An updated arm ensures a smooth driving experience whereas a bad control arm affects the safety and drivability of the vehicle. It links your vehicle’s suspension with the chassis, and on the side of it, mounts it with bolts. A ball joint is featured on the end of the control arm which helps it to become movable.
The specifics of control arms
The control arms used to be divided into two parts – an upper arm and a lower arm. However, modern cars usually have a single control arm, the lower arm at each wheel. They use MacPherson strut suspension in the car which backs the weight and manages without an upper arm. These control arms have three main parts featuring bushings, the main body, and the ball joint.
The bushings and sleeves help in reducing friction as well as vibration.
The ball joint of the control arm builds a pivot towards the steering knuckle or precisely the wheel assembly.
The main body of the arm is that link that connects the whole to the end, it can be stamped with cast iron, aluminum, or steel.
Functions of Control Arm in Automobile
It serves several purposes in an automobile. Connecting wheels to the frame adds to the vehicle’s stability. While driving over rough surfaces on the road, control arms make the ride smooth, and the components coincide with the wheels’ movement and that of the frame assisting in damping vibrations. This is done with the support of the jointed ends. This does not restrict here, the components of control arms enhance the control of the vehicle.
The added value of control arms
When you allow the steering knuckle of the ball joint to rotate, you can steer the vehicle easily while moving forward. Also, they allow the wheels to move up and down by keeping them in direct contact with the ground and by stabilizing the vehicle. This reduced the severity faced by people during bump holes and potholes. The lower and upper control arm functions similarly and makes the drive smoother for their users.
Designs of Control Arms
The control arms are designed in a manner that determines a lot of their functions and is very important for your car to stick to a definitely designed arm. There are “A” shared typed control arms, with an “A” arm, or “A” frame. There are wishbones, appearing to be triangle-shaped, it is one of the most common design types used in control arms. “A” Shaped arms have a narrow-ended attachment towards the wheel assembly and the broader endpoints towards the frame of the vehicle. The narrow end features ball joints and bushings as well. There are other “L” shaped control arms as well which work well with users.
Bottom Line
The suspension system of your car needs to be updated with modern-day mechanics in order to run your vehicle smoothly, and the most effective component of the system that serves many functions is the control arms. It is one of the most irreplaceable components of the automobile visible on the roads and serves various purposes.