Replace the upper ball joint on a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor. Note: on the Cybertruck front suspension, the upper ball joint is integral to the upper control arm on most production units — verify availability of a serviceable ball joint before proceeding; if integral, the entire upper control arm assembly must be replaced.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Upper ball joint assembly OR complete upper control arm (verify serviceability) × 1 — Manufacturer-specified 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 (if disturbed) × 1 — OEM-spec single-use pinch bolt

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's Cybertruck LV disconnect procedure (located in the frunk area — refer to Service Manual for exact location and sequence on this 48V architecture).
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. Enable Jack Mode on the touchscreen BEFORE powering down to disable air suspension self-leveling.
7. Chock the rear wheels.
8. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while the tire is still on the ground.
9. Raise the vehicle on a lift rated for Cybertruck weight, using Tesla-specified lift points only.
10. Remove the front wheel on the affected side.
11. Inspect the area for any orange HV cabling or LV harnesses routed near the upper control arm and reroute/protect as needed.

Procedure

1. 1

   Confirm ball joint serviceability
   Visually inspect the upper ball joint at the top of the steering knuckle. On most Cybertruck production units the upper ball joint is integral to the upper control arm and is not separately serviceable. If integral, plan to replace the complete UCA. If a separate ball joint is offered for your VIN, proceed with discrete replacement.
2. 2

   Support the knuckle / lower control arm
   Place a jack stand or transmission jack under the lower control arm to support the knuckle assembly. This prevents the knuckle from dropping and stressing the lower ball joint, CV axle, and brake hose when the upper ball joint is released.
   ⚠Do not let the knuckle hang by the brake hose or wheel speed sensor wiring.
3. 3

   Disconnect sway bar end link (if required for clearance)
   If access requires, remove the upper sway bar end link nut while holding the stud with an Allen key. Swing the link aside.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
4. 4

   Remove ball joint cotter pin and castle nut
   Straighten and remove the cotter pin from the upper ball joint stud. Discard it — a new one is required on reassembly. Loosen and remove the castle nut from the ball joint stud.
   ⚠Never reuse a cotter pin — failure can cause loss of suspension control.
5. 5

   Separate ball joint from knuckle
   Use a proper ball joint separator (tie-rod-end style puller preferred) to break the taper between the ball joint stud and the knuckle. Avoid pickle-fork tools if you intend to reuse the boot or surrounding components. Do not strike the knuckle or any body panel.
   ⚠Stainless exoskeleton — do not use the body for leverage and do not strike with a hammer.
6. 6

   Remove upper control arm / ball joint
   If the ball joint is integral to the UCA: support the UCA, remove the inner UCA-to-frame bolts (note bolt orientation and any cam/eccentric alignment marks for alignment reference), and remove the UCA assembly. If the ball joint is a serviceable component pressed/bolted into the UCA: follow the manufacturer-specified removal method (press or unbolt). Refer to Tesla Service Manual for exact fastener locations and torque-with-weight-on-wheels requirements.
   ℹ️Mark any eccentric/cam alignment hardware before removal to aid pre-alignment setup.
   Torque spec

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

   Inspect related components
   With the UCA out, inspect the upper bushings, strut, lower ball joint boot, CV boot, and brake hose for damage. Replace as needed before reassembly.

Reassembly

1. Install the new ball joint or new upper control arm assembly. If pressing a ball joint into a UCA, use the manufacturer-specified press adapters.
2. Install UCA-to-frame bolts finger-tight. Do NOT final-torque control arm bolts yet — these must be torqued with the vehicle's weight on the wheels at ride height to properly preload the bushings.
3. Insert the ball joint stud into the knuckle. Install the castle nut and torque to spec, then advance the nut (never back off) to align the next slot with the stud's cotter pin hole. Install a NEW cotter pin and bend the legs per OEM practice.
4. Reconnect the sway bar end link, holding the stud with an Allen key, and torque to spec.
5. Reinstall the wheel and hand-tighten lug nuts.
6. Lower the vehicle so full weight is on the wheels (or use a drive-on lift / alignment rack so suspension is loaded).
7. Final-torque the control arm bolts with weight on wheels.
8. Torque lug nuts in a star pattern to spec.
9. Reconnect the 48V low-voltage battery per Tesla procedure.
10. Disable Jack Mode and allow air suspension to self-level.

Verification

• Power up the vehicle and confirm no suspension, ride-height, or steer-by-wire faults appear on the touchscreen.
• With the vehicle at normal ride height, visually confirm the new cotter pin is correctly installed and bent, and that the ball joint boot is seated.
• Cycle the steering lock-to-lock (vehicle stationary, powered) and listen for clunks or binding. Note: steer-by-wire — wheels move via actuator, not mechanical linkage.
• Perform a four-wheel alignment — required after any front suspension component replacement on Cybertruck.
• Confirm whether steer-by-wire calibration / end-stop relearn is required after alignment — refer to Tesla Service Manual.
• Road test at low speed first, listening for clunks over bumps, then verify straight-line tracking and centered yoke.
• Re-inspect ball joint torque and cotter pin after the first 100-200 miles as a best practice on critical [CRITICAL] fasteners.

More procedures for this vehicle