Suspension and Steering

2025-09-05: Changed "Breakaway torque" to "Maximum breakaway torque".
2025-06-26: Added informational video on lateral and compliance link bushing inspection.
2025-06-19: Updated suspension bushing inspection guidelines.


Front	Independent. Upper wishbone with lower unequal length control arms. Co-axial coil spring/telescopic damper. Stabilizer bar.
Ride height	See Wheel Alignment.
Rear	Independent. Dual upper arms and lower unequal length wishbone. Co-axial coil spring/telescopic damper.

Service Limits

Table 1. Ball Joints and Cross Axis Ball Joints (CABJ)
Item	Limit
Noise	The ball joint/ball joint assembly shall exhibit no squeak, grind, rattle, or other abnormal noise when oscillated or rotated. See Noise and Vibration.
Dust boot	Visually inspect the dust boot for damage: No crack exceeding 19 mm in length, and no crack with depth exceeding 30% of the local wall thickness. No more than 25% abrasion of wall thickness at folded area. No unusual permanent fold conditions allowed. No unseating of the seal from the housing or inner collar. No bond failures to bonded inserts.
Play	No axial or radial free play greater than 1 mm when inspected/loaded by hand.
Maximum breakaway torque	10 Nm

Table 2. Bushings
Item	Limit
Noise	Bushings are designed to exhibit noise in the case of severe degradation. Rubber folds, non-detrimental cracks, and other non-detrimental damage is permitted. Generally, bushings should not be replaced unless there is a noise that exceeds the allowances listed below.
Rubber Deformation	A bushing that demonstrates a 20% or greater decay in stiffness when compared to a new part should be replaced. On some bushings, the location of the damage can be used to determine whether the part should be replaced. Refer to the images below: TIp More detail on front lateral and compliance link bushing inspections is available in this video.
	Front Lower Compliance Link, Subframe-side Bushing
	Damage is contained to the green zone: Do not replace the part Damage is in the red zone: Replace the part	TIp Click on the thumbnails below to view the full-sized images. Figure 1. Damage isolated to green zone. Do not replace part. Figure 2. Damage is in red zone. Replace part.
	Front Lower Lateral Link, Subframe-side Bushing
	Damage is contained to the green zone: Do not replace the part Damage is in the yellow zone on one side of the bushing: Do not replace the part Damage is in the yellow zone on both sides of the bushing: Replace the part Damage is in the red zone: Replace the part	TIp Click on the thumbnails below to view the full-sized images.
Play	0 mm. Elastic play is allowed. Any additional play is not allowed. No contact with other component surfaces is allowed.

Table 3. Halfshafts
Item	Limit
Noise	See Noise and Vibration.
Dust boot	See Ball Joints.
Lash	No rotational lash of the inboard joint with respect to the outboard joint is allowed greater than 1.5 degrees (± 0.75 deg) when inspected/loaded by hand (excepting spline connections to the motor/hub/jackshaft/etc.). Levers or other tools are not permitted.

Table 4. Steering column
Item	Limit
Lateral play	1 mm total, from LH to RH side.

Table 5. Wheel Bearings
Item	Limit
Noise	See Noise and Vibration.
Play	No angular free play greater than 1 deg (± 0.5 deg) is allowed when inspected/loaded by hand. Levers or other tools are not permitted.

Replace parts only if corrosion affects vehicle control.

Do not replace suspension components for a noise condition if any of the following conditions are present:

The noise is less than 11 dB louder than background noise from other sources as observed at the driver’s ear in the normal seated driving position, including all windows/doors/apertures closed and all else representative of a typical driving scenario.
The noise is not resolved upon replacement with a new part.
The noise is also present on a suitable reference vehicle (for example, a vehicle in good repair of the same type as the one being examined).

Suspension components do not need to be replaced in pairs unless stated specifically in a Tesla Service Bulletin.