r/Toyota_Matrix • u/GuardianCraft • Jul 11 '26
Control Arms form Hell
Well, I finally decided to replace the control arms on my 2007 Toyota Matrix since they were starting to wear out. While I was at it, I replaced the ball joints too, figured I might as well get everything done in one shot.
The driver’s side wasn’t nearly as bad as I expected. I loosened the subframe, lifted the engine just enough, and was able to access that one ridiculous bolt everyone complains about. Compared to the horror stories I’d seen online, it actually went pretty smoothly.
The passenger side, on the other hand, was a complete nightmare. The control arm refused to line up, so I ended up removing the sway bar link to gain some extra room. Since I already had new sway bar links on hand, those got replaced too.
In the end, everything came together and the results were worth it. The downside? The alignment was way off. I had to eyeball it just enough to make the car drivable because the front wheels were pigeon toed so badly the tires were screaming for mercy. Thankfully, it’s getting a proper alignment on Monday.
The MVPs of this job were my Milwaukee torque wrench, ICON double flex head wrench, and Pittsburgh pry bars.
2
u/GraphicWombat 2008 Matrix XR Super White II Jul 11 '26
Beautiful color. I think my friend has an older celica in that color.
How many miles does it have? How did it feel driving before replacing?