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Autopapyrus · Hyundai Santa Fe (3rd generation, DM)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/hyundai/santa-fe/rear-suspension-arm-and-bushing-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Hyundai Santa Fe (3rd generation, DM): Rear Suspension Arm and Bushing Replacement

The exact step-by-step procedure and torque specifications for the D4HB version of the DM are not documented in open sources, so what follows is the general principle for a multi-link rear suspension, adapted to the Santa Fe DM design. It is easier to replace the arms as complete assemblies than to press out the old bushings. Tighten the load-bearing bolts only with the suspension under load.

Difficulty: Hard Time: 3-6 hours per side (allowing for seized bolts and pressing) Steps: 12 Tools: Lift or pit with body supports, jack, jack stands, 17-24 mm sockets and wrenches, torque wrench, ball joint and control arm puller, press or bushing removal/installation kit, penetrating oil, pry bar, heat gun or torch (use caution: rubber and fuel lines nearby)

Part

  • 🔩 The DM rear suspension is multi-link. It includes an upper lateral arm, a lower lateral arm (and a trailing arm/link), the bushings of these arms, and the rear subframe bushings. The exact list depends on what is worn. Complete arms with pre-installed bushings (OE or aftermarket from well-known manufacturers) are usually sold separately from individual bushings. The arm assembly and the individual bushing have different part numbers, so when buying, check which arm (upper, lower or trailing) you need and for which side
There's a full repair manual for this car Every system, wiring diagrams and torque specs — not just this job. Haynes and 6 more. See manuals →

Step by step

12 steps
  1. Determine which arm is worn. Lift the rear axle, shake the wheel, and check the bushings with a pry bar. Signs: cracks and extruded rubber, play, knocking over bumps, wheel misalignment, uneven tire wear.
  2. Put the car on a lift or jack stands and remove the wheel. Generously apply penetrating oil to all threaded connections of the arms and let it soak.
  3. Photograph the position of the arms and of the camber and toe adjustment eccentrics (if your version has them). Mark the bolts and washers with paint so you can approximately restore the alignment after reassembly.
  4. Support the arm or the hub assembly with a jack so it doesn't drop when you remove the fasteners. Don't mix up arms of different shape and length during disassembly (upper, lower, trailing).
  5. Remove the nuts and drive out the bolts securing the arm to the subframe (rear crossmember) and to the knuckle/hub. If a bolt is seized, heat the sleeve and drive it out with a drift. Don't damage the threads.
  6. Remove the arm. If a stabilizer bar or sensor links (body position sensor, ABS) are in the way, carefully move them aside without stretching the wiring.
  7. Compare the old and new arms: length, bend, hole locations and bushing positions must match.
  8. If you are replacing only the bushing: press out the old one with a press or a drift of suitable diameter, clean the seat of rust, lubricate the new bushing (with silicone grease or soapy water, not petroleum-based oil), and press it in straight along the axis and all the way in, the same way the old one sat.
  9. Install the new arm and the bolts by hand. Perform the final tightening of the bolts only after the car is lowered onto its wheels (suspension under load), so you don't twist the bushing rubber. The tightening torque for the arm bolts on the DM generally falls in the range of roughly 100-180 N·m (74-133 lb-ft), depending on the joint. Take the exact values for each fastener from the manufacturer's service manual. Do not tighten with the suspension hanging.
  10. Install the wheel and tighten the nuts in a crisscross pattern. For the DM, the wheel nut torque is generally 110-130 N·m (81-96 lb-ft). Recheck the torque after 50-100 km.
  11. If you removed the adjustment eccentrics, have a wheel alignment done on an alignment rack. This is mandatory after replacing the arms: without adjustment you will get tire wear and pulling.
  12. Test drive: check for the absence of knocking, vibration and pulling. After a few hundred kilometers, inspect the fasteners again.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • The suspension directly affects handling and safety. Work only on stable jack stands, never under a jack alone. If you lack experience, a press or the necessary tooling, leave bushing pressing and tightening to a professional shop. Replace the arms in pairs on both sides if wear is significant, and always have the alignment done after replacement.
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