Signs and Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Control Arm

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-arms
• Wishbones
• Track Control Arms
• Rear Camber Arms

Symptoms of a Bad Control Arm

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:

• Squeaking, knocking, clunking, banging, popping, or snapping noises, when going over bumps or while steering, accelerating, or decelerating
• Steering issues including wandering, pulling to one side, or an inability to track straight when cruising, braking, or on uneven surfaces
• Uneven and/or accelerated tire wear
• Vibrations felt through the steering wheel while driving

Replacing a Bad Control Arm

A 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 Yourself

Unless 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.