Replacement of front upper and lower ball joints on a 2024 Model 3 Performance AWD. The lower ball joint is integral to the front lower control arm (fore link/aft link assembly) on Model 3 and is replaced as an assembly; the upper ball joint is part of the upper control arm and is also serviced as an assembly.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Front upper control arm assembly (includes upper ball joint) × 2 — OEM Tesla Model 3 front upper control arm — refer to VIN lookup
• Front lower control arm / fore-link assembly (includes lower ball joint) × 2 — OEM Tesla Model 3 front lower fore-link with integrated ball joint — refer to VIN lookup
• Cotter pins for ball joint castle nuts × 4 — Manufacturer-specified cotter pin
• Knuckle-to-strut pinch bolt × 2 — Single-use pinch bolt — replace

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 12V low-voltage battery. On 2024 Model 3, the 12V/16V low-voltage battery is located under a panel — refer to architecture notes; some 2024+ units use a lithium 12V under the floor. Disconnect negative first.
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 vehicle in Transport / Jack Mode via the touchscreen BEFORE disconnecting 12V if you intend to lift it (Service > Tow Mode / Jack Mode), otherwise the air-suspension/self-leveling logic is N/A here (Model 3 is coil-only) but the parking brake calipers must be released. With 12V disconnected, the car cannot re-engage the parking brake.
7. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while wheels are on the ground.
8. Lift the vehicle at the factory jack points using approved puck adapters and support on rated jack stands. Both front wheels off the ground.
9. Remove front wheels.
10. Inspect the work area for any orange HV cabling, coolant lines, or wiring harnesses routed near the control arms before beginning.

Procedure

1. 1

   Document alignment reference and inspect
   Before disturbing anything, scribe or photograph the position of any eccentric/cam bolts on the control arm pivots so you have a reference for rough re-alignment. Inspect the upper and lower ball joints for play by levering the knuckle — confirm the diagnosis before disassembly.
2. 2

   Disconnect sway bar end link from lower control arm
   Locate the sway bar end link at the lower control arm. Hold the ball stud with an Allen/hex key on the flats while loosening the nut to prevent the stud from spinning. Remove the nut and swing the link out of the way.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
3. 3

   Separate ABS / wheel speed sensor harness and brake hose if needed
   Unclip the ABS/wheel-speed harness and any brake hose retainers from the knuckle or control arm so they will not be stressed when the knuckle is moved. Do NOT disconnect brake hoses.
   ⚠Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose. If the caliper must be moved, support it with a hook or strap.
4. 4

   Loosen the strut-to-knuckle pinch bolt (do not remove yet)
   Locate the pinch bolt that clamps the lower end of the strut into the knuckle. Loosen but leave loosely threaded. This bolt is single-use and will be replaced.
   Torque spec

   Pinch Bolt61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
5. 5

   Separate the upper ball joint from the knuckle
   Remove the cotter pin from the upper ball joint castle nut and discard. Loosen the castle nut but leave it threaded on a few turns to catch the joint. Use a ball joint separator or appropriate splitter to break the taper. Once free, fully remove the nut and lift the upper arm out of the knuckle. Do NOT use a pickle fork on the boot if the joint is being reused — but here it is being replaced.
   ⚠Aluminum knuckle — do not hammer the knuckle directly. Apply force only to steel surfaces or use a proper press-style separator.
   Torque spec

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

   Separate the lower ball joint from the knuckle
   Remove the cotter pin and back off the lower ball joint castle nut, leaving it threaded to catch the joint. Use a ball joint separator to break the lower taper. Remove the nut and free the knuckle from the lower arm. Support the knuckle so it does not fall outward and stress the outer CV joint or wheel-speed harness.
   ⚠Do not let the knuckle hang from the outer CV/halfshaft. Over-extension can damage the CV joint.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut88 Nm (65 lb-ft)
7. 7

   Remove pinch bolt and separate strut from knuckle
   Fully remove the strut-to-knuckle pinch bolt. Spread the knuckle slot slightly with a pry bar if needed and slide the knuckle off the strut. Set the knuckle aside, supported, with halfshaft still installed.
   Torque spec

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

   Remove the upper control arm
   At the inboard end, remove the upper control arm pivot bolt(s) from the body/shock tower bracket. Note orientation and any washers/spacers. Remove the upper arm from the vehicle.
   Torque spec

