If you’re the type of car owner who doesn’t pay attention to how your vehicle works unless it breaks down, you may have never heard of a control arm. Control arms play an essential role in ensuring you have a smooth ride while driving your vehicle, especially if it’s lifted. To keep your vehicle in good shape, pay attention if it shows any of these signs you need to replace your lifted vehicle’s control arms.

What Is a Control Arm?

A control arm is an integral part of your car’s suspension system. It connects the wheels of your vehicle to the body of your vehicle, attaching to bushings that allow the arm to pivot up and down. As you drive your car, traveling over bumps in the road, the control arm pivots, allowing the wheels to move up and down as they encounter uneven terrain. The control arm can also keep your vehicle stable during turns. Typically, cars have one control arm for each wheel.

Warning Signs of Control Arm Failure

A failing control arm is annoying at best and at worst, can be quite dangerous—it could jeopardize your ability to control your car in an emergency. Here are some telltale signs that your control arm has some issues.

Clunking Sounds

If your car clunks or bangs as you drive it, it may be a sign of a malfunctioning control arm. You’ll notice this noise especially coming from around the tires.

Pulling To One Side

Does your vehicle pull to one side even when your steering wheel is straight? This can either be due to misalignment or a broken control arm. When the control arm breaks in this way, it dangles down beneath the vehicle, and the excess weight causes your car to pull in one direction or the other.

Uneven Tire Wear

Uneven wear to your tires is another sign of a control arm that needs replacement. When one control arm isn’t working properly, the other tires will bear more weight, leading to faster tire wear.

Vibrations in the Steering Wheel

If you notice any unusual vibrating in your steering wheel or your vehicle’s chassis, this too could be a sign of a control arm needing replacement. A control arm’s job is to reduce vibrations as you drive, and if it’s broken, it can’t do this job properly.

If you notice any of these signs you need to replace your lifted vehicle’s control arms, be sure to have a professional check out your vehicle. Bad damage to your control arm may mean you’ll need to purchase a replacement and doing so will be even more essential if you’re the owner of a lifted truck. Fortunately, Supreme Suspensions carries control arms for lifted trucks, and we can help you find the right part to get your vehicle up and running smoothly again.