Replacement of a front lower control arm on a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Tri-Motor (Cyberbeast). This truck uses a heavy-duty multi-link front suspension with air springs; the control arm must be torqued at ride height with vehicle weight on the wheels.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Front lower control arm assembly (manufacturer-specified for Cybertruck) × 1 — Tesla Cybertruck front LCA — refer to Tesla EPC for exact part number
• Ball joint nut (single-use; replace if specified by manufacturer) × 1 — OEM-spec self-locking nut
• Control arm pivot bolts (inspect; replace if stretch-spec / TTY) × 2 — OEM-spec — verify reuse policy in Tesla Service Manual

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
2. Exit ALL doors with 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 48V low-voltage battery per Tesla service procedure. NOTE: This is a 48V system — not 12V — and the disconnect location/procedure differs from S/3/X/Y. Refer to the Cybertruck Service Manual for the correct disconnect point and any required wait time.
4. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage and lethal on this 800V platform.
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. On the touchscreen, enable Service Mode and activate Jack Mode to disable air suspension self-leveling before lifting.
7. Chock the rear wheels.
8. Loosen the front wheel lug nuts while the truck is still on the ground.
9. Raise the front of the vehicle with a heavy-duty jack at the manufacturer-specified lift point and support on jack stands rated for the Cybertruck's weight.
10. Remove the front wheel on the affected side.

Procedure

1. 1

   Inspect and photograph
   Photograph the existing control arm, ball joint orientation, sway bar link orientation, and any wiring/brake line routing. This documentation is critical for correct reassembly on a vehicle with limited public service info.
2. 2

   Support the lower knuckle
   Place a transmission jack or a secondary jack with a wood block under the steering knuckle to support the assembly once the ball joint is separated. Do NOT let the knuckle hang from the upper components — this can damage the strut, brake hose, or wheel speed sensor harness.
3. 3

   Disconnect sway bar end link from lower control arm (if attached there)
   If the sway bar end link mounts to the lower control arm on this trim, hold the link's internal shaft with the appropriate Allen/hex key and remove the nut. Swing the link clear.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
4. 4

   Move brake hose / wheel speed sensor harness clear
   Unclip any brake line bracket or ABS sensor harness routed along the control arm so it is not stressed when the arm drops. Do not disconnect the brake hose itself — there is no need to open the hydraulic system for this job.
   ⚠If a brake line clip is broken, replace it. Brake fluid (DOT 3) service interval is 2 years regardless — note in records if you observe contamination.
5. 5

   Separate the lower ball joint from the knuckle
   Loosen the ball joint nut but leave it threaded on a few turns to catch the knuckle. Use a screw-type ball joint separator to break the taper. Once free, fully remove the nut and lower the knuckle gently onto the supporting jack. Replace the ball joint nut if it is a single-use self-locking type per OEM specification.
   ⚠Avoid pickle-fork separators if the ball joint will be reused — they commonly tear the boot.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut88 Nm (65 lb-ft)
6. 6

   Mark and remove the inboard pivot bolts
   Mark the position of any cam/eccentric bolts (if equipped) before loosening to preserve a baseline alignment. Remove the inboard control arm pivot bolts. Support the arm as it comes free — these are heavy on Cybertruck.
   ℹ️Even with cams marked, a 4-wheel alignment is required after this repair.
7. 7

   Remove the lower control arm
   Maneuver the arm out of the subframe brackets and out of the wheel well. Compare old vs. new arm side-by-side: bushing orientation, ball joint stud direction, and any brackets must match.
8. 8

   Install the new lower control arm — finger tight only
   Position the new arm into the inboard subframe brackets. Install the pivot bolts (with cams in their original marked position if equipped) and run them down finger-tight only. Do NOT final-torque yet — the bushings must be clamped at ride height.
9. 9

   Reconnect the ball joint to the knuckle
   Raise the knuckle with the support jack until the ball joint stud seats fully into the knuckle taper. Install a new ball joint nut (if required) and torque to specification. Verify the boot is not pinched or torn.
   Torque spec

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

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

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

    Reattach harness/brake line clips
    Reseat the ABS sensor harness and any brake hose clips into their original brackets on the new control arm. Confirm full range of motion does not stretch or chafe any line.
12. 12

    Reinstall wheel and lower vehicle to ride height
    Reinstall the wheel and torque the lug nuts to spec in a star pattern. Lower the vehicle so the full weight of the truck is on the suspension. If you cannot fully lower onto the ground due to torque wrench access, use ride-height drive-on ramps or alignment blocks under the tires so the suspension is loaded at normal ride height.
    ⚠Final torque of the control arm pivot bolts at full droop will damage the bushing within months.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts136 Nm (100 lb-ft)
13. 13

    Final-torque the control arm pivot bolts at ride height
    With suspension loaded at ride height, torque the inboard control arm pivot bolts to specification. This is the critical step that determines bushing life.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Reconnect the 48V low-voltage battery using the manufacturer-specified procedure and torque.
2. Exit Jack Mode and Service Mode on the touchscreen; allow the air suspension to re-level and confirm normal ride height is achieved on all four corners.
3. Cycle the suspension through Low/Standard/High modes (if available) and verify no fault messages appear on the dash.
4. Inspect the work area for tools, rags, and removed hardware before lowering fully.

Verification

• Confirm no chassis, suspension, or steering fault messages on the touchscreen after the 48V system is reconnected.
• Test drive at low speed in a safe area; listen for clunks, verify the steer-by-wire system tracks straight and the yoke is centered. If the yoke is off-center or any steering fault is present, a steering calibration via Tesla Service software may be required — do NOT ignore.
• Have a 4-wheel alignment performed. This is mandatory after any control arm replacement, especially with cam-bolt adjusters.
• Re-torque check: after the first ~100 miles, recheck the lug nuts (Cybertruck is heavy and seats hub-centric assemblies firmly).
• Reminder: While performing this job, note brake fluid condition — Tesla recommends DOT 3 brake fluid replacement every 2 years regardless of mileage. If due, schedule that service.
• If air suspension does not return to normal ride height or shows a fault, do not drive — diagnose with Tesla service software.

More procedures for this vehicle