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

   Remove the lower control arm (fore link with integrated ball joint)
   Remove the inboard pivot bolt(s) attaching the lower fore-link / control arm to the front subframe. Note any eccentric/cam alignment hardware — preserve orientation. Remove the lower arm from the vehicle.
   ℹ️On Model 3, the lower ball joint is not separately serviceable from the lower fore-link control arm — the arm is replaced as an assembly.
   Torque spec

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

    Compare new arms to old; transfer hardware as needed
    Lay the old and new upper and lower arms side-by-side. Verify ball joint stud taper, length, and bolt patterns match. Confirm new cotter pins and (if supplied) new castle nuts are present. Clean the knuckle tapers with a wire brush — they must be clean and dry for proper seat.
    ⚠Do not apply anti-seize to ball joint tapers. The tapers must seat metal-to-metal.
11. 11

    Install new lower control arm
    Position the new lower fore-link/control arm into the subframe. Install pivot hardware finger-tight only — do NOT final torque yet. Restore any eccentric/cam hardware to the marked reference position.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
12. 12

    Install new upper control arm
    Position the new upper control arm into the body/shock tower mount. Install pivot hardware finger-tight only — do NOT final torque yet.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
13. 13

    Reattach knuckle to strut and to ball joints
    Slide the knuckle onto the strut. Install a NEW pinch bolt — do not torque yet. Lift the lower control arm and seat the lower ball joint stud into the knuckle taper; install the castle nut hand tight. Pivot the upper arm down and seat the upper ball joint stud into the knuckle; install the castle nut hand tight.
14. 14

    Torque ball joint castle nuts and install new cotter pins
    Torque the upper ball joint castle nut to specification, then continue tightening (never loosening) until the cotter-pin slot aligns with the stud hole. Install a NEW cotter pin and bend the legs. Repeat for the lower ball joint.
    ⚠️If you cannot reach minimum torque before slot alignment, the joint is defective — do not install. Never back off the nut to align the cotter pin.
    Torque spec

    Ball Joint Nut88 Nm (65 lb-ft)
15. 15

    Torque pinch bolt and reconnect sway bar link
    Torque the new strut-to-knuckle pinch bolt. Reconnect the sway bar end link to the lower control arm, holding the stud with a hex key while torquing the nut. Re-clip ABS harness and brake line into their retainers.
    Torque spec

    Pinch Bolt61 Nm (45 lb-ft)

    Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
16. 16

    Repeat for opposite side
    Repeat steps 2–15 on the opposite side of the vehicle.

Reassembly

1. Reinstall front wheels. Snug lug nuts by hand.
2. Lower the vehicle so full vehicle weight is on the wheels (suspension at ride height). This is REQUIRED before final torque of the control arm pivot bolts.
3. Final-torque the upper and lower control arm pivot bolts to specification with the vehicle on the ground (or on drive-on ramps / alignment rack so suspension is loaded).
4. Final-torque the wheel lug nuts in a star pattern.
5. Reconnect the 12V low-voltage battery (positive first, then negative).
6. Close all doors, allow the vehicle to wake, verify no chassis or ABS faults appear on the touchscreen.
7. Drive directly to an alignment rack — do not drive any meaningful distance on the new geometry without alignment.

Verification

• Confirm no suspension, ABS, or stability-control alerts on the touchscreen after wake-up.
• With the vehicle on the ground, grasp each front tire at 12 and 6 and rock — verify no play in the upper or lower ball joints.
• Grasp the tire at 9 and 3 and rock — verify play is only in steering, not in ball joints (rules out tie rod confusion).
• Visually confirm both new cotter pins are installed and bent over on the upper and lower ball joints.
• Perform a four-wheel alignment — required after any control arm replacement on Model 3. Verify camber, caster, and toe are within Tesla specification for Model 3 Performance.
• Test drive at low speed: verify no clunks over bumps, no pull, centered steering wheel.
• Re-torque check after first 100 miles is good practice on aluminum suspension components.
• Service interval reminder: while the vehicle is up, this is a good opportunity to inspect brake fluid condition (Tesla recommends DOT 4 brake fluid replacement every 2 years) and tire wear (rotate every ~6,250 mi).

More procedures for this vehicle