Track control arm

The suspension arm, also called the track control arm or wishbone suspension, is attached to the wheel and allows you to direct it and keep it square to the ground. Wishbone suspensions are attached directly to the chassis of the car with a silent block and to the wheel via a ball joint.

When and why do you need to change a wishbone suspension?

A damaged wishbone can cause premature wearing of the tyres, shock absorbers and brake pads, which can lead to poor traction and even loss of control.
A broken wishbone can cause total immobilisation of the vehicle, as the wheels can no longer turn.

Contrary to the brake pads, the suspension arm is not considered to be a wearing part. Only accidents or small repeated impacts can damage the part. However, if the wishbone is being replaced, be aware that it rarely breaks on its own. The silent block is the part that is most usually subject to pressures. So, in order to know for sure if a suspension arm is damaged, check the state of its component rubbers.If these display cracks or tears, it means it’s time to replace your suspension arm!

The wishbone suspension should be changed:

• If there is a serious impact or after repeated small impacts.
• If the ball joint and/or the silent blocks show some play.
• If there is wearing of the silent block. In this case, your car will have a tendency to drift to one side of the road when braking and to the other side when accelerating.
• If you hear clicking noises when going over obstacles (speed ramps, holes in the road, rumble strips), be aware that they come from the wearing of the ball joint.
• If you feel vibration in the steering wheel.

Changing a suspension arm

As you now know, each wishbone suspension is linked to a wheel, with either two in front of it or two behind it. Like brake pads or shock absorbers, wishbone suspensions are changed in pairs, meaning that if you’re changing the right suspension arm, you’ll also want to change the left one.

If you want to change your wishbone suspensions yourself, here are some steps which will help you carry out your repairs safely:

1. Firstly, lift your car on a jack and remove the wheel in order to access the suspension arm.
2. After having removed the wheel from its hub, detach the stabiliser bar link. If your car model is not furnished with this part, detach the stabiliser bar from the wishbone suspension.
3. Remove the screws or nuts and bolts attaching the suspension arm to the chassis of your auto and then take it out. You can now replace your worn wishbone with the new one!
4. Fitting the new piece is as simple as anything! Reattach the suspension arm to the chassis of the car with the screws you previously removed, couple the ball joint and the steering knuckle and finally, replace the stabiliser bar link or stabiliser bar.

To replace your wishbone suspension, choose Mister-Auto.co.uk! On the Mister-Auto website, you can find hundreds of replacement parts that are 100% compatible with your vehicle, all at the best prices. In just a few clicks, find the parts you need and then have them delivered to your home or your nearest delivery point in a maximum of 72 hours!