This procedure covers the removal and replacement of the front lower control arm on a 2015-2020 Ford F-150 with 5.0L V8 engine, including ball joint separation and proper torque sequencing at ride height.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Front lower control arm × 1 — Use OEM specification or equivalent
• Ball joint castle nut (if not reusable) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Control arm mounting hardware (if corroded) × 1 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake
2. Loosen front wheel lug nuts 1/4 turn while vehicle is on ground
3. Raise front of vehicle and support on jack stands at manufacturer frame points
4. Remove front wheel on side being serviced
5. Spray all control arm fasteners with penetrating oil and allow to soak 10-15 minutes
6. Inspect control arm bushings and ball joint for wear to confirm replacement is necessary

Procedure

1. 1

   Disconnect sway bar link
   Locate the sway bar link connection to the lower control arm. Use a 15mm wrench to hold the stud while loosening the nut with another wrench. Remove the sway bar link from the control arm. If link is seized, use penetrating oil and allow ball joint to rotate freely.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link76 Nm (56 lb-ft)
2. 2

   Remove shock absorber lower bolt
   Locate the lower shock absorber mounting bolt that connects to the lower control arm. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, remove the through-bolt. Support the shock to prevent it from dropping. The shock will remain attached at the upper mount.
   Torque spec

   Strut Bolts144 Nm (106 lb-ft)
3. 3

   Support lower control arm
   Position a floor jack under the outer portion of the lower control arm near the ball joint. Raise jack just enough to contact the arm and take up slight load. This prevents the arm from dropping suddenly and maintains suspension geometry during disassembly.
   ⚠Do not over-compress the suspension. Jack should only provide light support, not lift the vehicle.
4. 4

   Remove ball joint castle nut
   Remove the cotter pin from the ball joint castle nut at the steering knuckle. Using an 18mm socket, loosen and remove the castle nut from the ball joint stud. Do not remove the ball joint from the taper yet.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut150 Nm (111 lb-ft)
5. 5

   Separate ball joint from knuckle
   Insert ball joint separator tool between the lower control arm and steering knuckle. Strike the tool firmly or use a threaded-type separator to break the taper fit. Once taper is broken, remove the tool and carefully lower the floor jack to separate the ball joint stud from the knuckle. Keep hands clear of pinch points.
   ⚠Ball joint may separate suddenly. Ensure jack is controlled and hands are clear of crush zones.
6. 6

   Remove front control arm-to-frame bolt
   Locate the front control arm bushing bolt that attaches to the front subframe. This is a large bolt requiring a 21mm socket. Use a breaker bar if necessary. Hold the bolt head while loosening the nut from the backside. Remove bolt completely but continue supporting the control arm with the jack.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm-to-Frame Bolts300 Nm (222 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Remove rear control arm-to-frame bolt
   Locate the rear control arm bushing bolt that attaches to the rear subframe mount. Using a 21mm socket and breaker bar, remove this bolt. Once the bolt is free, carefully lower the floor jack and guide the control arm out from under the vehicle. The arm is heavy and awkward to maneuver.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm-to-Frame Bolts300 Nm (222 lb-ft)
8. 8

   Clean mounting surfaces
   With the control arm removed, use a wire brush to clean all bolt threads on the subframe mounts and steering knuckle ball joint bore. Remove rust, dirt, and debris. Inspect ball joint taper in knuckle for damage. Clean ball joint stud on new control arm with brake cleaner.
   ℹ️Inspect subframe bushing mounts for damage, cracks, or elongated holes that indicate additional repairs are needed.
9. 9

   Install new control arm to frame
   Position the new control arm up into place, aligning the bushings with the front and rear subframe mounts. Insert both control arm-to-frame bolts finger-tight only. Do NOT torque these bolts yet. Ensure bushings are properly seated in their brackets and bolts pass through cleanly.
   ⚠️Do not torque control arm bushing bolts until vehicle is at ride height. Torquing while suspended will preload bushings and cause premature failure.
10. 10

    Connect ball joint to knuckle
    Raise the outer end of the control arm using the floor jack until the ball joint stud aligns with the hole in the steering knuckle. Guide the stud through the knuckle taper. Install the castle nut and torque to specification. Install a new cotter pin through the castle nut slots and ball joint stud, bending the pin to secure.
    Torque spec

    Ball Joint Nut150 Nm (111 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Reconnect shock absorber
    Align the lower shock mount with the control arm mounting hole. Insert the through-bolt and hand-tighten the nut. Torque the shock bolt to specification using an 18mm socket and torque wrench.
    Torque spec

    Strut Bolts144 Nm (106 lb-ft)
12. 12

    Reconnect sway bar link
    Align the sway bar link with the lower control arm mount. Install the nut and torque to specification while holding the stud to prevent spinning. Ensure the ball joint boot is not torn or twisted during installation.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link76 Nm (56 lb-ft)
13. 13

    Lower vehicle to ride height and torque control arm bolts
    Reinstall the wheel and hand-tighten lug nuts. Lower the vehicle completely to the ground so full weight is on the suspension at normal ride height. Rock the vehicle side-to-side to settle the suspension. Now torque both control arm-to-frame bolts (front and rear) to 300 Nm (222 lb-ft). This is critical for bushing longevity.
    ⚠️Control arm bushing bolts MUST be torqued at ride height with vehicle weight on wheels. This is a 300 Nm (222 lb-ft) specification requiring significant force.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm-to-Frame Bolts300 Nm (222 lb-ft)
14. 14

    Final torque wheel lug nuts
    With vehicle on ground, torque all wheel lug nuts to specification in a star pattern using a torque wrench. Go around the pattern twice to ensure even seating.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts169 Nm (125 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Double-check that control arm-to-frame bolts were torqued at ride height, not while vehicle was raised
2. Verify cotter pin is installed and properly bent on ball joint castle nut
3. Ensure all fasteners are torqued to specification and no tools or parts are left under vehicle

Verification

• Test drive vehicle at low speed and listen for clunking or knocking from front suspension
• Perform steering input at low speed to verify ball joint is secure with no play
• After 50-100 miles, re-torque wheel lug nuts to specification
• Schedule alignment appointment immediately as control arm replacement will affect camber and caster settings
• Visually inspect all fasteners after first test drive to confirm nothing has loosened

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