Lower Control Arm - Rear

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

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear lower control arm assembly × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Ball joint nut (if reuse not recommended) × 1 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level, solid surface and engage parking brake
2. Chock front wheels securely
3. Spray all suspension fasteners with penetrating oil and allow 15-20 minutes to soak
4. Gather all tools and replacement parts before beginning

Procedure

1. 1

   Raise and support vehicle
   Loosen rear wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground. Raise rear of vehicle with floor jack at rear axle center. Place jack stands under frame rails at approved lift points. Lower vehicle onto jack stands while keeping floor jack under axle with slight pressure to support suspension weight. Remove wheel completely.
2. 2

   Locate and access rear lower control arm
   Identify the rear lower control arm running from the frame to the rear axle on the side being serviced. Clean the area around both mounting points with wire brush to expose bolt heads clearly. On 2014 Ram 2500 with solid rear axle, the lower control arm connects the axle housing to the frame and runs at approximately 45-degree angle.
3. 3

   Remove frame-side control arm bolt
   Using breaker bar and 18mm socket, remove the bolt securing the control arm to the frame mount. This is typically the forward mounting point. Support the control arm with your hand or pry bar as you remove the bolt to prevent it from dropping. Keep all hardware organized for comparison with replacement parts.
4. 4

   Support axle and remove axle-side control arm bolt
   Ensure floor jack is positioned securely under axle to prevent shifting. Remove the bolt securing control arm to the axle bracket using 18mm socket and breaker bar. The axle may shift slightly when bolt is removed; control this movement with the floor jack. Note the orientation of any washers or spacers.
5. 5

   Remove lower control arm
   Carefully extract the lower control arm from the vehicle. It may require some maneuvering to clear the axle and frame. Inspect the removed control arm for bending, cracking, or damage. Check bushings on old arm for wear patterns that might indicate alignment issues.
6. 6

   Prepare and install new control arm
   Compare new control arm to old unit to verify correct part. Clean mounting surfaces on frame and axle brackets with wire brush. Position new control arm and insert axle-side bolt first, threading it by hand. Do not tighten yet. Then insert frame-side bolt and thread by hand. Ensure bushings are properly seated and not twisted.
7. 7

   Install wheel and lower vehicle
   Reinstall wheel onto hub and thread lug nuts by hand. Use torque wrench to tighten lug nuts in star pattern. Carefully raise vehicle with floor jack to remove jack stands. Lower vehicle completely so full weight is on wheels. This is critical before final torquing of control arm bolts.
   Torque spec

   Wheel Lug Nuts183 Nm (135 lb-ft)
8. 8

   Final torque control arm bolts
   With vehicle weight fully on wheels, crawl under vehicle and torque both control arm bolts to specification. Torque the frame-side bolt first, then the axle-side bolt. Use torque wrench and 18mm socket. Verify both bolts are fully seated and torqued correctly. This step must be performed with vehicle at ride height to prevent bushing wind-up.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Control arm bolts MUST be torqued with vehicle weight on wheels at normal ride height
2. Verify no tools or parts are left under vehicle before test drive
3. Double-check wheel lug nut torque after reassembly

Verification

• Test drive vehicle at low speed and verify no unusual noises or handling changes
• Visually inspect control arm installation to confirm proper seating and no contact with other components
• Re-torque control arm bolts after 50-100 miles of driving
• Schedule four-wheel alignment to verify suspension geometry is correct

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