Control Arm Bushing - Rear

Replace worn rear control arm bushings on a 2009 Aston Martin DB9 to restore suspension geometry and eliminate clunking or imprecise handling.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear control arm bushing kit (inner and outer per side) × 2 — Use OEM specification
• Cotter pin (if applicable to ball joint) × 2 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake.
2. Loosen rear wheel lug nuts 1/4 turn while vehicle is on ground.
3. Raise rear of vehicle and support securely on jack stands at manufacturer-specified jacking points.
4. Remove rear wheels completely.
5. Apply penetrating oil to all suspension fasteners and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes.
6. Photograph or mark control arm position and orientation for reference during reinstallation.

Procedure

1. 1

   Disconnect sway bar link from control arm
   Locate the rear sway bar link connection to the control arm. Hold the link shaft with the correct tool (Allen key, Torx, or wrench on flats — verify style for the DB9) to prevent rotation, then remove the upper or lower nut (depending on which end connects to the control arm). Swing the link away from the control arm to provide clearance.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
2. 2

   Remove ball joint connection (if applicable)
   The rear suspension of the DB9 uses bolted double-wishbone (upper and lower) control arms attached to the hub carrier/upright and subframe via through-bolts rather than tapered ball-joint studs. There is no castle-nut-and-cotter-pin ball joint to separate on the rear control arms, so skip ball-joint separation entirely and proceed to the bolted mounting connections. Control arm pivot fasteners use metric prevailing-torque/self-locking nuts, not cotter-pinned castle nuts.b carrier via bolted pivot connections rather than a cotter-pinned ball joint. Verify the actual attachment type against the Aston Martin workshop manual; if no tapered ball joint is present, skip this step and proceed to the bolted outer mounting connection. Note: The DB9 rear control arms attach to the upright/knuckle via bolted mounts with bushings rather than tapered ball joint studs; verify the specific arm configuration against Aston Martin service documentation before proceeding. If no ball joint is present, skip this step and proceed to the mounting bolt removal.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut60 Nm (44 lb-ft)
3. 3

   Support control arm with floor jack
   Position a floor jack under the control arm near the bushing you are replacing. Raise the jack slightly to take up the weight of the control arm and prevent it from dropping when fasteners are removed. This also relieves tension on the fasteners.
   ⚠Do not fully compress or extend the suspension. Keep control arm near ride height position during disassembly.
4. 4

   Remove inner control arm mounting bolt
   Locate the inner control arm mounting point where it attaches to the subframe or chassis. Remove the mounting bolt (verify head type against the DB9 workshop manual before selecting tooling; typically a large through-bolt with a self-locking nut). Note the orientation of any washers, spacers, or eccentric adjustment cams before removal. These components affect wheel alignment and must be reinstalled in the same orientation. Note: Remove the mounting bolt (a large through-bolt; verify head type—typically hex—against the vehicle before selecting tooling). Note: Remove the mounting bolt (a large metric hex-head through-bolt; confirm head type before selecting tooling).
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
5. 5

   Remove outer control arm mounting bolt
   Remove the outer control arm mounting bolt where the arm connects to the rear knuckle or hub carrier. Again, note any washers, spacers, or eccentric cams. Lower the floor jack slowly to allow the control arm to drop free from the vehicle. Extract the control arm from the suspension assembly.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
6. 6

   Press out worn bushings
   With the control arm on a workbench, use a hydraulic press or bushing removal kit to press the old bushings out of the control arm. Apply pressure evenly to avoid distorting the control arm sleeve. If bushings are bonded rubber, you may need to cut away the outer rubber layer before pressing out the inner metal sleeve. Because the DB9 control arms are forged aluminum, clean the bushing bore carefully with a non-abrasive method and avoid aggressive steel wire-brushing that could score or remove aluminum material.
   ⚠Ensure press tooling is aligned squarely with bushing to avoid damaging control arm bore.
7. 7

   Install new bushings
   Inspect new bushings for correct orientation (some bushings have offset or directional designs). Apply a light coat of dish soap or bushing installation lubricant (not petroleum-based) to the outer diameter of the new bushing. Use the hydraulic press to install the new bushing into the control arm bore, ensuring it is fully seated and flush with the control arm. Verify that any voids or split sections in the bushing are oriented correctly per manufacturer specifications.
   ℹ️Do not use grease or petroleum-based lubricants on bushings, as these can cause rubber deterioration.
8. 8

   Reinstall control arm to chassis
   Lift the control arm back into position using the floor jack. Insert the inner mounting bolt first, threading it through the subframe and control arm bushing. Install any washers, spacers, or eccentric cams in their original orientation. Do not fully tighten the bolt yet—leave it finger-tight or snug only.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
9. 9

   Reconnect outer control arm mounting point
   Align the outer end of the control arm with the knuckle or hub carrier mounting point. Insert the outer mounting bolt with all original washers and hardware. Again, leave this bolt snug but not fully torqued. Adjust the floor jack to bring the suspension to approximate ride height (control arm roughly horizontal).
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
10. 10

    Reconnect ball joint (if applicable)
    No cotter-pinned ball joint is present on the DB9 rear control arms; this step does not apply. The outer arm connection is reassembled as a bolted pivot in step 9 using the original metric prevailing-torque/self-locking nut (replace with a new nut if specified as single-use by Aston Martin).
    Torque spec

    Ball Joint Nut60 Nm (44 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Reconnect sway bar link
    Position the sway bar link back onto the control arm mounting point. Hold the link shaft with an Allen key and install the nut. Torque the nut to specification while holding the shaft to prevent rotation.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
12. 12

    Reinstall wheels and lower vehicle
    Install the rear wheels and hand-tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Lower the vehicle until the tires just contact the ground but the full weight is not yet on the suspension. This is the point at which control arm bushings should be torqued (vehicle at ride height with weight on wheels).
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts89 Nm (66 lb-ft)
13. 13

    Torque control arm bolts at ride height
    With the vehicle weight on the wheels (tires touching ground or vehicle fully lowered), torque the inner and outer control arm mounting bolts to the Aston Martin factory specification for the 2009 DB9 (verify exact Nm values in OEM service data before tightening — inner and outer specs may differ and typically require a high-range torque wrench). This step is critical—torquing bushings at full droop or compression will preload the rubber and cause premature bushing failure. After torquing, finish tightening wheel lug nuts to specification in a star pattern.
    ⚠Control arm bolts MUST be torqued with vehicle weight on wheels. Failure to do so will bind bushings and cause premature wear.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)

    Wheel Lug Nuts89 Nm (66 lb-ft)
14. 14

    Repeat for opposite side
    Perform steps 1-13 for the opposite rear control arm to complete the bushing replacement on both sides of the vehicle.

Reassembly

1. Ensure all suspension fasteners are torqued to specification with vehicle at ride height.
2. Verify cotter pins are properly installed and secured on ball joints.
3. Double-check that eccentric cams or alignment shims are in their original positions.

Verification

• Test drive the vehicle at low speed and verify elimination of clunking or knocking noises from rear suspension.
• Check for smooth suspension articulation over bumps with no binding or harshness.
• Have a four-wheel alignment performed immediately after control arm bushing replacement, as suspension geometry will have changed.

Related trouble codes on this vehicle

Codes that commonly send this job to the bay — tap one for symptoms, causes, and diagnostic steps.

Chasing one of these codes and not sure which part is guilty? Ask a master mechanic about YOUR car →

More procedures for this vehicle