This procedure covers removal and replacement of the front lower control arm (radius arm) on a 2012-2017 Toyota Camry with 2.5L I4 engine.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Lower control arm (radius arm) × 1 — 48068-06190 or aftermarket equivalent
• Ball joint castle nut × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Cotter pin × 1 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and apply parking brake
2. Place wheel chocks behind rear wheels
3. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground (do not remove)
4. Apply penetrating oil to control arm bolts, ball joint nut, and any corroded fasteners. Allow 15-30 minutes to penetrate
5. Raise front of vehicle with floor jack at designated jacking point
6. Support vehicle securely on jack stands under frame rails
7. Remove front wheel completely

Procedure

1. 1

   Support the lower suspension
   Position floor jack under the lower control arm near the ball joint to support the knuckle assembly. Raise jack slightly to take load off suspension but do not lift vehicle. This prevents the suspension from dropping when ball joint is separated.
2. 2

   Remove ball joint cotter pin and castle nut
   Straighten and remove the cotter pin from the ball joint castle nut. Using a 22mm socket, remove the castle nut from the ball joint stud. Keep the nut for reference but plan to replace with new hardware.
3. 3

   Separate ball joint from steering knuckle
   Using a ball joint separator tool or pickle fork, separate the lower ball joint from the steering knuckle. Position the tool between the control arm and knuckle, then strike or tighten to break the taper fit. Once separated, lower the floor jack slowly to allow the knuckle to move upward and clear the ball joint stud.
   ⚠Ball joint separator can damage the ball joint boot. If reusing control arm, use a puller-type separator instead of a pickle fork.
4. 4

   Remove rear control arm mounting bolt
   Locate the rear control arm mounting bolt that attaches the control arm to the subframe. This is a large horizontal bolt with nut. Using a 19mm socket on the bolt head and 19mm wrench on the nut, remove the bolt completely. You may need a breaker bar due to high torque specification.
5. 5

   Remove front control arm mounting bolt
   Locate the front control arm mounting bolt that attaches the control arm to the subframe. Using a 17mm or 19mm socket (depending on specific model year), remove this bolt completely. Support the control arm as you remove the final bolt.
6. 6

   Remove control arm from vehicle
   With both mounting bolts removed and ball joint separated, remove the control arm from the vehicle. Maneuver it out from between the subframe and steering knuckle. Inspect mounting points on subframe for damage or excessive wear.
7. 7

   Prepare new control arm
   Compare new control arm to old unit to verify correct part. Inspect ball joint boot for damage and ensure all bushings are properly seated. If control arm came with new hardware, prepare the new castle nut and cotter pin for installation.
8. 8

   Install control arm to subframe
   Position new control arm into subframe mounting brackets. Insert front and rear mounting bolts through bushings and subframe, threading nuts on loosely. Do not torque these bolts yet - they must be torqued with vehicle weight on suspension. Hand-tighten only at this stage.
9. 9

   Connect ball joint to steering knuckle
   Position floor jack under control arm and raise to align ball joint stud with hole in steering knuckle. Insert stud through knuckle. Install new castle nut onto ball joint stud and tighten to specification. Align castle nut slots with hole in stud, advancing nut if necessary (never back off). Install new cotter pin and bend ends to secure.
   ⚠Never loosen castle nut to align cotter pin hole. Only tighten further to achieve alignment.
   Torque spec

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

    Reinstall wheel and lower vehicle
    Install wheel onto hub and hand-thread all lug nuts. Lower vehicle from jack stands until weight is just on wheels but vehicle can still be raised slightly. Torque lug nuts in star pattern to specification. Remove jack stands completely and lower vehicle fully to ground.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts136 Nm (100 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Torque control arm bolts with vehicle on ground
    With vehicle weight fully on suspension, torque both front and rear control arm mounting bolts to specification. This must be done with suspension at normal ride height to prevent bushing wind-up. Use a breaker bar or torque wrench capable of 165 Nm.
    ℹ️Torquing control arm bolts with suspension unloaded will cause premature bushing failure.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Control arm mounting bolts are torqued with vehicle weight on suspension at normal ride height
2. Ball joint castle nut receives new cotter pin - reuse of old cotter pin is not recommended
3. Verify all fasteners are torqued to specification before test drive

Verification

• Verify ball joint castle nut is properly torqued and cotter pin is installed and secured
• Verify control arm mounting bolts are torqued to 165 Nm with vehicle on ground
• Bounce front of vehicle to settle suspension and verify no unusual noises
• Test drive vehicle at low speed and verify no clunking or abnormal handling
• Schedule alignment check within 50 miles as control arm replacement affects camber and toe settings

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