How to Replace Front Lower Control Arm 00-04 Ford Focus

[@1AAuto]

√ *Watch the Video* √ *Buy The Part at 1A Auto* 1aau.to/m/Visit-1AAuto √ *Do it Yourself* √ *Save Money*

[@Dre88116]

Tighten the lower arm forward bolt to 215 Nm (159 lb-ft). Tighten the lower arm inboard bracket nut to 160 Nm (118 lb-ft). Tighten the lower arm outboard bracket nut to 103 Nm (76 lb-ft).

[@joehyundaitech7961]

breaker bar is one of the many best tool inventions ever

[@johncooper7242]

what an excellent tutorial.... Clear ,concise and informative instruction with superb video. I now have 100% confidence in tackling this job today knowing exactly what to expect, so I have no anxiety or doubt about my ability to complete the job. Thank you

[@1AAuto]

+John Cooper Thank you for the great reply. We love to empower our customers by showing you how-to perform your own auto repairs while installing our high quality auto parts. Have a great day! 1aauto.com

[@d.j.9961]

Using a lift makes the job SO MCH EASIER!

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

One of the best video tutorials I've seen. Good, clear video and audio. Thanks.

[@zigman1976]

Excellent vid. The knuckle was missing the dust cover over the axle nut. Don’t forget(viewers) to buy or replace it and add rtv sealant to protect the hub bearing from water!!

[@supra6t9]

Wow cannot believe I got the stripped pinch bolt out almost effortlessly. My car is clean but a bad design is a bad design so I was weary going into this. I didn’t drill out the siezed bolt head or even cut it, get yourself an impact nut and bolt extractor socket set, I hammered on the correct size socket to the stripped t50 head, it bites into it so well, then I applied some blue torch heat to the area where the bolt sits, basically in between that slit, and went to town on cracking it loose and she came!

[@stevendurbin7562]

These guys always show good instruction.

[@J4C08G4M3R]

Excellent tutorial surprised didn't use balljoint separator

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

No need to if a few whacks with a hammer gets it off.

[@huntor52]

At time 6:03 you were using a torx 50 to remove the bottom bolt. I'm having the same issue. I removed the nut on the right side of the torx bolt, but the bolt is seized in there and, I'm afraid to put the nut back on the right side and smack it with the hammer because I don't want to ruin the threads.

[@joehyundaitech7961]

1 an auto there a real money saver and have the best quality how to videos on youtube hands downI have the same car but in the wagon model with the 2.3 grate video instruction . andy is one of my favorites to watch

[@IvanHernandez-vo4jx]

Thank you much for taking the time to explain every detail

[@1AAuto]

+Ivan Hernandez Thanks for the feedback!

[@ianhill4585]

What does the metal shim over the ball joint actually do? I nearly left it off by mistake. Can anybody enlighten me?

[@joannmartinez8264]

Thanks for taking your time to do video! They help!

[@joehyundaitech7961]

ford says when reusing the same hardware use blue locktite first clean them with parts cleaner and use maybe a small wire bush to make sure the threads are clean.

[@damianalaniz9458]

What’s the thing above the control arm with the rubber on it called ? Connected to the brakes

[@KDog410]

Rip your alignment @7:08 just look at the thing spin

[@qualityrenov]

great job. thank you for posting this, and more importantly, thank you for mentioning that one would need an alignment job, after this replacement. few tutorials on youtube mention that. top notch job, however, i would have tried to buy a control arm with a greasable ball joint fitting.

[@flycorvus]

Greasable ball joint? Where do you live? In 19th century? There're disposable ball joints on the market, only. Shame on us.

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

You wouldn't need to have wheels aligned after this job. There are no adjustable parts. Edit: actually @ 07:12 you can see he has removed the steering end (track rod end) and when he is hammering the arm the track rod end securing nut is spinning on the thread. So yes his tracking is now out of alignment. He didn't mention or show us that he disconnected the track rod end. I would have replaced both sides but not absolutely necessary.

[@Doritos-7]

Are this control arms reversed thread?

