Lower control arm front suspension — removal and installation (Opel Astra F)

Removal

Apply the handbrake, then jack up the front of the car and secure it on the stands under the axle.

Remove and disuse the nuts securing the end of the stabilizer bar to the lower arm.

Remove the cotter pin and unscrew the castle nut securing the ball joint of the suspension strut to the lower arm.

Using a ball joint separator, separate the strut ball joint from the lower control arm.

Loosen and remove the two bolts securing the lower arm to the subframe (fig. 10.10.). Note that the rear bolt also secures the subframe to the underbody. Both bolts are very tight, and will require a fairly long lever to loosen them.



Remove the lower arm from the subframe.

Installation

Please note that some models may have a damping weight attached to the right lower control arm. If the right lower control arm on such a model needs to be replaced, make sure that the weight is transferred to the new control arm.

Please note that the metal sleeves in the rear bushing may not be used during lower arm installation.

Place the lower arm in a specific position on the subframe.



Install the two pivot bolts, then hold the lower control arm horizontally and tighten the bolts to specification. Note that a new rear pivot bolt must be installed and it must be tightened to specification.

Install the ball joint of the suspension strut and lower arm and tighten the castle nut to specification. Insert a new cotter pin into the nut.

Attach the end of the anti-roll bar to the lower arm, making sure that the concave washers that press the rubber pads are installed with the concave edges facing the lower arm.

Install a new lower arm-to-stabilizer bar nut and tighten it to provide a certain amount of compression of the rubber bushing, as shown in Fig. 10.11. Replace the rubber bushings if necessary.



Install a new locknut onto the lower control arm-to-stabilizer bar connection and tighten it to the specified torque.

Install the running wheel and lower the vehicle to the ground.

After completing the work, check and, if necessary, adjust the front wheel alignment as indicated below.