How long do factory control arms last?
Over time, the control arm assembly can become worn or bent. These assemblies normally wear out between 90,000 and 100,000 miles. They can wear out faster if you go over a large pothole or are involved in a car accident.
How long can you drive with a bad control arm?
With the damaged or worn-out control arm, you can drive your vehicle for a week or less but it should be repaired as soon as you detect the problem through the methods given above before the suspension gets broken.
What happens if you drive with a broken control arm?
Driving With Broken Control Arms: What Can Happen 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. An impact that will damage one of your control arms won’t go unnoticed.
When do the control arms need to be replaced?
Another reason to replace a control arm is when it has been damaged or bent after hitting a pothole or curb. The choice of whether to replace only a ball joint or bushings or the entire control arm often depends on the price, the overall condition of the arm and part availability. What is more cost-effective?
How does the control arm work on a car?
The bushings provide pivot points, allowing the control arm to swing up and down as the vehicle drives over bumps. The outer end of the control arm connects through a ball joint to the steering knuckle, the part that carries the front wheel. A stabilizer (sway) bar connected to both lower control arms or struts keeps the car stable in turns.
How are control arms connected to steering knuckle?
The outer end of the control arm connects through a ball joint to the steering knuckle, the part that carries the front wheel. A stabilizer (sway) bar connected to both lower control arms or struts keeps the car stable in turns. See this illustration of the front suspension .
What should I do if my control arm fails?
Cheap knock-off control arms, ball joints and other suspension components are known to fail prematurely. After a control arm is replaced, in most cases, the wheel alignment needs to be performed to bring the steering and suspension angles back to within the specifications.