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Autopapyrus · Kia Sportage (4th generation, QL)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/kia/sportage/rear-control-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.

Kia Sportage (4th generation, QL): Rear Control Arm and Bushing Replacement

The QL rear suspension is multi-link, so worn arms and bushings cause clunking and a "floating" rear end. They also throw off the alignment and speed up tire wear. The job requires a careful sequence: tighten the bolts with the suspension at ride height, and always get an alignment after the replacement. Exact torque specifications for this model are not confirmed in publicly available sources. The values below are guidelines only, so take the final values from the manufacturer's service manual.

Difficulty: Hard Time: 3-5 hours (one side), plus a wheel alignment Steps: 11 Tools: Lift or jack with jack stands, 14-24 mm sockets and wrenches, torque wrench, pry bar, bushing puller or press, penetrating oil, marker or paint for alignment marks, second jack to support the subframe or hub

Part

  • 🔩 Rear lateral arms (lower and upper), trailing arm, and camber arm assembly (the set depends on which arm is worn). Bushings for the arms are also sold separately. If the arm is sold complete with bushings, replacing the whole arm is more cost-effective than pressing out a bushing. Use new mounting bolts and nuts, preferably OE. Check the part numbers for your trim level against your VIN with the parts supplier
There's a full repair manual for this car Every system, wiring diagrams and torque specs — not just this job. Haynes AutoFix (online) and 4 more. See manuals →

Step by step

11 steps
  1. Determine which part is actually worn. Put the car on a lift, rock the wheel, and move each arm with a pry bar. Inspect the rubber for cracks, bulging, and displacement. Replace only arms with play or damaged bushings. If mileage is high, it is best to replace the arms on both sides as a pair.
  2. Loosen the lug nuts, raise the rear of the car, support it on jack stands, and remove the wheel. If the car has a ride height sensor or electronic components near the arms, disconnect their connectors.
  3. Apply penetrating oil to the threads of all the mounting bolts and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Control arm bolts often seize.
  4. Before disassembly, mark the position of the eccentric bolts and washers (the camber and toe arm) with a marker or paint. This preserves the original angles until you get to the alignment rack.
  5. Support the hub or lower arm with a jack so the spring and shock absorber do not release unexpectedly. If you are removing the lower arm, the spring or shock mount sits on it, so work carefully.
  6. Remove the nuts and drive out the bolts that secure the arm to the hub (steering knuckle) and to the subframe. If a bolt will not come out, do not strike the threads without a nut installed to protect them, and use a puller. Remove the arm.
  7. Compare the new and old arms: length, shape, bushing position, and side marking (left or right). If you are replacing only the bushings, press out the old one with a press or puller and press in the new one without tilting it. You can lubricate the bushing with silicone grease that contains no oil or petroleum products, so the rubber is not damaged.
  8. Install the arm, insert the bolts, and thread on the nuts without fully tightening them. Use the eccentric marks from step 4 as a reference.
  9. Lower the suspension so the wheel is on the ground, or support the hub with a jack to the loaded ride-height position. Do the final tightening of the arm bolts with the vehicle's weight on the suspension, otherwise the rubber bushings will be twisted and will fail quickly. The torque for rear suspension arm bolts is typically in the range of 100-180 N·m (74-133 lb-ft), and slightly lower for the toe arm. Check the exact values for each bolt in the service manual. Always use new self-locking nuts.
  10. Install the wheel and tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern to the torque specified in the owner's manual (for this generation, typically about 107-127 N·m (79-94 lb-ft)). Re-torque after 50-100 km.
  11. Take a test drive of 5-10 km, listen for clunks, and check how the car behaves over bumps and under braking. Then be sure to get an alignment on a rack, even if the marks lined up.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • The suspension is a safety-critical system. Incorrect torque or a tilted bushing can lead to loss of control. If you have no experience with a press, a puller, and working with spring load, leave the job to a repair shop. Tightening the arms with the wheel hanging is the most common cause of premature failure of new bushings.
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