1998-2010 Ford Focus Control Arm Replacement 

I think only very early Focuses used torque-to-yield bolts on the control arms. Official Ford Factory Service Manuals for the 07 (Last of the first Gens.) and 08 (first of the second gens) only list plain torque numbers, no angle specs.

Ok this is one great installation video, thank you so much for doing such a thorough job. I have planned on installing complete new front end on my 2000 Focus that from what I think is all original. Since I'm getting sound from my c/v joint anyways, I figure time to do it all to match the slotted drilled rotors I put on lol Better to drive safe rather than worry something might go wrong.

Great job! I appreciate all the details and camera angles. Thank you so much. Keep up the good work!

Love the commentary. Hahaha. On a serious note, very thorough. Gonna replace mine after finding the ball joints were getting pretty loose when I did my wheel bearing.

Welcome back ladies 😉

Just about to do this on my Focus. Vid is a great help!

DUDE! seriously, best video on youtube for this job. No bullshit.

Same show on my '02 Focus, thanks for your work and sharing!

really thorough. great vid

Shouldn't the bushes be tightened with the suspension arm in the normal kerb position? This is the make sure the bushes are not pre-torqued....

Hey I got a dewalt 165 psi 6 gal pancake air compressor. Will it make a impact wrench work like the one you have

I just finished doing both sides on my SVT. This video helped me alot, but I couldn't get the ball joint all the way out without removing the rest of the control arm (just a heads up). It went pretty smoothly other than that, and breaking a 21mm socket. I wish I had an impact gun.

interesting! the torque angle gauge I'm new to this gauge. Could someone give some more info on this process

excellent job.thank you for posting this

Nice to see your using good parts and I have to check out that Kroil lube. 👍

I was looking for how to do the job simply and I found, ...a big thank you very good video well explained , 👍

good gemacht Alter...Danke

My son managed to break one of his... not sure what else we're going to find, but this video is going to get us started thanks!

good job man , you made this look easy lol

Folks can anyone help me... the ball joint won't seat properly on either side! I've jacked up for pressure, even lowered the car with wheel back on. No matter what I try it seems to go in cockeyed, maybe because the pinch opening seems to be at a different angle(it doesn't point straight down) . Any ideas would be great.

Is the angle gauge to set alignment? Is alignment a factor at all when installing these control arms?

Do you recommend compressing the spring to get the knuckle up higher so the ball joint can go in?

Shouldn't you have jacked the arms up to their normal running position before tightening the bolts so there's no strain on the bushes.

Great stuff. One question what size compressor do you have for your shop

How long would it take for this fix?

I don't understand the use of torque angle gauge @7:30, for the rear inner nut? I've seen a few mechanics not use these for this job. Can you please explain this choice?

Hey tell me what my car should be doing, in order to need to replace lower control arm

Thanks . I know you're the real deal because you use kroil, the oil that creeps! Best of the best. Anyone thats going to tackle an old rusty job, spritz the bolts the day before a couple times. Doesnt take much. Driving the vehicle vibrates that shit right into the threads. Blaster is nowhere near the same. Nice to have around for good soakings, but kroil....no comparison. Im gonna go do that control arm. Thanks, from a carpenter! Lol. Looks easy enough.

Nice video,Haynes and ford say you need to use new bolts,especially the front bolt which is a stretch bolt,does this really matter ?

You from up North, aint ya? I really appreciate the help bro! Thanks!!

Hey man I'm having a hard time trying to find a way to do this crap and you're over here joking around making light of the situation will I just want to let you know that I appreciate it because I'm having a hard time and you're making me bust up laughing forgetting about the you know

Well thank you for showing me this I have change the sway bars on my vehicle in the inner outer Tyrod and I am getting all of this squeaky noise so now I'm going to change the control arms maybe that will help cuz when you drive the car and you hit a bump it has mad squeaking sound thank you

Good video, but I think you need to center the control arm before you tighten it down. When you popped the ball joint the control arm jumped up with a lot of force. When you put it back together you used a jack to push the ball joint up to the steering knuckle. The travel of the bushings is limited in each direction once locked down. The steering knuckle was still attached to the strut and only moved towards the center. The sway bar links will break with the extra downward movement and start rattling and knocking or even pop out on the original ball joint from the link. I have done the fronts 4 times and put eibach springs on to lower it a couple of inches. The cornering is way better now. For better control of the control arm wrap a chain around the arm by ball joint and bolt it together. After removing the bolt slide a long crow bar through the chain and wedge against sub frame and step on it with force. Ball joint pops right out of the steering knuckle.

Ok, 15 MM on one side.. but what size Torx bit on the other side? 50 Torx or 55 Torx? Thanks.

I wanna know where i can get Urethane bushings to put in these for my 2008 North American Ford Focus Sedan i got 8 years and 53,000 kilometres out of the original ones.

Hey what do you think about moog suspension parts?

What about preloading the bushings?

Awesome 👌

Awesome

I don't own an air hammer, any other way to get that first bolt out??

I got the bolt out holding the ball joint and the steering knuckle. But when trying to pop the ball joint out I'm having a hard time. I've tried using a pickle fork, used the screw driver method but still nothing. Now the rubber is all messed up any ideas?

