Suspension Control Arm

Damaged or bent control arms can effect vehicle ride dynamics, handling and alignment. SPE control arms are engineered to restore original performance and include bushings where applicable.

There are many components of the suspension system that operate together and in a proper way so that the vehicle could stay off the ground and present desirable handling and control on the ride. Based on design requirements, cars can have both an upper and a lower control arm at each side (driver & passenger) or only a pair of lower at each side. Each type of control arm has got rubber bushings at each of the pivot points, which aim to prevent friction and allow the wheels to return to their right positions after recieving the impacts from the road. Most control arms originate with these bushings. The rubber wears down with time or deteriorates with exposure to the elements. We can also face some problems with the control arm if the car hits a hard bump and end up bending the control arm. This is also a good time to check other elements of the suspension system for wear or breakage, especially if a hard bump has bent or damaged the control arm. Some control arm bushings require special tools to replace them, so it is often a better proposition to replace the entire arm, which comes with new rubber bushings. The suspension system provides flexibility to the vehicle, allowing it to adjust to the uneven roadways. Control arm aids this process by working with other suspension components to allow each wheel to flex independently, adjusting to the differing levels of the driving surface. This flexibility allows the tires of the vehicle to remain in good contact with the road for good vehicle stability and steering control. The steering and handling of the vehicle are given support by the control arm as it helps to keep the front end tight and in good alignment. Control arms can made up from different types of materials that require different kind of production capabilities. For all that, SPE offers every single type of control arm for targeted cars and markets where they are. Control arms that do not include a ball joint, especially in brands like BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes, Nissan, and Volvo, can be found in sheet metal, cast iron, forged iron, cast aluminum, injection aluminum and forged aluminum. SPE, with increasing production capacity, can respond to all control arm needs from the market.

It is the largest and most critical part of the front suspension elements that keeps the wheels in position and limits their movement against forces from the outside, but allows upwards and downwards movements. Some of the ball joints are mounted directly on the chassis, independent of the control arms, while some are mounted on the control arms by means of some fasteners or other mounting processes. If the ball joint is originally on the control arm and can be demounted, control arms without ball joint can be presented by SPE as well. This product group is called as control arm without ball joint.