This procedure covers the replacement of upper and lower ball joints on the front suspension of a 2014-2019 Toyota Corolla with 1.8L I4 engine.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Lower ball joint (driver side) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Lower ball joint (passenger side) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Upper ball joint (driver side) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Upper ball joint (passenger side) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Cotter pins (assorted) × 4 — Use OEM specification
• Strut pinch bolts × 2 — Use OEM specification

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake
2. Loosen front wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on ground
3. Raise front of vehicle and support securely on jack stands at proper lift points
4. Remove both front wheels completely
5. Apply penetrating oil to all ball joint nuts, pinch bolts, and control arm bolts
6. Inspect suspension components for additional wear or damage requiring replacement

Procedure

1. 1

   Disconnect sway bar link from strut
   Locate the sway bar link connection at the strut assembly. Hold the ball stud shaft with an Allen key to prevent rotation, then remove the upper nut securing the sway bar link to the strut. This provides clearance for strut removal.
2. 2

   Remove strut-to-knuckle pinch bolt
   Locate the pinch bolt that secures the strut to the steering knuckle at the lower end of the strut assembly. Remove this bolt completely and discard it (replacement with new bolt is required). Note the orientation of the bolt for reassembly. Use a pry bar if needed to spread the knuckle slightly for removal.
3. 3

   Access upper strut tower nuts
   Open the hood and locate the three strut tower nuts accessible from the engine bay. These are located at the top of each strut tower. Remove all three nuts from the strut tower while supporting the strut assembly from below.
   ⚠Support the strut assembly from below before removing the last strut tower nut to prevent the strut from falling.
4. 4

   Remove strut assembly from vehicle
   With the pinch bolt removed and strut tower nuts removed, carefully separate the strut from the steering knuckle by pulling downward on the knuckle while maneuvering the strut assembly out through the wheel well. The upper ball joint remains attached to the knuckle at this point.
5. 5

   Separate upper ball joint from knuckle
   Remove the cotter pin from the upper ball joint castle nut using cotter pin pliers. Remove the upper ball joint nut completely. Use a ball joint separator tool or pickle fork to separate the upper ball joint taper from the steering knuckle. Strike the tool firmly to break the taper seal.
   ⚠Pickle fork tools will damage the ball joint boot. Only use if replacing the ball joint.
6. 6

   Disconnect lower ball joint from knuckle
   Remove the cotter pin from the lower ball joint castle nut. Remove the lower ball joint nut. Use a ball joint separator or pickle fork to separate the lower ball joint stud from the steering knuckle. The knuckle is now free from both ball joints.
7. 7

   Remove lower control arm
   Support the lower control arm with a floor jack. Remove the two bolts securing the lower control arm to the front subframe. These are the control arm pivot bolts at the inner mounting points. Carefully lower the control arm and remove it from the vehicle.
   ℹ️Mark or photograph the control arm orientation and bolt positions for correct reassembly.
8. 8

   Press out old lower ball joint
   Secure the lower control arm in a hydraulic press or use a ball joint press kit. Position the control arm so the ball joint can be pressed downward out of the control arm bore. Apply steady pressure to press the old ball joint out. Clean the bore thoroughly with a wire brush after removal.
9. 9

   Press in new lower ball joint
   Position the new lower ball joint into the control arm bore, ensuring proper alignment with the ball stud pointing in the correct direction. Use the hydraulic press or ball joint press kit to press the new ball joint into the control arm until it is fully seated. The ball joint should be flush with the control arm surface.
   ⚠Ensure the ball joint is perfectly aligned in the bore before pressing. Misalignment will damage the control arm or ball joint.
10. 10

    Press out old upper ball joint from knuckle
    The upper ball joint is pressed into the steering knuckle on this vehicle. Secure the knuckle in a press with proper support fixtures. Press the old upper ball joint out of the knuckle bore. Clean the knuckle bore thoroughly after removal.
11. 11

    Press in new upper ball joint
    Position the new upper ball joint into the steering knuckle bore with correct orientation. Use the press to install the new upper ball joint until fully seated in the knuckle. Verify the ball joint is flush and properly seated.
12. 12

    Reinstall lower control arm to subframe
    Position the lower control arm back into the subframe mounting points. Install the control arm bolts but DO NOT fully torque at this time. Thread the bolts in enough to hold the control arm securely in position. Final torque will be performed with vehicle weight on the suspension.
13. 13

    Connect lower ball joint to knuckle
    Guide the steering knuckle onto the lower ball joint stud. Install the lower ball joint castle nut and tighten to specification. Align the castle nut slots with the ball stud hole and install a new cotter pin. Bend the cotter pin ends to secure.
    Torque spec

    Ball Joint Nut84 Nm (62 lb-ft)
14. 14

    Connect upper ball joint to knuckle
    Position the upper ball joint stud into the upper knuckle opening. Install the upper ball joint castle nut and torque to specification. Install a new cotter pin through the castle nut and ball stud, bending the ends to secure.
    Torque spec

    Ball Joint Nut84 Nm (62 lb-ft)
15. 15

    Reinstall strut assembly
    Guide the strut assembly back into position, inserting the lower strut into the steering knuckle pinch joint. Align the upper strut mount with the strut tower holes. Install the three strut tower nuts and torque to specification. Install a NEW strut pinch bolt and torque to specification.
    Torque spec

    Strut Tower Nuts50 Nm (37 lb-ft)

    Pinch Bolt58 Nm (43 lb-ft)
16. 16

    Reconnect sway bar link
    Attach the sway bar link to the strut. Hold the ball stud shaft with an Allen key and install the nut. Torque the sway bar link nut to specification while holding the shaft.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link Nuts55 Nm (41 lb-ft)
17. 17

    Install wheels and perform initial lowering
    Install both front wheels and thread lug nuts by hand. Lower the vehicle until the tires just contact the ground but vehicle weight is still primarily on jack stands. Torque wheel lug nuts to specification in a star pattern.
    Torque spec

    Wheel Lug Nuts129 Nm (95 lb-ft)
18. 18

    Final torque control arm bolts with vehicle weight on suspension
    Fully lower the vehicle to the ground so full weight is on the suspension. This loads the control arm bushings in their normal operating position. Torque the lower control arm bolts to final specification with vehicle weight on wheels.
    ⚠Control arm bolts MUST be torqued with vehicle weight on suspension to prevent premature bushing failure.
    Torque spec

    Control Arm Bolts165 Nm (122 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Repeat the entire procedure for the opposite side of the vehicle
2. Verify all fasteners are torqued to specification
3. Verify all cotter pins are properly installed and secured
4. Double-check that control arm bolts were torqued with vehicle weight on suspension

Verification

• Test drive vehicle at low speed and verify no unusual noises or vibrations from front suspension
• Perform visual inspection of all installed components for proper seating and torque
• Schedule front end alignment immediately after this repair - alignment is mandatory after ball joint replacement
• Verify steering response is normal with no binding or looseness
• Recheck all torque specifications after 50-100 miles of driving

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