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2015 W212 lower control arm replacement extremely difficult?
I replaced the front lower control arm on my w212. I used a ball joint separator on the old one and popped it out. I then unbolted the frame bushing and slid it out.
I put the new control arm in bushing first. I tightened the bolt while holding the control arm straight at a 90° angle. The new ball joint no longer lines up with the hole it goes in on the wheel hub. There isn't enough movement in the wheel hub to make the ball joint line up again.
After trying many different things I had to fasten a ratchet strap to the wheel hub using a lug nut, then around a fence post and pulled the whole wheel hub inwards. After putting a lot of tension on it, there was a loud bang and the ball joint suddenly lined up and I was able to drop it right into place.
This 1 hour job took me 8 hours because i couldnt figure out how to make it line up again. I now have to do the other side and am afraid this will happen again.
Does anyone know why it would pop out of place? I didn't jack up the wheel hub or do anything to it. Is there a proper way to get it back in position if it does go out of line?
Why would it bang and then suddenly be in alignment again? Does anyone know what went wrong?
Last edited by Black-w212; Apr 13, 2026 at 02:50 AM.
Is that supposed to happen? In the videos I watched this didn't happen at all.
If i put a jack under the wheel hub before i disconnected the control arm would it hold it in place?
The shaft is under no real tension to get out because the link you are replacing holds everything in place until removed ...
Keep the hub from hoing side ways so shaft is not pulled.
Beware with a jack under the hub you're dealing with strong spring compression. Instead use a helper or one hand or a knee to hold your loose hub in place.
The shaft is under no real tension to get out because the link you are replacing holds everything in place until removed ...
Keep the hub from hoing side ways so shaft is not pulled.
Beware with a jack under the hub you're dealing with strong spring compression. Instead use a helper or one hand or a knee to hold your loose hub in place.
So is it left and right movement that unseats the axle or does it just fall out of place when the control arm is removed?
I have to replace the CV axle on that side anyway so maybe I can just remove it before i mess with the control arm?
OP thank you for this thread. I have been contemplating replacing my lower control arms and hadn't considered the front axle coming loose.
Its worth it to replace them. I only did mine because of a clunk sound. After replacing it the ride quality is so much better and theres minimal road vibration. I didnt realize how much this part mattered for ride quality.
Dont turn the wheel after disconnecting the ball joint. Thats what made my CV axle come out.
I hope you tightened the suspension arm at ride height.....otherwise the bushing life will be short when and if it was tightened during full suspension droop.
On a happy note :
Glad the ride improved, it should.
It looks like I might have to do this job soon myself (I will update after my trip to the independent service garage next week). Glad you got your new control arms on! Besides this, did you encounter any other huge pains or troubles while doing the job? How did you know it was time to change the front lower control arm in particular?
It looks like I might have to do this job soon myself (I will update after my trip to the independent service garage next week). Glad you got your new control arms on! Besides this, did you encounter any other huge pains or troubles while doing the job? How did you know it was time to change the front lower control arm in particular?
- Andrew
At 130k Miles suspension work is awaiting for repairs. All the rubber bushings are soft & loose...
This is why vehicle tracks poorly with steering feeling imprecise + floating.
2+2 swaybar links
2+2 control arms
1+1 ball joints
camber balts
(tie rods: inner+outer)
wheel bearings freeplay !?!
2x (struts) + top bearings
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Apr 23, 2026 at 07:38 PM.
As noted above make sure the nut and bolt at the inner bushing side is tightened down in ready to drive position- car resting on its wheels.
With the strut and the torque strut still installed I cant imagine the cv axle coming out.
When I do front suspension work i'll use a spare scissor jack placed under the rotor either to hold it at a certain height or even raise it while gently pushing in or pulling out on the wheel carrier to align things.
It looks like I might have to do this job soon myself (I will update after my trip to the independent service garage next week). Glad you got your new control arms on! Besides this, did you encounter any other huge pains or troubles while doing the job? How did you know it was time to change the front lower control arm in particular?
- Andrew
I watched a video about someone explaining why the lower control arms were a bad design on this car and they were failing after 10k miles. My car was making a terrible clunking and grinding when turning sharp at low speeds. I couldn't see anything wrong with my control arm bushings but replaced 1 anyway. The clunk sound was gone on the side I replaced but could still be heard from the opposite side. I then replaced the other one and the sound was completely gone. The only damage I see on the bushing is dry rot on the rubber part.
I did mine with a floor jack in my driveway. It is just a ball joint and 1 big 21mm bolt. You need a long ratchet, 21mm wrench, and a ball joint separator from AutoZone. If you tighten the control arm at a 90 degree angle you don't need to torque at ride height. I put my car on ramps and torqued it at ride height anyway, but it is not required if you do it right.
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Besides this, did you encounter any other huge pains or troubles while doing the job? How did you know it was time to change the front lower control arm in particular?
