Replace the upper and lower front ball joints on a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Cyberbeast. The Cybertruck uses a heavy-duty front suspension with air springs and steer-by-wire — proper torque-with-weight-on-wheels and front-end alignment afterward are mandatory.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Upper ball joint assembly (or upper control arm if joint is non-serviceable) × 2 — Manufacturer-specified Cybertruck upper ball joint — refer to Tesla EPC
• Lower ball joint assembly (or lower control arm if joint is non-serviceable) × 2 — Manufacturer-specified Cybertruck lower ball joint — refer to Tesla EPC
• New cotter pin(s) for ball joint castle nut × 4 — OEM cotter pin to match castellated ball joint nut
• New steering knuckle pinch bolt × 2 — Single-use pinch bolt — OEM specification
• New ball joint nuts (if specified as single-use) × 4 — OEM specification — replace if marked single-use

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. Disconnect the low-voltage battery. NOTE: Cybertruck uses a 48V low-voltage architecture — not 12V. Follow Tesla's documented disconnect procedure for the 48V LV battery and observe correct terminal sequence.
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. Place the air suspension into Jack Mode / Service Mode via the touchscreen BEFORE lifting. This disables ride-height correction.
7. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while tires are on the ground.
8. Lift the vehicle on a Cybertruck-rated lift using OEM-specified lift points only. Support with rated jack stands.
9. Remove both front wheels and set aside on protective mats (do not lay against the stainless body).
10. Inspect the work area for any orange HV cabling, sensor harnesses, or air-suspension lines and route them clear before beginning.

Procedure

1. 1

   Document and photograph baseline geometry
   Before disassembly, photograph the orientation of the upper and lower control arms, sway bar link orientation, and any alignment shim/cam bolt positions. This protects ride height and toe/camber baselines when reassembling.
2. 2

   Disconnect the sway bar end link
   Locate the front sway bar (anti-roll bar) end link at the lower control arm or strut. Hold the inner stud with an Allen/hex key to prevent rotation, then remove the nut. Swing the end link out of the way. Inspect the bushing/boot — replace if torn.
   Torque spec

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

   Disconnect ABS / wheel speed sensor and brake hose bracket
   Unclip the wheel speed sensor lead and any brake hose retaining brackets from the knuckle/control arm so the knuckle can be moved freely without straining the harness or hose. Do NOT disconnect hydraulic brake lines.
   ⚠Do not let the brake caliper hang by the flexible hose — support it with a hook or strap.
4. 4

   Remove brake caliper and rotor (as needed for access)
   If access to the ball joints requires it, remove the brake caliper bracket bolts and suspend the caliper from the suspension with a hook. Slide the rotor off. Torque to OEM specification on reinstall — refer to Tesla Service Manual.
5. 5

   Remove cotter pins and loosen ball joint castle nuts
   Straighten and remove the cotter pins from both upper and lower ball joint nuts. Loosen — but do not yet fully remove — the castellated ball joint nuts. Leaving the nut threaded a few turns prevents the knuckle from dropping unexpectedly when the taper releases.
   ⚠Discard old cotter pins — they are single-use.
6. 6

   Break ball joint tapers free
   Use a proper ball joint separator or tie-rod puller to break the upper and lower ball joint tapers free from the steering knuckle. Avoid pickle-fork use on joints being reused (it will tear boots). With the tapers released, fully remove the castle nuts.
   ⚠Do not use a steel hammer against any suspension component near the stainless body. Use a dead-blow mallet only.
7. 7

   Remove steering knuckle pinch bolt (if applicable)
   If the upper ball joint stud passes through a pinch-clamp section of the knuckle, remove the pinch bolt. Discard — this is a single-use bolt. Spread the clamp slightly with a pry tool only enough to release the stud; do not over-spread or the knuckle will be damaged.
   Torque spec

   Pinch Bolt61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
8. 8

   Separate knuckle and support
   Carefully separate the steering knuckle from the upper and lower ball joint studs. Support the knuckle with a stand or strap so it does not hang from the half-shaft or any harness. Do NOT allow the half-shaft to over-extend.
   ⚠Steer-by-wire front actuator components may be in this region — do not pry against actuator housings or sensor brackets.
9. 9

