Control Arm Replacement

Overview

This guide walks you through replacing the control arm on your Porsche 944 with its 16v engine. The control arm connects the front suspension to the chassis and includes a ball joint that can wear out over time. Replacing it is important to maintain smooth handling and eliminate knocking sounds or play in the suspension. Since the 944 uses aluminum control arms with non-replaceable ball joints, you’ll need to swap out the entire arm if the ball joint fails.

Pink and blue text represents links to additional resources, tools, parts, and partner websites.

Tools Required

• Metric socket set
• Metric wrench set
• Torque wrench
• Rubber hammer
• Jack and jack stands
• Block of wood (for use with jack)
• Brightly colored marker (e.g., nail polish) for marking

Parts Required

• Control arm (aluminum, for Porsche 944 S2) – 944 341 027 06 (left) or 944 341 028 06 (right)
• Lock nuts (for ball joint and eccentric bolt) – 999 084 052 02
• Bolts and nuts (for control arm to cross-member and eccentric bushing, if replacing) – check Porsche 944 S2 specs
• Eccentric bolt bushing (optional, if replacing) – 944 341 243 01

Required Additional Procedures

Steps in these procedures are required to complete this process:

• Front Sway Bar Removal

Step-by-Step Procedure

Step 1: Prepare the Vehicle

1. Lift the front of your Porsche 944 and secure it on jack stands.
2. Remove the front wheels.
3. Take off the skid pans under the car to access the suspension components.

Step 2: Remove the Sway Bar

4. Disconnect the front sway bar from the body and the control arm, then remove it from the car. Follow this link to ensure this step – Front Sway Bar Removal – is followed accurately.

Step 3: Disconnect the Control Arm

5. Locate the eccentric bolt at the rear of the control arm (where it attaches to the body). Mark its orientation with a brightly colored marker so you can align the new arm correctly later.
6. Remove the nut and bolt connecting the spindle to the ball joint on the control arm.
7. If replacing the eccentric bolt bushing, remove the rear lock nut securing the eccentric bolt to the bushing.
8. Remove the front lock nut on the eccentric bolt.
9. Undo the two bolts attaching the eccentric bolt bushing to the body.
10. Remove the bolt and nut securing the front of the control arm to the cross-member.

Step 4: Remove the Old Control Arm

11. Use a rubber hammer to tap the top of the control arm near the ball joint. This frees it from the spindle.
12. Pull the control arm out of the car.

Step 5: Prepare the New Control Arm

13. If you removed the eccentric bolt assembly, transfer the orientation mark from the old control arm to the new one.
14. Attach the eccentric bolt to the new control arm, aligning it with the mark. Tighten the lock nut to 100 Nm (74 ft-lbs).

Step 6: Install the New Control Arm

15. Position the new control arm in the car and install the bolt securing it to the cross-member, but don’t tighten it yet.
16. Slide the eccentric bushing onto the eccentric bolt. Secure it to the body with the two bolts and loosely install the rear lock nut.
17. Fit the ball joint shaft into the spindle, ensuring it’s fully seated.
18. Install the bolt and lock nut connecting the ball joint to the spindle. Tighten to 50 Nm (37 ft-lbs).

Step 7: Torque Everything Down

19. Place a jack with a block of wood under the ball joint. Raise it until it just supports the car’s weight.
20. Tighten the control arm bolts as follows:

Control arm to cross-member: 65 Nm (48 ft-lbs)
Eccentric bolt assembly to body: 46 Nm (34 ft-lbs)

21. Lower and remove the jack.

Step 8: Reinstall the Sway Bar and Wheels

22. Reattach the front sway bar to the body and control arm. Tighten the sway bar-to-body bolts (8mm) to 23 Nm (17 ft-lbs) and the sway bar-to-control arm bolts to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).
23. Install the front wheels.

Post Procedure Checklist

• Double-check all bolts are torqued to the correct specs.
• Inspect the ball joint and control arm for any play or looseness.
• Take the car for a short test drive (about 5 miles (8 km)) and listen for knocking sounds in the suspension.
• After the test drive, recheck all connections for tightness.

Sources

• Clark’s Garage
• Pelican Parts
• Porsche 944 Workshop Manual, Volume 1
• Youtube