This procedure covers the removal and replacement of the front lateral arm (lower control arm) on a 2015 Kia Forte with a 1.8L I4 engine.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Front lateral arm (lower control arm) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Ball joint castle nut × 1 — Replace if damaged

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake
2. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground
3. Raise front of vehicle and support securely on jack stands placed on manufacturer-designated lift points
4. Remove front wheel on side being serviced
5. Spray penetrating oil on lateral arm bolts and ball joint nut, allow to soak for 10-15 minutes

Procedure

1. 1

   Disconnect ball joint from steering knuckle
   Remove the castle nut securing the lateral arm ball joint to the steering knuckle. Use a 21mm socket to remove the ball joint nut completely. Insert a ball joint separator between the lateral arm and knuckle, then strike with a hammer or tighten the separator tool to break the taper connection. Carefully lower the ball joint stud from the knuckle.
2. 2

   Support the knuckle assembly
   Use a bungee cord or wire to support the steering knuckle and brake assembly to prevent stress on the brake hose and ABS wire. Do not allow the knuckle to hang freely by the brake line.
3. 3

   Remove front lateral arm mounting bolt
   Locate the front mounting bolt connecting the lateral arm to the subframe. This is the smaller diameter bolt toward the front of the vehicle. Use a 17mm socket and wrench to remove this bolt completely. Support the lateral arm as you remove the bolt.
4. 4

   Remove rear lateral arm mounting bolt
   Locate the rear mounting bolt connecting the lateral arm to the subframe. This is typically a larger bolt with bushings. Use a 19mm socket and wrench to remove this bolt completely. The lateral arm should now be free to remove from the vehicle.
5. 5

   Remove lateral arm from vehicle
   Carefully maneuver the lateral arm out of the subframe mounting points and away from the vehicle. Inspect the bushings and ball joint on the old arm for wear patterns to confirm replacement is necessary.
6. 6

   Prepare new lateral arm
   Compare the new lateral arm to the old unit to confirm correct fitment. Check that all bushings are properly seated and that the ball joint boot is intact. Clean the mounting bolt threads and contact surfaces on the subframe with a wire brush.
7. 7

   Install new lateral arm to subframe
   Position the new lateral arm into the subframe mounting brackets. Insert both the front and rear mounting bolts by hand, but do not tighten yet. Ensure bushings are properly aligned in their mounting brackets.
8. 8

   Connect ball joint to steering knuckle
   Raise the ball joint stud into the hole in the steering knuckle. Install the new castle nut and tighten by hand initially. Use a torque wrench to tighten the ball joint nut to specification. Verify the ball joint is properly seated in the knuckle taper.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut84 Nm (62 lb-ft)
9. 9

   Hand-tighten lateral arm mounting bolts
   With the ball joint connected, hand-tighten both the front and rear lateral arm mounting bolts. Do NOT torque these bolts to final specification at this time. The suspension must be at ride height before final torquing.
10. 10

    Reinstall wheel and lower vehicle
    Install the wheel and hand-tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. Lower the vehicle until the suspension is at normal ride height (wheels just touching the ground with full vehicle weight). This loads the suspension bushings in their normal operating position.
11. 11

    Torque lateral arm mounting bolts
    With the vehicle at ride height, torque both the front and rear lateral arm mounting bolts to the specified value. This must be done with vehicle weight on the suspension to prevent bushing wind-up and premature wear.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
12. 12

    Final wheel installation
    Raise the vehicle slightly to spin the wheel and verify free rotation. Lower the vehicle completely to the ground. Use a torque wrench to tighten all wheel lug nuts to specification in a star pattern.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts129 Nm (95 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. All fasteners must be torqued to specification in the order presented
2. Critical: Control arm bolts must be torqued with vehicle weight on suspension
3. Verify ball joint castle nut is properly torqued and seated

Verification

• Test drive vehicle at low speed and verify no unusual noises or vibrations from front suspension
• Perform a visual inspection under the vehicle to confirm all bolts are tight and properly installed
• Schedule a wheel alignment within 50 miles of completing this repair, as suspension geometry has been altered
• Check for play in the ball joint by attempting to move the wheel top-to-bottom with the vehicle raised

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