   Remove the upper ball joint (or upper control arm)
   If the upper ball joint is serviceable separately, remove its retaining hardware and press/unbolt it from the upper control arm per the manufacturer-specified procedure. If it is integral to the upper control arm, remove the upper control arm bolts at the frame and replace the arm assembly. Note bolt orientation for reinstall.
   Torque spec

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
10. 10

    Remove the lower ball joint (or lower control arm)
    If the lower ball joint is press-fit/serviceable separately, use a ball joint press with the correct adapters to remove it from the lower control arm. If it is integral, remove the lower control arm pivot bolts and replace the arm assembly. Bag and label all hardware.
    ⚠Use a proper C-frame press — do not attempt to hammer ball joints in or out, especially near the stainless body.
    Torque spec

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

    Install new upper ball joint / upper control arm
    Install the new upper ball joint (or upper control arm) using the manufacturer-specified bracket and orientation. Start all fasteners by hand. Do NOT final-torque control arm pivot bolts yet — these must be torqued at ride height with weight on the wheels.
12. 12

    Install new lower ball joint / lower control arm
    Press in or bolt the new lower ball joint to the manufacturer specification, or install the new lower control arm. Start pivot bolts by hand only. Confirm boot is seated and not pinched.
13. 13

    Reseat steering knuckle and torque ball joint nuts
    Lower the knuckle onto the lower ball joint stud, then guide the upper stud into the knuckle. Install new ball joint nuts. Torque the ball joint nut to the verified specification. If a castellated nut with new cotter pin is used, torque to the higher verified spec and align the slot to the cotter-pin hole by tightening only (never loosening). Install a new cotter pin and bend the legs properly.
    ⚠Never back off a castle nut to align the cotter pin hole — always tighten to the next slot within the torque window.
    Torque spec

    Ball Joint Nut88 Nm (65 lb-ft)
14. 14

    Install new pinch bolt (if applicable)
    If the knuckle uses a pinch-clamp on the upper ball joint stud, install a NEW pinch bolt and torque to the verified specification.
    Torque spec

    Pinch Bolt61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
15. 15

    Reattach sway bar link, ABS sensor, brake hardware
    Reconnect the sway bar end link, holding the stud with an Allen key while torquing the nut. Reinstall brake rotor and caliper, torquing caliper hardware to OEM specification. Reseat the wheel-speed sensor and brake hose retainer. Verify boot/dust-cover integrity at all joints.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Reinstall front wheels. Snug lug nuts in a star pattern; final torque is set after the vehicle is on the ground.
2. Lower the vehicle until the suspension supports full vehicle weight at normal ride height. Air suspension may need to be reactivated from Service Mode to settle to ride height.
3. With full weight on the wheels, final-torque the upper and lower control arm pivot bolts to the verified Control Arm Bolts spec. This is critical — torquing at droop will damage bushings.
4. Final-torque the wheel lug nuts to the verified Wheel Lug Nuts spec in a star pattern.
5. Reconnect the 48V low-voltage battery using the correct sequence for the Cybertruck's LV architecture.
6. Exit Service/Jack Mode via the touchscreen and allow the air suspension to self-level.
7. A four-wheel alignment is mandatory before returning the vehicle to service.

Verification

• Confirm no warning indicators related to suspension, ABS, traction control, or steer-by-wire remain on the cluster/touchscreen after a key cycle.
• With the vehicle at ride height, visually verify both ball joint boots are intact and seated, and that new cotter pins are installed and bent.
• Perform a slow-speed parking-lot test: confirm no clunks over bumps, no steering pull, and centered yoke.
• Perform a four-wheel alignment to Tesla Cybertruck specifications. Steer-by-wire vehicles may also require a steering angle/torque sensor calibration via Tesla service tooling — refer to Tesla Service Manual.
• Re-check control arm pivot bolt torque after the first 100–500 miles is good practice on heavy EV suspension work.
• Service interval reminder: while the vehicle is up, this is a good time to inspect brake fluid (Tesla recommends replacement every 2 years), tire wear/rotation interval (every ~6,250 mi on Cybertruck), and front drive unit gear oil if approaching the 12,500 mi initial service or subsequent 25,000–50,000 mi intervals.

More procedures for this vehicle