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what is a control arm?control arms are a vital part of your car’s suspension system and determines your car’s ride, handling, steering – and your safety! it is crucial that your control arms are in the proper operating condition, whenever you drive your car. the control arm is a suspension component that connects each wheel with the frame or body structure of your car. it connects to the frame with bushings that allow the control arm to pivot up and down, and “controls” the movement of each wheel. this allows the wheels to move up and down in reaction to bumps and other road irregularities and controls the movement of shock absorbers and dampers. the front suspension also incorporates the steering system. control arms and steering components connect to the wheel using ball joints. depending on the vehicle and the application, control arms can be made of iron, steel or aluminum. most modern cars with strut-type suspensions have one lower control arm on each wheel, front and rear. some vehicles may have a “double wishbone” suspension design, which features both upper and lower control arms, and sometimes thrust arms. control arms, along with steering components, are also critical in ensuring that a proper alignment can be performed on the suspension. while every vehicle on the road has control arms, this component may be referred to by different names. these other names include:
a problem with your control arms can be very serious. because your control arms are part of your vehicle’s suspension and steering systems, your ability to control and steer your car in an emergency situation could be affected. bad control arms could potentially cause a loss of control, resulting in a collision. corrosion, collisions, improper towing, large potholes, hard wheel impacts into a curb, and worn-out ball joints or bushings, can all cause control arm problems. here are some of the warning signs of bad control arms:
replacing a bad control arma bad control arm will usually fail because of either wear and tear or damage, so replacement with a new control arm is normally the best solution. unless your vehicle has experienced a collision, usually the metal frame of the control arm is fine, it is the bushings and ball joints that fail. if the problem is limited to the rubber bushings, the special tools and time required to replace the bushings may lead your mechanic to suggest a new control arm (with new bushings already installed) as a more cost-effective solution. your mechanic will first put your vehicle on a lift and raise it off the ground. after thoroughly checking the condition of the car’s suspension, the bad control arm will be removed from the vehicle. a new control arm will then be installed, along with new mounting hardware, bushings, ball joints, and any other parts that need replacement at that time. if your control arm problem is wear-related, both control arms should be replaced. a four-wheel alignment is recommended following replacement of your control arms. best not to replace a control arm yourselfunless you have had extensive experience in working with suspension systems, and you have access to a lift, leave this fix to the professionals! your control arms are instrumental to your car’s steering and suspension, so the job must be done right. your mechanic has the experience, the proper tools, and the equipment to replace your control arms safely and cost-effectively. replacing control arms usually requires the replacement of bushings and other related components, which is normally accomplished with a shop press along with tools that are custom to many makes and models. the cost of these tools coupled with the experience and care required to use them make replacing a control arm best left to a professional. get an estimate honored at one of our thousands of repair facilities. What is a control arm?The control arm connects the steering knuckle to the frame or body of a vehicle. The wheel is held on to a hub connected to the steering knuckle. The knuckle allows the wheel to steer left and right and is attached to the control arm(s). The control arm allows allow the wheel to travel up and down over bumps and helps to position the wheel in the proper alignment. How does the control arm work?The control arm is connected on one end to the steering knuckle (to which the wheel is attached by way of the hub and bearing assembly) by a ball and socket called a ball joint. It is attached at the other end to the vehicle frame or body. When a car goes over a bump, the control arm pivots up and down with the wheel and allows the vehicle body to remain stable. On the frame/body side, the control arm has a bushing (or pair of bushings) that allows it to pivot. What are the symptoms related to a bad control arm?The actual control arm may last the lifetime of the vehicle. The control arm bushings, on the other hand, often wear out as a vehicle approaches 100k miles. A control arm is prone to damage if the vehicle is in a crash or encounters a large pothole. If the bushings are worn out, the suspension will make a squeaking sound when going over bumps. If they are severely worn, a knocking sound may be heard as the control arm makes metal-to-metal contact with the bushing bracket. If the control arm is damaged or bent, tire wear may be uneven and the vehicle may pull to one side or wander. Can I drive with a control arm problem?If the control arm on a vehicle is damaged in a crash or impact with a pothole or parking block, the suspension will be out of alignment and cause uneven tire wear and poor vehicle handling. The control arm should be replaced as soon as possible. If the control arm bushings are worn, the result will be an annoying squeak when the car goes over bumps. In this case, the car can be driven. But if the bushings wear out considerably, metal-on-metal contact may happen between the control arm and the bushing bracket. This can cause further suspension damage and the control arm or bushing should be replaced. How often do control arms need to be replaced?While there is no prescribed frequency for replacement of a control arm, the bushings may wear out and need to be replaced as a vehicle approaches 100k miles. Driving aggressively or over rough roads can decrease the lifespan of the control arm bushings. How are control arm issues diagnosed?A technician may diagnose a worn lower control arm during a test drive of the vehicle. The condition may also present itself during a bounce test, where the technician will press down firmly on one corner of the vehicle to bounce the suspension and pivot the control arms. A damaged or bent control arm may show up during a four wheel suspension alignment since the control arm determines the position and angle of the wheel. How is a control arm replaced?A technician will replace a lower control arm by first lifting and supporting the vehicle in the air on a hoist and removing the wheel and tire. A lower control arm must be disconnected from the lower ball joint (attached to the steering knuckle) and from the vehicle frame or body. An upper control arm is disconnected from the strut tower on the body and from the top of the steering knuckle. Some control arms come with bushings permanently installed in them, while others require the bushings to be installed. It is common to replace related components - ball joints, tie rod ends, sway bar links - at the same time that a control arm is replaced. RepairPal Recommendations for control arm issuesRepairPal recommends inspecting (and replacing if necessary) the ball joint at the same time that the control arm is being replaced. Since the control arm determines the position of the wheel and tire, a four wheel alignment is also recommended after a control arm is replaced. What to look out for when dealing with control arm issuesIf a control arm is damaged, the suspension alignment will be compromised. In addition, rubber bushings are adversely affected by heat and by petroleum products (grease and oil). It is important to periodically inspect the control arm bushings to make sure they are free from grease or oil. Also, in order to replace a control arm, the vehicle needs to be safely raised and supported on a hoist or a jack and jack stands. Can I replace the control arm myself?Replacement of a control arm is generally an intermediate DIY repair. On some vehicles, the control arms come with the bushings already installed. On other vehicles, the bushings need to be pressed into their housings on the control arm before installation into the vehicle. In this case, the repair will be more difficult. Also, this repair requires that the vehicle be safely lifted and supported with a jack and jack stands. Failure to do so in a safe manner can result in serious injury or death. How much does it cost to replace a control arm?A new car control arm usually costs between $400 and $550. Labor costs—if you take your vehicle to the mechanic to have the control arm replaced—will add on another $150 to $200.
How long does it take a mechanic to replace a control arm?A control arm labor can take several hours to replace. Cars typically have two to four control arms depending on whether the vehicle's suspension system has struts or shocks.
Do you need an alignment after replacing lower control arms?Do you need an alignment after replacing control arm bushings? The control arm bushings don't actually affect alignment. They just help position the arms properly during suspension movement. If they are destroyed, yes, your alignment may suffer, but you'll notice steering issues before that.
Is it hard to replace control arm bushings?Some bushings can be difficult to replace and may need specialized tools. In this case, it can be more economical to replace the entire component rather than just the bushing. For example, some control arm bushings cannot be replaced separately, so the control arm will have to be replaced entirely.
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Can i replace a control arm myself
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