[@BarkinMADDOX]

I dont have 1 jack let alone 2 :( can I flip the car on its back to do this?

[@Godisgr8always]

Symptoms? Anyone? Recently replaced sway bar links. Fixed some of the noise but now I’m still hearing a clunk every once in a while not 100% sure where it’s coming from

[@philiprowney]

Thanks for the video, I find it ironic that your are 1A Auto as I used to use A1 Spares in the UK all the time. I have a pair to do today. I'm not used to odd numbered mil sizes, the French started with the 16mm now Ford use an 18mm. Most of my tools are all odd numbered going all the way back to the 70's!

[@brianriojas5188]

Where you can you get the pice of metal that is attached to the bottom of the control arm where the ball joint goes

[@jacksonsmith8464]

The same place 1a auto it’s called a wheel bearing hub assembly

[@stephaniechapmab1315]

Did everything to the t in the video.. went to move my car and the ball joint fell out and broke my cv axle..wow

[@tonyjcool5314]

Thanks , I Used you parts ,they work well .

[@robmyers2780]

Do you sell the torque wrench at 1a auto.com? Not sure if you said or not thanks

[@1AAuto]

+Rob Myers I have attached a link of the different torque wrenches we currently have available: www.1aauto.com/search?q=torque+wrench

[@skip741x3]

awesome clear vid brother! thankyou!

[@hectormartinet1095]

Very helpful thank 1 a auto like usual you guys are awesome

[@kkc3009]

Had bad ball joints and c. arms (1 o.e.m the other 1 a replaced aftermarket) along with worn everything else. Replaced it all except for the sway bushings and my 08 focus now sits high in the front like a 4x4 and rides harsh as a motherfluffer. 6" from wheel well to top of tire. Like it's so bad it feels like it's made of stone now. Or Like riding a race motorcycle with a welded shock on mars bad. I live on a super bumpy street ha. The tires dont look very negative cambered now though but I wish I hadn't replaced it all now because it's not even driveable it's so harsh. It used to just clunk over some bad bumps but the tires WERE visibly cambered a lot. It's sitting parked now until I redo it all again but I already checked every nut and bolt once and it all seemed correct and was tightened to spec plus 60°. Maybe I still bound or "wound up" the bushings in the control arms somehow although I did lift them by the ball joints close to ride height and torqued the nuts on balljoint, then back to front order on the control arms? Anyone have an idea what went wrong? Maybe because I haven't replaced any rear suspension parts yet? I can't drive like this and regret replacing the control arms with ball joints, struts and stab/sway links. I replaced a subframe and all the parts attached to it before on an 05 saturn ion, got the alignment and it was perfect but I'm very confused because before taking that car for the alignment the car was stable at 85mph on like new but used tires and my steering wheel was at a 12:30 position. I used a Detroit axle kit for this 08 focus and it all went together easy. I Didn't replace the tie rod ends because they were moog and not bad at all. Anyone have anything even if it comes with some ridicule?

[@waynesorensen7071]

when you tightened the control arm you have to have it at the right angle (like, where the original one was). look at the video at the 12 minute mark.

[@shawndully2487]

How is it that you have a lift but no impact?

[@fredflintstone3956]

1. Is there no need to compress the strut spring? 2. No grease or anti-sieze on bolts?

[@johncooper7242]

No there isn't ..the brake disc , hub and strut hang seperately from the wishbone and are not dismantled when replacing the wishbone

[@carlslabs5368]

nope and nope

[@joehyundaitech7961]

@@carlslabs5368 ford says blue lock thread on threads when reusing same hardware

[@davidarroyo1375]

That frame where you were removing all those bolts. Is that the crossmember or the subframe ? Mime is rusted and need to replace but I'm not sure what part to order

[@cdiazcetina]

It’s a subframe usually passenger front wheel drive cars have them after the 2000s

[@billn9n]

Do you really need to compress the spring my machanic says it Lowers the life span of the control arm bushings if you dont. Is he full of it?

