Replace the front lower control arm on a 2012 Tesla Roadster. Note: the Roadster is built on the Lotus Elise platform, so the front suspension is essentially Lotus — control arms, ball joints, and fasteners are Lotus-sourced, not Tesla-specific.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Front lower control arm (Lotus Elise-spec, Roadster-applicable) × 1 — OEM Lotus/Tesla Roadster front LCA — verify left/right side
• Ball joint castle nut cotter pin × 1 — New cotter pin — do not reuse
• Control arm pivot bolts/nuts (if specified single-use) × 1 — Refer to Tesla Roadster Service Manual for reuse policy

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place transmission in gear (1st or Reverse on manual Roadster), 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 auxiliary battery. On the 2012 Roadster, the 12V accessory battery is located in the front trunk area — refer to the Roadster Owner's Manual for exact location and disconnect procedure.
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. Chock the rear wheels.
7. Loosen the front wheel lug nuts while the vehicle is on the ground.
8. Raise the front of the vehicle using manufacturer-specified lift points (the Roadster has specific Lotus-style jacking pads — do NOT lift on the floor pan or sill skin) and support securely on jack stands.
9. Remove the front wheel on the affected side.
10. Inspect the surrounding suspension components (ball joint boot, tie rod end, sway bar bushings, strut) and note any additional needed repairs.

Procedure

1. 1

   Support the lower hub assembly
   Place a floor jack with a wood block under the lower spring perch / hub area to support the upright once the ball joint is released. Do not lift — just support.
2. 2

   Disconnect the sway bar end link from the lower control arm
   Locate the sway bar drop link where it attaches to the lower control arm (or to the upright, depending on configuration). Hold the inner shaft with an Allen key if equipped, and remove the nut. Swing the link clear of the control arm.
   Torque spec

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

   Remove the ball joint cotter pin and castle nut
   Straighten and extract the cotter pin from the lower ball joint stud. Discard the cotter pin — it must be replaced. Loosen and remove the castle nut from the ball joint stud.
   ⚠Never reuse a cotter pin. A new pin is required for reassembly.
4. 4

   Separate the ball joint from the upright
   Use a proper ball joint separator (press-type preferred) to release the lower ball joint stud from the upright. Avoid pickle-fork tools if you intend to reuse the ball joint, as they tear the boot. Once free, allow the upright to rest on the supporting jack — do NOT let it hang on the brake hose or ABS line.
   ⚠Do not strike the aluminum upright with a steel hammer. Use a brass/plastic drift only if necessary.
5. 5

   Mark and remove the inboard control arm pivot bolts
   The lower control arm attaches to the chassis at two inboard pivot points. Note the orientation of any cam/eccentric washers (if present) by marking with a paint pen — these set alignment. Support the control arm, then remove the nuts and withdraw the through-bolts. Tap bolts out with a soft drift if necessary.
   ⚠If alignment cams/eccentrics are present, mark their position before disturbing — improper reinstallation will cause severe alignment issues.
6. 6

   Remove the lower control arm
   Maneuver the control arm down and out of the chassis pickup points. Inspect the chassis mounts for cracks, corrosion, or elongated holes — report any chassis damage before continuing.
7. 7

   Compare old vs. new control arm
   Compare the new control arm side-by-side with the original to confirm correct side, ball joint orientation, and bushing type. Confirm any pre-installed hardware matches.
8. 8

   Install the new lower control arm — inboard pivots
   Position the new control arm into the chassis pickup points. Insert the pivot bolts in their original orientation, restoring any eccentric/cam washers to their marked positions. Hand-tighten only — DO NOT final-torque pivot bolts yet. Bushings must be torqued at ride height.
   ⚠Torquing pivot bolts with the suspension hanging will preload the bushings and cause premature failure.
9. 9

   Reconnect the lower ball joint to the upright
   Raise the upright with the support jack to align the ball joint stud with the upright. Insert the stud, install the castle nut, and torque to specification. Continue tightening (do not back off) only as needed to align the castellation with the cotter pin hole, then install a NEW cotter pin and bend the legs over.
   Torque spec

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

    Reconnect the sway bar end link
    Reattach the sway bar end link to the control arm. Hold the inner shaft with an Allen key if equipped to prevent the stud from spinning, and torque the nut.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Reinstall the wheel and lower vehicle to ride height
    Mount the front wheel and snug the lug nuts. Lower the vehicle so that the full vehicle weight is on the wheels (you may need ramps or a drive-on lift to access the pivot bolts at ride height — alternatively, use a jack to load the lower control arm to simulate ride height before final torque).
12. 12

    Final torque the control arm pivot bolts at ride height
    With the suspension fully loaded at ride height, torque both inboard control arm pivot bolts to specification.
    ⚠Verify eccentric/cam alignment marks are still aligned before final torque.
    Torque spec

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

    Final torque the wheel lug nuts
    Torque the lug nuts in a star/cross pattern to specification.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts136 Nm (100 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Reconnect the 12V low-voltage battery.
2. Cycle the steering lock-to-lock with the vehicle stationary on the ground to confirm no binding or interference.
3. Confirm no tools or shop rags remain in the wheel well or front compartment.
4. Schedule a four-wheel alignment immediately — the Roadster is highly sensitive to suspension geometry, and any control arm replacement disturbs camber/caster/toe.

Verification

• With the vehicle on the ground, push down on the front corner and confirm smooth, controlled rebound with no clunking.
• Visually inspect that the new cotter pin is installed in the ball joint castle nut and bent over.
• Confirm the sway bar end link is fully seated and tight, and that the ball joint boot is intact.
• Test drive at low speed in a safe area: listen for clunks over bumps, confirm steering returns to center, and watch for pulling.
• Have a four-wheel alignment performed at a shop familiar with Lotus Elise / Tesla Roadster geometry — Roadster alignment specs differ from any other Tesla.
• Re-check pivot bolt torque after the first 100 miles as a precaution — this is good practice on any control arm job, though not officially called out by Tesla.
• While the vehicle is up, take the opportunity to check brake fluid condition (Tesla recommends brake fluid replacement every 2 years) and inspect the transmission/gearbox oil level on this manual-equipped Roadster.

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