What happens when your control arm goes out?
Having damaged control arms and worn bushings or ball joints could cause suspension parts to become misaligned. When this occurs, you may experience issues with steering and handling. Usually you’ll notice noises first, either while turning, stopping or driving over speed bumps.
Should I replace ball joint or whole control arm?
If it is loose, then replace control arm. If it fits tight then you will need to remove the ball joint from control arm and see if a new ball joint will fit tight in the control arm or control arm still will need to be replaced. This is why you were advised to replace the whole control arm.
How do you remove control arm on Volkswagen Golf GTI?
Lift up the steering knuckle (red arrow) and lower the control arm (yellow arrow) to separate them. Move to the front mount and remove the single long 18mm bolt (red arrow). If your rear mount is in bad shape you can remove the arm by pulling it out from the front mount (red arrow) and pulling it forward from the rear mount (yellow arrow).
Can you replace the bushing on a VW Golf?
If you do not own a press, you can still save yourself some money by removing the control arm from the car and taking it to a machine shop to have them press the new bushings in for you. Otherwise, you can replace the whole arm and skip the need for a press.
Where are the control nuts on a Golf GTI?
Remove the three 16mm nuts holding the control arm to the ball joint and steering knuckle (red arrows). Lift up the steering knuckle (red arrow) and lower the control arm (yellow arrow) to separate them.
What is the front control arm bushing made of?
The front bushing is a solid rubber insert. There are several options for replacement of this bushing. Use a press to remove the old one and press in the new one. Do not forget to put the new bushing in the freezer for at least a few hours before you install it. You can remove the arm from the rear mount.