Upper Control Arm - Rear

Remove and replace the rear upper control arm on a 2017 Maserati Levante 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo RWD, including disconnection from the knuckle and chassis mounting points.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear upper control arm assembly × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Cotter pin for ball joint × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Control arm mounting hardware (if corroded) × 1 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and apply parking brake
2. Place wheel chocks in front of front wheels
3. Loosen rear wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground (do not remove)
4. Raise rear of vehicle and support securely on jack stands under chassis rails
5. Remove rear wheel on side being serviced
6. Spray all fasteners with penetrating oil and allow to soak for 10-15 minutes
7. Inspect control arm and mounting points for damage or excessive corrosion

Procedure

1. 1

   Support the rear knuckle assembly
   Position a floor jack under the rear knuckle/hub assembly with a block of wood as a cushion. Raise jack slightly to take load off the upper control arm but do not lift the suspension significantly. This prevents the assembly from dropping when the control arm is disconnected.
2. 2

   Remove ball joint cotter pin and nut
   Locate the upper control arm ball joint connection at the top of the rear knuckle. Remove and discard the cotter pin using pliers or cotter pin removal tool. Using a 19mm socket, remove the ball joint castle nut completely. Mark the nut's position for reference during reinstallation.
3. 3

   Separate ball joint from knuckle
   Install ball joint separator tool between the control arm and knuckle. Apply pressure using the separator tool to release the ball joint taper from the knuckle. Once separated, remove the tool and carefully lower the control arm away from the knuckle. Do not damage the ball joint boot if reusing the control arm.
   ⚠Do not strike the ball joint stud with a hammer as this can damage the threads or ball joint internals.
4. 4

   Remove front control arm mounting bolt
   Locate the front mounting bolt connecting the control arm to the chassis subframe. This is typically an 18mm or 21mm bolt. Using the appropriate socket and breaker bar, remove the front mounting bolt completely. Note the orientation of any washers or spacers for reinstallation.
5. 5

   Remove rear control arm mounting bolt
   Locate the rear mounting bolt connecting the control arm to the chassis subframe. Using the appropriate socket and breaker bar, remove the rear mounting bolt completely. Support the control arm as you remove the final bolt to prevent it from falling.
6. 6

   Remove control arm from vehicle
   With both mounting bolts removed and ball joint separated, carefully maneuver the upper control arm out of the vehicle. Inspect the mounting bushings and ball joint for wear. Clean the mounting areas on the chassis with a wire brush, removing any rust or debris.
7. 7

   Install new control arm mounting bolts (hand tight)
   Position the new upper control arm into the mounting location. Insert the front and rear mounting bolts through the control arm bushings and into the chassis subframe. Thread bolts by hand and snug them finger-tight only. Do NOT torque these bolts yet - they must be torqued with vehicle weight on wheels.
   ⚠Control arm mounting bolts must NOT be torqued until vehicle is lowered and weight is on wheels. Torquing with suspension hanging will cause bushing bind and premature failure.
8. 8

   Connect ball joint to knuckle
   Raise the floor jack supporting the knuckle to align the ball joint stud with the hole in the top of the knuckle. Insert the ball joint stud into the knuckle taper. Thread the new castle nut onto the ball joint stud and tighten to specification using a torque wrench. Align the castle nut slots with the ball joint stud hole and install a new cotter pin. Bend the cotter pin ends to secure.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut92 Nm (68 lb-ft)
9. 9

   Reinstall wheel and lower vehicle partially
   Reinstall the rear wheel onto the hub and thread all lug nuts by hand. Lower the vehicle until the tire just contacts the ground but vehicle is still partially supported by jack stands. This simulates loaded suspension geometry for control arm bolt torquing.
10. 10

    Torque control arm mounting bolts
    With vehicle weight now on the suspension (tire touching ground), torque both the front and rear control arm mounting bolts to specification using a torque wrench. Ensure the suspension is at normal ride height during torquing to prevent bushing preload issues.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Final wheel installation
    Raise vehicle slightly to remove weight from wheel. Tighten all wheel lug nuts in a star pattern to specification using a torque wrench. Lower vehicle completely to the ground and remove jack stands. Perform final torque check on lug nuts with vehicle on ground.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts142 Nm (105 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Verify all fasteners have been installed and torqued to specification
2. Remove all tools from under vehicle and perform final visual inspection
3. Test drive vehicle at low speed in a safe area to verify no unusual noises or handling issues
4. Schedule four-wheel alignment immediately - suspension geometry has been altered

Verification

• Confirm ball joint nut is torqued properly and cotter pin is installed and secured
• Verify control arm mounting bolts were torqued with vehicle weight on wheels
• Check that control arm moves freely through suspension travel without binding
• Perform visual inspection to ensure no components are contacting or interfering
• Test drive and verify no clunking, popping, or unusual noises from rear suspension
• Have four-wheel alignment performed and verified within specification

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