suspension support by two bolts, one that is mounted horizontally and one that is mounted vertically.

Instructions

Removal

1

Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the parking brake. Break loose the lug nuts on the side of the vehicle to be repaired with the lug wrench. Lift the front of the vehicle into the air with a floor jack and place the jack stands under the front frame rails of the vehicle. Lower the floor jack until the vehicle rests securely on the jack stands. Make sure the jack stands are not in the way of the suspension support or control arm to be replaced.

2

Remove the lug nuts. Remove the wheel and tire from the vehicle and set them aside.

3

Install the drive axle joint protectors to prevent overextension of the CV shaft when it is not bolted to the hub assembly.

4

Remove the nut attaching the stabilizer link to the suspension stabilizer shaft with the socket and ratchet. Remove the cotter pin for the lower ball joint with the pliers. Remove the castle nut with the socket and ratchet.

5

Attach the ball joint separator to the lower ball joint. Rotate the separator shaft clockwise with a box end wrench to separate the lower ball joint from the steering knuckle.

6

Remove the horizontal control arm bolt with the socket and ratchet, using a wrench to counter the movement of the nut. Remove the vertical control arm bolt with the socket and ratchet. Remove the control arm from the vehicle.

Installation

7

Inspect the new control arm for any cracks or other flaws in the control arm bushings. If the new control arm did not include a pre-installed ball joint, take the control arm to a shop and have a new ball joint pressed into the new control arm before proceeding.

8

Hold the new control arm in position and install both mounting bolts until they are hand tight.

9

Raise the control arm and push the ball joint stud through the steering knuckle. Install the castle nut onto the ball joint stud. Tighten the castle nut to 48 foot-pounds of torque with the torque wrench. If the hole in the ball joint stud is not lined up with a valley on the castle nut, tighten the castle nut slightly to line up the stud hole with the castle nut valley.

10

Place a new cotter pin through the castle nut and ball joint stud. Spread the ends of the cotter pin and wrap it around the castle nut.

11

Install the nut attaching the stabilizer link to the stabilizer shaft and tighten to 22 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

12

Place the wheel and tire back onto the vehicle and hand tighten the lug nuts. Raise the vehicle off the jack stands with the floor jack and remove the jack stands from under the vehicle. Lower the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds of torque.

13

Tighten the horizontal control arm to the suspension support bolt and nut to 89 foot-pounds with a torque wrench, using a wrench to counter movement of the nut. Tighten the vertical control arm to the suspension support bolt to 125 foot-pounds of torque with the torque wrench.

14

Take the vehicle to an auto repair shop to have the alignment checked and adjusted as needed.