Basically, a suspension arm or control arm is a triangular steel or aluminium component with control arm bushings in every corner. It is part of the wheel suspension and connects the joint to the body via the ball joint. The ball joint is stuck on the wheel side of the suspension arm. Due to the shape and strength of the arm, forces of your car, such as braking and acceleration, can be transferred to the wheel. Without a wishbone, the car would tip over. The forces would have a too great of an impact on the wheels.
A suspension arm ensures that the braking and driving force has as little influence as possible on the position of the wheel. If you turn the wheel, the wheels pivot over the ball joint. The suspension arm and the ball joint will then absorb the lateral forces.
Failing wishbones car
In general, a suspension arm doesn?t just break. Often the rubber bearings or the balls are prone to wear and / or ageing. If it appears that the rubber bearings or the ball are worn out, they need to be replaced though. Worn balls, rubber bearings or suspension arm can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- Weird, undefinable noises;
- Banging sound while driving on dirt roads;
- Room or a ticking sound while steering;
- The car pulls to either side while driving;
- The car doesn´t corner as good;
- Faster wearing tyres than usual;
Suspension arms wear faster if you drive more frequently over speed bumps, dirt roads or badly maintained roads. To influence wear as much as possible, it´s recommended to drive as gently as possible or to avoid bad roads at all.
Wishbone car replacement
Control arm replacement is often easy and can be done by yourself. You do not need any special tools to replace the suspension arm. The costs for replacement do not have to be high either. If you replace it yourself, this is already possible for as little as £ 50. Of course, this depends on the make and type of car you drive. Spot any wear on the attachment points of a suspension arm? Then the ball joint or bushings need to be replaced. Sometimes these parts are not available separately and you have to replace the entire suspension arm. In fact, it is often the case that a complete control arm is cheaper than the individual parts.
When replacing a suspension arm, all parts around need to be removed. Place your car on a car lift or car jack and remove the wheel. Then loosen the nut that secures the ball joint to the knuckle. Now you can push the arm down with a lever and remove the ball joint. Loosen all screws and other fixings and remove the arm.
Buying wishbone car
Does the wishbone of your car need to be replaced? Then you can easily order one at Winparts. Just enter your number plate on the website and the right products for your car will be displayed. Of course, it goes without saying that you can also find control arm bushings and ball joints at Winparts.