Hey man I really need some help, the bolt that goes through the knuckle that holds the balljoint just wont budge, the hex that I put has been damaged to the point where its as flat as a penny after a solid hour of hammering. Should I just drill it out through the Torx head?

Ditto all other Great commenters. Great video!!

Great video, about to do this job so thanks very much! A few questions, if you don't mind, on where you've differed on other tutorials I've read/watched: 1. Why use anti-seize instead of threadlocker on the LCA bolts connecting to the subframe? 2. Is the ball joint on the Moog LCA you bought greasable, and did you add grease? 3. I noticed you torqued/tightened the LCA bolts to the subframe prior to jacking up LCA for torquing the pinch bolt, instead of jacking up the LCA before all tightening...does it matter for the LCA bolts whether you jack the LCA beforehand? Thanks again.

Nice video. I'm unfamiliar with that angle gauge

What made you reinstall the rearward bolts upside down? Any particular reason?

Y'all cooo n funny luv it👍🏽🤣😎

It's not a advisable to reuse stretch bolts. Retorquing can stretch the bolt beyond its limit, increasing the chance of failure. The Ford Focus workshop manuals states all nuts and bolts on the lower suspension should be renewed. Sorry.

Is the balljoint stud held in place by (clamping) friction?

hi klowny,I don't own a torque wrench or air tools,why do these bolts have such a high setting ? Will tightenng them as much as possible by hand be good enough ? I can't imagine them working loose,thanks

Is it ok to just replace the bushing if that is the problem or replace the whole arm?

I did this on my 2005 , I got the control arm off , I put the new one in bolted it all together but I cant get the ball joint in the hole, nomatter what way I turn the wheel or how much I torque on it , it's about an inch away from the hole and cant get it close enough to go in..its really pissing me off

How do I correctly place new bushings on the control arm?

I don't know about other models, but if you are changing the left front on a 2003 with an automatic you might want to get a transmission filter and replace it at the same time. I had to drop the transmission pan to get the front bolt out.

do you know a lot about 65 chevy impalas?

Anyone notice that he put the bolts & nuts back onto the car backwards????

What is with gloves the in these videos????

Good sense of humor I enjoy it haha And the tutorial very helpful Tx 🙏

From watching, it seems I can't get out the ball joint without a fork... Is that right?

You nasty and I love it. Lol

Just replaced my drivers side lower control arm and now my alightment is waaaaay off. Anyone know why?

Hey kewl info. Thanks for that. But please. Please. Just be creepier. 👍🏻

I can't get that fuckin' ball joint to stay in there. By "all the way in" Does that mean i line up the bolt hole with the grove of the ball joint, or do i literally shove the whole ball joint assembly up into the spindle?

U did not jack up at ball joint end to ride high level and torque up bolt at front bracket near transmission to 85 ' lbs.

No need for thread locker on those bolts,just makes for a headache when the cheapo control arm goes bad.Threadlocker in general is way over used,especially on brake caliper bolts. Tighten the bolts ,all you need to do

That is only applicable to Mk 1/1.5 Focus, not from 2005, mk 2, on

It sounds scary when you say lower control arm, but once you see it done and you show that bitch who is in control, it is really easy. Expect for the trox and ball joint tool, I have every tool I need. I have a cordless DEWALT Impact Wrench that should be able to do the job (up to 300 foot pound of torque). So thanks for the guide, looks like a Saturday afternoon job, a six pack and maybe a couple of hours after that...

man, working on mk1 focus are such pain

Funny how our stuff in the UK is not 'NASCAR' spec. lol

Add some rust inhibitors to the cradle

kind of jealous lol, i have a 2001 zx3 and the back 2 of the drivers side lower control arm bolts are seized so badly that a 3/4 drive snap on pneumatic impact cant budge them...the worst part is that they aren't tightened all the way and heating them up doesn't help....not looking forward to cutting them out

Such a oain if you dont have air tools.

Did you say beach?

I bought and installed a moog control arm for my focus. One year down the road the ball joint is loose and the arm needs replacing, again. Most Moog products are made in China now and the stuff is complete garbage.

Tighten it 2 specs for peace of mind 😌

Lube works wonders dont it Daddy.

Like a woman in a skirt: Easy access... Really? So professional

Bro how u gonna tease us with the camera girl like that? You'd get more views if you used her as eye candy...just saying 🤣

Red thread locker? Lol uh no. Anyone who sees this comment, if you want to use thread locker at all(it's not necessary for this application), use the blue kind.

Wow really im a female mechanic and i dont appreciate the comment "like a womans shirt u want easy access"would have been a helpful,funny video but just like a man to talk and ruin what could have been an educational video just please dont forget in this day and time we need to speak and treat everyone(men and women with common respect)i know its meant to be harmless and funny but its just so ignorant and we are as a society so far beyond sexist comments like this lol KEEP IT CLASSY IM SURE YOUR DAUGHTER-MOTHER-OR SISTER WOULD FEEL THE SAME GOD BLESS😍😍😍😍😍

Maybe don’t speak during your videos? It’s like automotive maintenance as taught by Tony Manero.