Front track control arm and balljoint - removal and refitting

Suspension and steering / Front track control arm and balljoint - removal and refitting

Removal
1 Jack up the front of the car and support on axle stands (see “Jacking and vehicle support”). Apply the handbrake and remove the roadwheel.

2 Unscrew the clamp bolt securing the control arm balljoint to the strut. Press the control arm down from the strut. Note that the bolt head faces forward.

3 Unscrew the nut and remove the bolt from the inner end of the control arm. Note that the bolt head faces forward, and also mark its position on the bracket.

4 Press the control arm down from the bracket, then unscrew the nut from the end of the anti-roll bar and pull off the control arm.

5 If the balljoint is worn excessively, renew the complete control arm. Check the condition of the bushes and if necessary press them out using a metal tube, nut and bolt, and washers. Fit the new bushes using the same method, but first dip them in soapy water. Note: On G40 models the inner end of the track control arm is attached to the underbody by a fully enclosed ball joint which cannot be renewed separately.

Refitting
6 Refitting is a reversal of removal, but delay fully tightening the inner pivot bolt and the anti-roll bar nut until the full weight of the car is on the roadwheels. Note that where camber angle adjustment has been made, the bolt hole in the bracket may have been elongated and in this case it is imperative that the special bush and bolt are refitted in their original position otherwise the adjustment will have to be repeated.