Replacement of upper and lower front ball joints on a 2024 Tesla Model X Long Range. On this generation the upper ball joint is integral to the upper control arm, and the lower ball joint is integral to the lower control arm — both are typically replaced as complete arm assemblies rather than as standalone joints.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Front upper control arm assembly (with integral upper ball joint) — Model X 2024 × 2 — OEM Tesla front upper control arm, 2024 Model X
• Front lower control arm assembly (with integral lower ball joint) — Model X 2024 × 2 — OEM Tesla front lower control arm, 2024 Model X
• Cotter pin for ball joint castle nut × 4 — Manufacturer-specified cotter pin (size per service manual)
• Steering knuckle pinch bolt (single-use) × 2 — Single-use pinch bolt — replace per Tesla service manual
• Wheel alignment (post-repair) × 1 — Four-wheel alignment service

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 — located in the frunk on Model X (similar position to Model S). Remove frunk trim as required to access the negative terminal.
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. Before disconnecting 12V: enter the touchscreen Service menu and activate Jack Mode to disable air suspension self-leveling. Confirm both falcon doors are fully closed.
7. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while vehicle is still on the ground.
8. Lift the vehicle ONLY at the four factory-designated jack pad locations. Use jack pad pucks if available. Support with rated jack stands once raised.
9. Remove front wheels and set aside on the soft side to protect finish.
10. Inspect the work area for any orange HV cabling, HV connectors, or coolant lines routed near the front suspension before proceeding. If anything is unclear, stop.

Procedure

1. 1

   Document ride height and alignment baseline
   With the vehicle still on its wheels (before lifting), measure and record front ride height at both fenders. This gives a sanity check for post-repair air suspension behavior and helps the alignment tech.
2. 2

   Disconnect sway bar end link from lower control arm
   Locate the front sway bar end link where it attaches to the lower control arm. Hold the inner shaft with the appropriate Allen key to prevent spinning, and remove the end-link nut. Swing the end link clear of the control arm. Inspect the bushing/ball stud for play while it's accessible.
   Torque spec

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

   Separate the lower ball joint from the steering knuckle
   Straighten and remove the cotter pin from the lower ball joint castle nut. Loosen and remove the castle nut. Using a proper ball joint press/separator, break the lower ball joint taper free from the steering knuckle. Do NOT use a hammer on the aluminum knuckle. Support the knuckle so it does not hang on the brake hose or wheel speed sensor harness.
   ⚠Do not let the steering knuckle hang by the brake hose or ABS sensor wiring — support it with a bungee or stand.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut102 Nm (75 lb-ft)
4. 4

   Release the upper ball joint / pinch joint at the knuckle
   The upper control arm attaches to the top of the steering knuckle. Depending on configuration, this is either a tapered ball stud with castle nut and cotter pin, or a pinch-bolt clamp. Remove the cotter pin and castle nut (if equipped) OR remove the single-use pinch bolt (if equipped). Separate the upper ball stud from the knuckle using a proper separator tool.
   ℹ️Pinch bolts are single-use — replace with a new bolt on reassembly.
   Torque spec

   Ball Joint Nut102 Nm (75 lb-ft)

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

   Unbolt the upper control arm from the chassis
   Support the upper control arm. Remove the inboard mounting bolts/nuts securing the upper control arm to the strut tower / upper frame mount. Note bolt orientation and any alignment cams or shims — mark them so they can be reinstalled in the same position to preserve baseline alignment. Remove the upper control arm assembly.
   Torque spec

   Strut Tower Nuts50 Nm (37 lb-ft)

   Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
6. 6

   Unbolt the lower control arm from the subframe
   Support the lower control arm. Remove the inboard pivot bolts (front and rear bushing locations) securing the lower control arm to the subframe. Mark any alignment cams or eccentric washers before removal. Carefully remove the lower control arm assembly from the vehicle.
   ⚠These bolts are torqued high and may be thread-locked from the factory. Use a breaker bar with care — sudden release near the floor pack area is a hazard.
   Torque spec

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

   Compare old and new arms
   Lay the new upper and lower control arm assemblies next to the removed parts. Verify hole spacing, ball stud taper, bushing orientation, and any handed (left/right) markings match. Confirm boots are intact and ball studs move smoothly with no gritty feel.
8. 8

