Replace the upper ball joint on a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Cyberbeast (front suspension). The Cybertruck uses a heavy-duty front suspension with air springs; the upper ball joint is integrated into the upper control arm assembly on most Cybertruck units, so verify replacement strategy before ordering parts.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Upper ball joint or upper control arm assembly (per OEM specification for Cybertruck Tri-Motor) × 1 — Tesla Cybertruck front upper ball joint / UCA — confirm with VIN
• New cotter pin for ball joint castle nut × 1 — OEM-spec cotter pin
• New steering knuckle pinch bolt (single-use) × 1 — OEM-spec pinch bolt

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
2. Exit ALL doors with the key fob away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize, even on this non-HV job.
3. On the touchscreen, enable Service Mode / Jack Mode to disable air suspension self-leveling, then disconnect the 48V low-voltage battery per Tesla's published Cybertruck procedure (note: 48V architecture — NOT 12V — connectors and disconnect location differ from S/3/X/Y).
4. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage and lethal.
5. If at any point you encounter an orange cable, an HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized: STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
6. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while the vehicle is on the ground.
7. Lift the front of the vehicle at the manufacturer-specified jack points and support on heavy-duty (3-ton+) jack stands.
8. Remove the front wheel on the affected side.
9. Inspect the upper ball joint, control arm bushings, and surrounding components. Confirm whether the Cybertruck uses a serviceable ball joint or a one-piece upper control arm assembly before continuing — order accordingly.

Procedure

1. 1

   Support the lower control arm
   Place a floor jack under the lower control arm (not the air strut) to support suspension load. This keeps the upper ball joint stud loaded into its taper for safer separation and prevents the air strut from extending uncontrolled when the upper joint is freed.
   ⚠Do not place the jack under the air spring assembly — risk of air spring damage.
2. 2

   Disconnect sway bar end link (if required for access)
   If clearance is needed, remove the upper sway bar end link nut while holding the link shaft with an Allen key to prevent it from spinning. Set the link aside.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
3. 3

   Loosen the upper ball joint castle nut
   Straighten and remove the cotter pin from the upper ball joint stud. Loosen the castle nut several turns but do NOT fully remove it yet — leaving it threaded on prevents the knuckle from dropping suddenly when the taper releases.
4. 4

   Break the ball joint taper
   Use a manufacturer-specified ball joint separator or a press-style puller to break the upper ball joint stud free of the steering knuckle taper. Avoid pickle-fork tools if the boot is being reused. Do NOT strike the knuckle, body, or exoskeleton with a hammer.
5. 5

   Remove the steering knuckle pinch bolt (if joint is integrated to knuckle via clamp)
   If the upper ball joint on this Cybertruck variant uses a pinch-clamp design rather than a tapered stud (verify visually), remove and discard the single-use pinch bolt. A new pinch bolt is required for reassembly.
   Torque spec

   Pinch Bolt61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
6. 6

   Separate the upper joint from the knuckle
   With the taper broken (or pinch clamp opened), remove the castle nut and carefully separate the upper ball joint stud from the steering knuckle. Support the knuckle so it does not hang on the half-shaft, brake hose, wheel speed sensor harness, or steer-by-wire components.
7. 7

   Remove the upper control arm / ball joint
   If the ball joint is serviceable separately, remove the retaining hardware and press out the old ball joint per the manufacturer-specified procedure. If it is integrated, remove the upper control arm bolts at the frame and extract the entire upper control arm assembly. Note orientation and any alignment cams or shims.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
8. 8

   Install the new upper ball joint / control arm
   Install the new ball joint or upper control arm assembly into the chassis. Hand-thread the inner control arm bolts but do not final-torque yet — final torque is applied at ride height. Reseat the ball joint stud into the steering knuckle taper.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
9. 9

   Torque the ball joint castle nut and install new cotter pin
   Install the castle nut on the ball joint stud. Torque to the verified spec, then if necessary advance (never back off) the nut to align the next castellation with the cotter pin hole. Install a NEW cotter pin and bend the legs to OEM specification.
   ⚠Two ball joint nut torque values exist in the verified data: 88 Nm for general install, 102 Nm when seating with a new cotter pin. Use the value matching your specific service condition.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut88 Nm (65 lb-ft)
10. 10

    Install new pinch bolt (if applicable)
    If a pinch-clamp design was used, install a NEW pinch bolt and torque to specification. Single-use bolt — do not reuse the original.
    Torque spec

    Pinch Bolt61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Reconnect sway bar end link
    Reattach the upper sway bar end link, holding the shaft with an Allen key while torquing the nut.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Reinstall the front wheel and hand-tighten the lug nuts.
2. Lower the vehicle until the suspension is loaded at ride height (tires on ground or on drive-on ramps).
3. Final-torque the upper control arm inner bolts at ride height to the verified specification — this prevents bushing pre-load failure.
4. Torque the wheel lug nuts to specification in a star pattern.
5. Reconnect the 48V low-voltage battery per Tesla's published Cybertruck procedure.
6. Exit Jack Mode / Service Mode and allow the air suspension to self-level.
7. Confirm no warnings on the touchscreen related to suspension, steer-by-wire, or chassis systems.

Verification

• Cycle the air suspension through all height settings via the touchscreen and confirm normal operation with no fault codes.
• Because Cybertruck is steer-by-wire, a wheel alignment is REQUIRED after any suspension component replacement — the system relies on calibrated geometry to interpret yoke input. Schedule alignment at a Tesla-certified or alignment shop with Cybertruck specifications.
• Test drive at low speed first, listening for clunks or steering anomalies. Any steering fault on a steer-by-wire vehicle is a stop-driving condition.
• Re-inspect the cotter pin and torque marks after the first 100 miles.
• Note: While performing front suspension work, this is a good opportunity to check tire wear (Tesla recommends rotation every ~6,250 mi on Cybertruck due to weight and torque) and inspect brake fluid age (Tesla recommends brake fluid service every 2 years regardless of mileage).

More procedures for this vehicle