Front Lower Control Arms

[carbob]

Many thanks for the detailed photos and advice. And I learned to remove the ride height sensor plug. I wonder if the issue with the ride height arm is one of relative position rather than absolute, the combination of spring/strut wear, headlight adjustment, even tire pressure may allow an older SAV to have a different orientation from a new one? Could that be why some have not had any issues with the arm in different position?

Received the parts yesterday and going to (try) to install next week. Thanks for the helpful reassurance with removal of the ball joint side. I’m trying to plan in my mind how to handle torquing the ball joint side, was thinking I could support the brake disc or knuckle with a jack by measuring the distance from the disc to the wheel well and replicating that with the jack to simulate normal stance, now I’m concerned by the comment of this being dangerous. Seems like there probably is room to use the torque wrench with wheel on the ground.

Last point, I’m doing this because the dealer demonstrated play (on a video) in the left control arm while repairing something else. I think steering feels normal but the only thing I notice is I do feel a “thud” at the end of the driveway which has a slope at the end. Is that consistent with the symptoms andrewwynn described and am I doing this for the right reasons?