How to Replace Upper Control Arm 2000-06 Chevy Suburban 1500 (2024)

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Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out, and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.

In this video, we're going to show you how to replace an upper control arm on this 2002 Chevy Suburban. We show you on the passenger side, but the driver side has the same procedure. The items you'll need are a new upper control arm from 1AAuto.com, a 10mm, 21mm, and 22mm socket and ratchet, 18mm and 21mm wrench, a marker, a torque wrench, jack and jack stands, a grease gun, a hammer, and an air hammer depending on the condition of your vehicle. After completing this procedure you will need to get a professional alignment done.

Start out by removing the hubcap. You want to remove the lug nuts. If you don't have air powered tools, you'll want to do it while the vehicle is on the ground. Loosen them preliminarily, raise the vehicle, and remove the lug nuts the rest of the way. On these brackets, you'll see a tab coming through from the upper control arm. Mark where that tab is. Remove these two 10mm bolts. Next, remove this 18mm nut, and you can see Mike uses an 18mm wrench and another wrench for some extra leverage to break it free and then removes it the rest of the way with the 18mm wrench. Hit the wheel knuckle and control arm to break them free. Then remove the 21mm nuts on either side.

Jack up your wheel, and you want to do this underneath the wheel knuckle. Remove the upper control arm nut and then remove these bolts and the bracket that's on them. Our first one pulled out no problem, this one's a bit more difficult. We tried using a hammer, that doesn't work. We tried using a wrench to help break it free, but it's in there really good. If you have this same problem, we put a nut back on it and use an air hammer to knock it out. Now that those bolts are out, you want to remove the control arm up and down while pulling out and it'll pull free.

Take your new upper control arm and push it back into place. Then push the bolts in to hold it into place. You want to make sure that you have those brackets on either side and that they're lined up. Now, angle the control arm down into the wheel knuckle. Once it's pressed down into place replace that 18mm nut. We'll fast forward as Mike tightens all of those up. Replace and tighten up those two 10mm bolts. Using a grease gun put it into place on the end of your control arm and fill it up. Put the wheel back into place and then replace each wheel lug nut and tighten them up. You want to tighten them preliminarily, lower the vehicle, and then tighten them the rest of the way. Torque each lug nut in a crossing pattern to 100 foot-pounds. Replace the hubcap and tighten up those lug nut caps.

We hope this video helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.