How to Change a Control Arm for a 2002 Dodge Neon

The 2002 Dodge Neon base model came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The lower control arm on your Neon serves as the connecting link between the sub-frame and the steering knuckle. In general, your control arms will only need to be replaced in the event of accidental damage or excessive corrosion. When replacing the lower control arm, the ball joint will also have to be replaced; however, all after market suppliers offer new control arms for your Neon with a new ball joint pre-installed. Once your lower control arm has been replaced, you will need to have a front-end alignment performed at a licensed repair facility.

Instructions

Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the parking brake. Loosen the lug nuts on both front wheels with a lug wrench. Lift the front of the vehicle into the air with the floor jack and place jack stands under the front sub-frame rails; do not obstruct either control arm or the stabilizer bar. Lower the vehicle until it rests securely on the jack stands.

Remove the lug nuts from the front wheels. Remove the wheels and set them aside. Examine the middle of the lower control arms to locate where the stabilizer bar links connect. Disconnect the stabilizer links by placing a wrench on the stabilizer link lock nut and rotating the nut counterclockwise. Remove the rubber bushings, lock nut and bolt and lay them out as they were removed to aid in assembly later.

Follow the stabilizer bar to both mounting points on the sub-frame rails. Loosen, but do not remove the stabilizer bar mounting bracket bolts. Rotate the stabilizer bar downward. Disconnect the lower ball joint by holding the bolt steady with a box-end wrench and removing the nut with a socket and ratchet.

Place a pry bar between the ball joint boss and the lower control arm. Pry downward on the control arm and upward on the ball joint boss to separate the ball joint from the steering knuckle. If you are replacing the driver side control arm skip to step 6, follow the next step for the passenger side control arm.

Pry up on the center pin for all of the splash shield fasteners with a flat-head screwdriver. Remove the splash shield retainers and the splash shield from under the vehicle. Locate the pencil strut that supports the engine torque mount to the body and remove the securing nuts. Remove the pencil strut and the lower washer. Remove the bolts securing the torque mount to the engine and cross member with a socket and ratchet.

Remove the front control arm bolt with a socket and ratchet. Support the lower control arm by hand and remove the rear control arm mounting bolt. Lower the control arm from the vehicle chassis and remove it from the vehicle.

Clean all of the chassis bolts removed during this process with a wire brush and replace them if any of the bolt threads appear to be damaged.

Lift the new lower control arm into position and install the front and rear mounting bolts hand tight; make sure there is no weight distributed on the control arm. Tighten the rear control arm mounting bolt to 185 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Tighten the front control arm bolt to 125 foot-pounds.

Pry down ward on the new lower control arm and guide the lower ball joint stud into the steering knuckle; the notch in the ball joint stud should line up with the hole in the ball joint boss. Install a new ball joint pinch bolt through the ball joint boss and stud. Install a new pinch bolt nut and tighten to 70 foot-pounds while holding the pinch bolt steady with a wrench. Skip to step 4 if replacing the driver side control arm.

Coat the threads of the engine torque mount with Mopar thread sealant. Lift the engine torque strut into position and install the mounting bolts; the studded bolt will mount closest to the engine. Tighten the torque strut mounting bolts 45 foot-pounds. Place the mounting washer on the torque mount stud. Set the pencil strut into position on the body stud and torque mount stud. Install the mounting nuts and tighten to 38 foot-pounds. Position the splash guard in its original position and install the center push pins. Push the center pins until they are flush with the push pin base.

Rotate the stabilizer bar to its normal mounting position. Tighten the stabilizer to sub-frame mounting bracket bolts snug with a socket and ratchet. Install the lower link bushing onto link bolt and slide it through the bottom of the stabilizer bar. Slide the inner link bushing over the bolt and then push the bolt through the lower control arm. Install the upper link bushing, followed by a new stabilizer bar link lock nut. Tighten the new link nut hand tight. Repeat this step for the opposite stabilizer bar link.

Tighten the stabilizer bar bracket to sub-frame bolts to 18 foot-pounds. Install the front wheels to the vehicle and install the lug nuts hand tight. Lift the front of the vehicle off the jack stands and remove the jack stands from under the vehicle. Lower the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the sway bar link bolt on each side of the vehicle to 22 foot-pounds while holding the lock nut with a wrench. Tighten the lug nuts to 100 foot-pounds in a criss-cross pattern.

Drive the vehicle to a local repair shop and have the front end alignment checked and adjusted as necessary.