   Install new lower control arm
   Position the new lower control arm in the subframe. Hand-thread the inboard pivot bolts with any alignment cams returned to their marked positions. Do NOT final-torque yet — these bushing bolts must be torqued at ride height.
9. 9

   Install new upper control arm
   Position the new upper control arm in its frame mount. Hand-thread the upper mounting fasteners. Do NOT final-torque the bushing bolts yet if they are bushing-loaded — they must be set at ride height.
10. 10

    Reconnect ball joints to steering knuckle
    Bring the steering knuckle back up to the upper and lower ball studs. Seat each tapered stud fully into the knuckle. Install the castle nuts and torque to specification. Install NEW cotter pins on the lower (and upper if applicable) ball joint nut. If the upper joint uses a pinch-bolt design instead, install a NEW pinch bolt and torque to specification. Never back off a castle nut to align a cotter pin slot — only tighten further to the next slot.
    ⚠Always use a NEW cotter pin and a NEW pinch bolt. Reused fasteners on safety-critical steering joints can fail.
    Torque spec

    Ball Joint Nut102 Nm (75 lb-ft)

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

    Reconnect sway bar end link
    Reattach the sway bar end link to the lower control arm. Hold the inner shaft with an Allen key to prevent rotation while torquing the nut.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
12. 12

    Reinstall wheels and lower vehicle to load suspension
    Reinstall both front wheels. Hand-snug the lug nuts. Lower the vehicle to the ground (or to drive-on ramps / wheel-engaging lift) so full vehicle weight is on the wheels at normal ride height. Once weight is on the wheels, torque the lug nuts in a star pattern.
    Torque spec

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

    Final-torque control arm pivot bolts at ride height
    With full vehicle weight on the wheels (suspension at normal ride height), final-torque the upper and lower control arm inboard pivot bolts and the upper strut tower fasteners. Skipping this step will pre-load the bushings and cause early failure plus ride-height drift.
    ⚠Do NOT final-torque control arm bolts with the suspension drooping. This is the single most common ball-joint/control-arm comeback.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)

    Strut Tower Nuts50 Nm (37 lb-ft)
14. 14

    Reconnect 12V and exit Jack Mode
    Reconnect the 12V battery in the frunk. Reinstall any frunk trim. Power the vehicle on, allow systems to initialize, and confirm there are no suspension or ABS faults on the touchscreen. Exit Jack Mode and allow the air suspension to self-level. Verify ride height returns to normal at all four corners.

Reassembly

1. Confirm both new cotter pins on the ball joint castle nuts are spread correctly and seated.
2. Confirm the new pinch bolt (if used) is torqued and the steering knuckle is fully seated against the upper joint shoulder.
3. Confirm sway bar end link nuts are torqued with the shaft held stationary.
4. Confirm all control arm pivot bolts received final torque AT ride height.
5. Reinstall any aero shields, splash guards, or fasteners that were displaced for tool access.
6. Reinstall frunk trim and verify the frunk latches and releases normally.

Verification

• On the touchscreen, confirm no Vehicle Hold, Suspension, or ABS warnings are present after a key cycle.
• Confirm air suspension self-levels to factory ride height at all four corners; compare to pre-job measurements.
• Cycle steering lock-to-lock with the vehicle stationary on a smooth surface — listen for any clunk, pop, or binding from the upper or lower joint.
• Take a low-speed test drive over a known bump: there should be no clunk on compression or rebound. Steering should track straight with hands lightly on the wheel.
• MANDATORY: have a four-wheel alignment performed to current Tesla Model X specifications before returning the vehicle to service. Steering wheel angle sensor recalibration may be required if alignment significantly changes toe.
• Re-check lug nut torque after the first 50–100 miles of driving.
• While the vehicle is in for service, this is also a good opportunity to review Tesla's actual maintenance intervals: brake fluid every 2 years, cabin filter every 2 years (3 years if HEPA-equipped), tire rotation every ~6,250 mi, and a battery coolant inspection at 4 years / 50,000 mi.

More procedures for this vehicle