What they do
Control arms connect your wheels to the frame. Rubber bushings where the arm bolts to the frame let it pivot up and down while soaking up vibration.
Common symptoms
- Clunking over bumps, in hard turns, or when braking
- Wandering steering, or the vehicle won't track straight
- The steering wheel doesn't return to center well after a turn
- Shimmy or wobble in the steering wheel when it gets bad
- Uneven tire wear
What to look for
- Look at the bushings: where the control arm bolts to the frame, look for cracked rubber, rubber pulling away from the metal, rubber squeezed out to one side, or missing chunks.
- Watch for movement: a mechanic will pry gently between the arm and the frame. A good bushing barely moves.
Could be something else
Ball joints are often part of the control arm and wear at the same time. Tie rods and strut mounts can cause similar clunks and wandering.
Is it safe to drive?
Worn bushings make the vehicle handle worse and wear out tires, and badly worn ones can make the steering unstable, especially in hard turns. Replacing control arms or bushings changes your alignment, so plan on an alignment afterward.
Related: Bad ball joint symptoms · Bad tie rod end symptoms
Think it's your control arm bushings? Northwoods can check it right where your vehicle sits, anywhere in the greater Twin Ports area.