This procedure covers the removal and replacement of both upper and lower ball joints on the front suspension of a 2018-2024 Toyota Camry with the 2.5L I4 engine.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Lower ball joint (left) × 1 — 43330-06150 or aftermarket equivalent
• Lower ball joint (right) × 1 — 43330-06150 or aftermarket equivalent
• Upper ball joint (left) × 1 — 43310-06150 or aftermarket equivalent
• Upper ball joint (right) × 1 — 43310-06150 or aftermarket equivalent
• Cotter pins (2mm x 25mm) × 4 — Use OEM specification
• Pinch bolt (if reusing not recommended) × 2 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level ground and engage parking brake
2. Place wheel chocks behind rear wheels
3. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground (do not remove)
4. Raise front of vehicle with floor jack at designated jacking points
5. Support vehicle securely on jack stands placed at frame rails
6. Remove front wheels completely
7. Spray all ball joint nuts, pinch bolts, and control arm bolts with penetrating oil and allow to soak for 15 minutes

Procedure

1. 1

   Disconnect sway bar link
   Remove the sway bar link from the lower control arm. Hold the ball stud shaft with a 6mm Allen key while loosening the nut with a wrench to prevent spinning. Completely remove the nut and separate the link from the control arm.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
2. 2

   Remove lower ball joint cotter pin and nut
   Using needle nose pliers, straighten and remove the cotter pin from the lower ball joint castle nut. Remove the castle nut completely but leave it threaded on by a few turns initially to protect threads during separation. The castle nut connects the ball joint stud to the steering knuckle.
3. 3

   Separate lower ball joint from knuckle
   Position the ball joint separator tool between the lower control arm and the steering knuckle at the ball joint taper. Strike or operate the separator tool to break the taper fit. Once loosened, remove the castle nut completely and pull the ball joint stud down and out of the knuckle.
   ⚠️The ball joint may separate suddenly. Keep face and hands clear of the impact zone.
4. 4

   Remove upper ball joint pinch bolt
   Locate the pinch bolt that clamps the upper ball joint stud into the top of the steering knuckle. This is typically a horizontal bolt through the knuckle casting. Remove this bolt completely. You may need to support the knuckle with your hand or a strap as the upper connection is now loose.
   ⚠The knuckle assembly will become loose once this bolt is removed. Support the knuckle to prevent it from falling.
   Torque spec

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

   Separate upper ball joint from knuckle
   With the pinch bolt removed, the upper ball joint stud should pull free from the knuckle. You may need to tap the knuckle with a soft mallet or use a pry bar to spread the pinch clamp slightly. Once separated, the knuckle assembly can be moved aside to provide access to the ball joints.
6. 6

   Remove old ball joints from control arms
   If ball joints are pressed into the control arms, use a ball joint press kit to drive out the old joints. Position the press with the receiving cup on the bottom and the driver on top. Apply steady pressure until the joint pops free. Clean the bore in the control arm with a wire brush. If ball joints are bolted in, remove the retaining bolts and extract the joints.
   ⚠Ensure the ball joint press is properly aligned to avoid damaging the control arm bore.
7. 7

   Install new ball joints into control arms
   Position the new ball joint into the control arm bore with the stud facing the correct direction. Use the ball joint press to drive the new joint into place until it is fully seated and flush with the control arm. The joint should be firmly pressed in with no gaps. If using bolt-in style joints, install with new bolts and torque per manufacturer specifications.
8. 8

   Reconnect upper ball joint to knuckle
   Lift the steering knuckle into position and insert the upper ball joint stud into the pinch clamp opening in the top of the knuckle. Ensure the stud is fully seated into the tapered hole. Install a new pinch bolt and torque to specification.
   Torque spec

   Pinch Bolt61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
9. 9

   Reconnect lower ball joint to knuckle
   Pull the lower control arm down slightly and guide the lower ball joint stud up through the hole in the bottom of the steering knuckle. Ensure the stud passes completely through and the taper is properly seated. Install the castle nut and torque to specification.
   Torque spec

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

    Install new cotter pins
    With the ball joint nut torqued, align the castle nut slots with the hole in the ball joint stud. If slots do not align, tighten the nut slightly more (never loosen) until alignment is achieved. Insert a new cotter pin through the hole and bend the ends to secure. Repeat for both upper and lower ball joints on both sides.
    ⚠Never loosen a castle nut to align cotter pin holes. Always tighten to the next slot.
11. 11

    Reconnect sway bar link
    Position the sway bar link ball stud into the hole in the lower control arm. Install the nut and hold the ball stud shaft with a 6mm Allen key while tightening the nut to specification.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
12. 12

    Install wheels and lower vehicle
    Install the front wheels and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Lower the vehicle from the jack stands until the tires are just touching the ground but the suspension is still unloaded. This allows access to torque control arm bolts with vehicle weight on the suspension.
13. 13

    Torque control arm bolts with weight on suspension
    With the vehicle lowered so the suspension is at normal ride height but still accessible, torque all control arm mounting bolts to specification. This prevents premature bushing wear. If control arm bolts were not disturbed during this job, verify their torque at this time.
    ⚠Control arm bolts must be torqued with the suspension at ride height. Failure to do so will cause premature bushing failure.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)
14. 14

    Final torque wheel lug nuts
    Fully lower the vehicle to the ground. Using a torque wrench, torque the wheel lug nuts to specification in a star pattern to ensure even pressure on the wheel.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts136 Nm (100 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Ensure all cotter pins are properly installed and bent to secure castle nuts
2. Verify no tools or parts were left in the wheel well area
3. Double-check that all fasteners have been tightened to specification

Verification

• Test drive the vehicle at low speed in a safe area and verify no unusual noises from the front suspension
• Check for proper steering response with no looseness or play
• Perform a visual inspection under the vehicle to confirm all connections are secure and no components are loose
• Have the front wheel alignment checked and adjusted by a professional alignment shop, as ball joint replacement affects alignment angles
• After 50-100 miles, re-check torque on all suspension fasteners

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