This procedure covers the removal and replacement of the front lower control arm on a 2014 Ram 2500 with the 6.7L Cummins diesel engine and 4WD.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Front lower control arm assembly × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Ball joint nut (if reuse not recommended) × 1 — Mopar 6508546AA or equivalent
• Control arm bolt hardware (if corroded) × 2 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake
2. Chock rear wheels securely
3. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground
4. Raise front of vehicle and support on jack stands positioned on frame rails
5. Remove front wheel on side being serviced
6. Apply penetrating oil to control arm bolts and ball joint nut, allow to soak for 10-15 minutes
7. Inspect control arm mounting points for rust or corrosion

Procedure

1. 1

   Support the lower control arm
   Position a floor jack under the lower control arm near the ball joint to support the weight of the suspension assembly. Raise jack just enough to contact the control arm without lifting the vehicle. This prevents the suspension from dropping when the ball joint is disconnected.
2. 2

   Remove the ball joint nut
   Using an 18mm socket, remove the castle nut securing the lower ball joint to the steering knuckle. Remove the cotter pin first if present. Note the condition of the threads on the ball joint stud for potential reuse of the nut.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut119 Nm (88 lb-ft)
3. 3

   Separate the ball joint from the knuckle
   Use a ball joint separator tool or pickle fork to break the taper between the ball joint stud and the steering knuckle. Strike the tool sharply with a hammer to separate. Do not use excessive force on the knuckle itself. Once separated, carefully lower the floor jack to allow the control arm to drop away from the knuckle.
   ⚠Wear safety glasses during this step as rust and debris may dislodge when breaking the taper. The ball joint may separate suddenly.
4. 4

   Disconnect sway bar link if necessary
   If the sway bar link interferes with control arm removal, remove the lower sway bar link nut using the appropriate socket while holding the shaft with an Allen key to prevent rotation. Disconnect the link from the control arm.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
5. 5

   Remove the front control arm bolt
   Locate the front control arm mounting bolt at the frame bracket. Using a 21mm socket and breaker bar, remove the bolt and nut assembly. This bolt may require significant force due to tight tolerances. Support the control arm with your hand as you remove the bolt.
6. 6

   Remove the rear control arm bolt
   Using a 21mm socket and breaker bar, remove the rear control arm mounting bolt and nut assembly from the frame bracket. The control arm should now be free to remove from the vehicle. Carefully maneuver the control arm out of the mounting area, noting the orientation and position for installation of the new part.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Prepare mounting locations
   Wire brush the mounting bolt holes in the frame brackets and inspect for damage or excessive corrosion. Clean the ball joint taper seat in the steering knuckle. Inspect the frame mounting brackets for cracks or damage. If mounting bolts show thread damage or excessive corrosion, replace with new hardware.
8. 8

   Install the new lower control arm
   Position the new control arm into the mounting brackets, ensuring proper orientation matches the old part. Insert both front and rear mounting bolts through the control arm bushings and frame brackets. Thread the nuts onto the bolts by hand but do NOT torque at this time. The bolts must remain loose until the vehicle weight is on the wheels.
9. 9

   Connect ball joint to steering knuckle
   Raise the floor jack under the control arm to lift the ball joint stud into the steering knuckle taper. Align the stud with the hole and push the control arm up until the stud is fully seated. Install the ball joint nut and torque to specification using an 18mm socket and torque wrench. Install a new cotter pin if applicable.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut119 Nm (88 lb-ft)
10. 10

    Reconnect sway bar link
    If the sway bar link was disconnected, reconnect it to the control arm. Hold the link shaft with an Allen key and torque the nut to specification.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Install wheel and lower vehicle
    Install the wheel and thread lug nuts by hand. Lower the vehicle until the tire just contacts the ground but the jack stands are still supporting most of the weight. Torque the lug nuts to specification in a star pattern. Remove jack stands and lower vehicle completely to the ground so the suspension is at normal ride height with full vehicle weight on the wheels.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts183 Nm (135 lb-ft)
12. 12

    Torque control arm bolts at ride height
    With the vehicle on the ground at normal ride height, crawl under the vehicle and torque both the front and rear control arm mounting bolts to specification using a 21mm socket and torque wrench. This is critical - torquing these bolts with the suspension hanging will cause premature bushing failure. Torque both bolts to 165 Nm (122 lb-ft).
    ⚠Control arm bolts MUST be torqued at ride height with vehicle weight on wheels. Do not torque with suspension hanging or bushings will fail prematurely.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Ensure all fasteners are torqued to specification
2. Verify ball joint nut has cotter pin installed if applicable
3. Confirm no tools or parts were left under vehicle

Verification

• Test drive vehicle at low speed and verify no clunking or unusual noises from front suspension
• Check that steering operates normally with no binding
• Schedule a four-wheel alignment as soon as possible - alignment will be out of specification after control arm replacement
• After 50-100 miles, re-check torque on control arm bolts to ensure they have not loosened

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