Front driver lower control arm

KATLUNSFORD

MEMBER
2007 GMC SIERRA
5.3L
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
240,000 MILES

Truck was making squealing noises backing out of the driveway this morning. Time I arrived at work the noise was horribly worse.

Started going over the truck and when I looked underneath, one of the bolts holding the front lower control arm was backed out at least 2 inches.

What could/can possibly cause this?

Do I replace the entire lower control arm and the bolts, or is it possible to just replace the bolts?

1 Reply

MASTERWRENCH

MECHANIC
258 POSTS

Hello.

It's hard to say why the bolt may have come loose. It's possible it wasn't torqued properly during a previous repair. It's also possible the bolt may have stretched over time causing the nut to back off. At this point, I would recommend replacing both of the bolts and the nuts. There should not be any reason to replace the entire control arm. While you have it apart, inspect the bushings closely to make sure they're not worn as well.

Let me know if you have any more questions!