[@5jjt]

Yes, it'll ruin a new bushing quickly.

[@mikehendrix6558]

Why didn't you use pneumatic tools????

[@joehyundaitech7961]

ford shop manual says 94 ft lbs on the wheel lug nuts

[@LiquidSSSnake]

94-95-98ft-lbs all the same, it's safe. I know too many people that like to use 3/8 ratchets and 4-ways to finalize torque on wheels.

[@LiquidSSSnake]

Did Ford revise the torque specs? You're doing everything at 85 ft-lbs, other stuff I've seen is different on every bolt, with "turn 60 degrees".

[@jaybrown196]

I noticed you didn't use any tread lock on the bolts. Why not?

[@stevendurbin7562]

They are lock nuts. He showed that on the first nut he took off. Lock nuts have kind of plastic at the outside end last couple of threads. As the threads are threaded onto the bolt locks it up.

[@llama2022]

Your list of tools doesn't include the 21mm wrench you used.

[@elver__galarga2559]

In Mexico we just pres out the bushings and pres in new ones, most people here can't really afford the complete control arm.

[@joehyundaitech7961]

spray all the hard ware way befor even starting this job and let it work its way in .I see this all day long techs spray and then go right to work. let it do its job sometimes it does not work right away . you have 14 years or sometimes more of rust on these nuts and boltsif I am changing out one on my personal focus wagon I spray it real good the day befor I do the job and maybe again that day as well I also use the best pent fluid atf mixt with acetone

[@1AAuto]

Thanks for checking us out. 1aauto.com +JOE FORD DIY

[@kathygarvin5745]

You are a golden god

[@joehyundaitech7961]

I use fluid film around the hub and a little on the rotor on my two fords

[@ralphflori4129]

I'm going bananas!

[@bythesea2784]

Surprise you having used copper grease Keep up the good video I hope you can do more on Ford Focus C Max

[@1AAuto]

+sant 2784 Thanks for checking us out! 1aau.to/m/Shop-1AAuto-c

[@JazzFunkNobby1964]

There is nowhere you use copper grease on this job.

[@whatthe363]

Id love to see a video on the 2012 and on models!!

[@1AAuto]

We currently do not have an auto repair video that covers this particular repair. We will keep this request in mind in the event that we need to make this repair in the future. 1aauto.com +CryptMSC

[@joehyundaitech7961]

if your doing this or any type of job like this at a private or dealership you woul dneed to use power tools because time is money and if your flate rate you would lose money if you diod not use power tools not to mention at 54 years old my shoulders would hate me at the end of the day. lets be realistic. I do understand that not everybody has power tools and this video is more for the home person . I started the same way doing this type of work with just hand tools but after a while switched to power your body can only take so much . I work in a 25 bay dealership with 24 other techs granted there not all in the building at the same time

[@1AAuto]

Thanks for checking us out. 1aauto.com +JOE FORD DIY

[@GKW76]

“Let’s be realistic.” Ok. Not everybody has access to a 40 gallon air compressor, air tools or a cordless impact. The video and instructions are very clear and concise. The tools used are proper. Also, of course if you’re working at a dealer “time is money” and you’d have power tools, and that makes sense if you’re doing this everyday. This video is made for those who don’t (average DIY’er).

[@waynesorensen7071]

@@GKW76 yeah $tdealers quotes for doing 1 car are equal to the time it takes them to do 3 cars so they make money hand over fist if all goes well.

[@googlegamer4047]

Do we really need to add the instructions on how to remove a tire?

[@scienceraven1200]

my garage guy looked at the ball joint and said "youll have to angle grind that" i dunno what he was on about.

[@1AAuto]

+ScienceRaven Thanks for checking us out!

[@tormentedart2778]

That's of you want to replace the ball joint only and keep the original control arm. On the factory control arm, the ball joint is riveted on rather than using nuts and bolts. So you'd have to grind the rivets off if all you want to is remove the ball joints

[@mattjones8755]

Here in 2022

[@davidsias5351]

Four words half inch battery impact