Is Driving with a Bad Control Arm Dangerous? (Lower Control Arm Replacement)

Is Driving with a Bad Control Arm Dangerous? (Lower Control Arm Replacement Cost)

A control arm is a suspension component that is found on all passenger vehicles. It connects the steering knuckles and the wheel hub to the chassis. Control arms are made up of ball joints and bushings which let it flex and move according to the driver’s steering and condition of the road.

As the front wheels bump into potholes and road obstructions, the control arms swing up and down with the help of the control arm bushings. Control arms play a very important role as they hold the front wheels when a vehicle is being driven.

Is Driving with a Bad Control Arm Dangerous? (Lower Control Arm Replacement)

the short answer to this is yes. driving with bad control arm is dangerous. The bushings and ball joints allow the control arms to move up and down. If either of them gets worn out as time goes on, it can cause all sorts of damage.

If the control arm is damaged or bent, the vehicle is not very safe to drive. Once the control arm assembly starts producing symptoms to alert the driver, he or she needs to service the vehicle and get the control arms checked.

Related article: How Long Can You Drive With Bad Control Arm Bushings?

Lower Control Arm Replacement

For the your car Lower Control Arm Replacement place watch this video here

How long can you drive on a bad lower control arm

As a driver, you should know that the control arm is responsible for connecting the suspension of the car to the vehicle’s frame. It connects the steering knuckle which will then hold the front wheel together either to the vehicle’s body or to its frame.

If you notice that your lower control arm is faulty, you need to get it fixed as fast as possible to avoid causing more damage to the vehicle. A bad lower control arm can last for a few days and that is it.  You need to check them regularly as they have a high probability of wearing out.

How long can you drive with bad control arm bushings?

If you are asking how long you can drive a car with a bad control arm bushing, you should know that it depends on how far the damage has gone. If you are talking on average, you should be able to go 96 kilometers to 128 kilometers. However, it is not safe to drive around with a damaged control arm bushing. It is advisable you get it fixed in order not to cause more damage.

Lower control arm replacement cost

The cost of replacing a control arm could be about $150 and $390. There are lots of factors that determine the cost of repairing faulty control arms. Some of these are labor costs, the extent of damage, location, and so on.

If it is only the upper arm that is damaged, there is no reason to replace the lower arm and vice versa. However, if one of them is failing, there is every chance that the second will fail as well.

If your repairer finds out the bushing, and stabilizer links are also faulty, you might have to change those ones either. Do not forget to perform a wheel alignment after the faulty components have been replaced.

This might also cost you about $100. You need to fix everything required of you in order to ensure your driving is safe and prevent your car from failing you when you need it most. Your vehicle must be in perfect working condition.

What happens if control arm breaks while driving?

The suspension of a vehicle is made up of several components that play various roles. The control arm is one of those components as it connects the vehicle’s front suspension to its frame. The suspension has upper and lower control arms.

They both have a rubber bushing at the end which is made up of rubber lining that is encased between two metals. The bushing is designed in such that it helps to cushion the car from vibrations and small bumps.

A centre bar connects the inner metal sleeve to the car frame. The control arm connects the outer sleeve to the wheel assembly. With this, the two sleeves move independently from each other and the bushing provides adequate lubrication between them.

There are various things that could happen when control arms break while you are driving.

Clunking Noise

Whenever you are driving and you start hearing a clunking noise, know that it is one of the symptoms that your vehicle’s control arm is faulty. This is because the ball joints or bushings of your vehicle are loosened and this lets it knock when the car is driving through a rough road.

Driving Performance

The control arm bushings absorb the shock of road bumps. If it is broken or damaged, the car will vibrate continuously while you are driving. The control arms metal sleeves might also start rattling uncontrollably.

Unstable Steering

A faulty control arm affects the performance of the steering wheel directly. The alignment of the steering will shift, which will either let it pull right or left. It will become more obvious if you are driving on an extreme road or when you brake.

Sudden Changes while braking

Partial or full damaged control arms can cause a sudden change in the effect of braking. This problem is due to the fact that the oscillation of the control arm has experienced wearing. This will make the brake system unstable thereby affecting the performance of the vehicle.

These are the symptoms you need to watch out for, while driving. Once you notice this problem, you will need to get the control arms fixed.

What happens if the rear control arms break while driving?

If the rear control arms of your car break, while you are driving, some of the things that could happen are:

• You will hear a very loud noise when you hit a bump, make a hard turn or sudden brake.
• The car will start pulling to the right or left without the control of the steering wheel.
• Edge of the tire will experience unusual wearing.
• The vehicle will vibrate excessively in the steering wheel.

Lower control arm bushing replacement cost (lower control arm replacement)

The price of replacing a control arm bushing will vary from car to car and also your choice of mechanic. However, the replacement cost should be about $200 to $670. Breaking it down, labor cost should be about $100 to $250, while that of components is estimated to be around $110 to $415.

Conclusion on Is Driving with a Bad Control Arm Dangerous? (Lower Control Arm Replacement Cost)

In summary, this post talked about how long you can drive your car with bad control arms and how long you can drive a car with a broken control arm and bushings.

Make sure you take your vehicle to a mechanic once you begin to notice some of the symptoms mentioned earlier in this post. I hope this post has answered some of your questions and whatever concerns you might have about your vehicle’s lower and upper control arms.