Control Arm
A control arm, or wishbone, links the wheel hub to the car body and lets the wheel move up and down while keeping it in position.
What is Control Arm?
Control arms are made of pressed steel, forged steel or aluminium. They are mounted to the body with rubber bushings and to the knuckle with a ball joint. Many suspensions use a lower arm only; double-wishbone and multi-link designs use several arms per wheel.
How it works
The arm pivots on its bushings as the suspension moves and holds the wheel at the right angles.
Why it matters for your car
Worn arm bushings or ball joints cause clunks, vague steering and uneven tyre wear. A bent arm after hitting a kerb changes the alignment.
Other terms
- AdBlue (DEF)
- Airing Down (Lowering Tyre Pressure Off-Road)
- Black Ice
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- Connector Corrosion
- Engine Number
- Exhaust Gas Temperature Sensor
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- Gearbox Mount (Transmission Mount)
- Grab Handle
- Ignition Timing
- Key Fob Battery
- Key Not Detected Warning
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- Parking Heater (Auxiliary Heater)
- Rev Limiter
- Starter Solenoid
- SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle)
- Warning Light Colours (Red, Amber, Green)
- Water Spots