Control arms are part of a vehicle’s suspension and come in different types. They are used to control wheel hop and bounce, turn wheels, and counteract engine torque. Modern suspensions use an upper control arm and shock absorber system, while earlier designs used upper and lower control arms. Control arm suspension allows for safety-enhancing crush panels and reducing unsprung weight. Lightweight materials improve ride quality and allow for softer springs.
A control arm is a part of a vehicle’s suspension. There are several different types of control arms used in the manufacture of a vehicle’s suspension. Front and rear control arms are used on four-wheel independent suspension designs. Some types of control arm parts are used to turn the wheels in the steering gear, while others are used to control wheel hop and bounce. Perhaps the most recognizable control arm is found on a vehicle’s roll bar.
A vehicle’s suspension is a complexity of geometry and leverage. The front suspensions on most vehicles made today not only steer the vehicle, they drive it as well. Front-wheel drive layouts rely on a control arm to counteract engine torque. By placing an engine torque limiting arm between the engine and the vehicle’s chassis, the vehicle can be easily steered while power is applied to the engine. Without this arm, the vehicle would be nearly impossible to drive when a driver applies power to the wheels.
Modern suspensions use a shock absorber system and upper control arm. By placing an arm on the bottom of the strut to control forward and backward movement, the strut can work unaided from the top of the suspension to control wheel movement. In earlier designs, an upper and lower control arm were used with a spring sandwiched between them. This type of suspension drastically limits the amount of wheel travel a suspension could have. This created a much harsher ride, as the suspension was forced to bottom out against hard stops instead of traveling smoothly through the stopper.
Placing suspension parts on the subframe instead of requiring a complete frame allows safety-enhancing crush panels to be designed on the vehicle chassis. These panels absorb energy in a collision and dissipate the energy throughout the chassis and away from the passenger compartment. The use of these crush panels is made possible by the use of control arm suspension.
Many of the control components are made of cast or machined alloys. Creating suspension components from lightweight materials reduces the unsprung weight of the suspension. This reduces the effects felt when hitting potholes and uneven roads. Technology in advancing damper design has shown that reducing the weight of suspension components, such as control arms, has a major influence on the vehicle’s ride quality. Lighter, softer springs can also be employed by using control arm technology to take advantage of arm leverage.
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