Joy rides and road trips are great ways to escape the busy lifestyle everybody experiences once in a while, especially when living in the city. One might feel stressful from a hectic week of working in the office and just wants to get away from it all. Unplanned road trips can really help relax the body and mind. But what if a sudden bump slowed down the speed of the car. Looks like the suspension system was not properly checked. A broken VW control arm can really spoil the road trip.
The VW control arm or A-arm is a bar with a pivot at each end. It is part of a car's suspension system and used to attach suspension members to the chassis. When coil springs are used in both front and rear suspension, three or four control arms are placed between the rear axle housing and the frame to carry driving and brake torque. The lower control arms pivot on the frame members and sometimes support the rear coil springs to provide for up-and-down movement of the axle and wheel assembly. A-arms are control arms with two inboard pivots, giving strength. Some front end designs use control arms instead of A-arms, usually to save weight and add adjustability. VW control arms work with bushings, which are cylindrical linings that reduce friction and restrain the auto parts from going every which way.
As a result, one can experience joy rides without feeling sick and dizzy. Thanks to the VW control arm, smooth car movement is experienced. The two bottom points of the control arms that form the letter A are attached to the frame of the vehicle while the top point is attached to the spindle. Three or four control arms are placed between the rear axle housing and the frame if there are coil springs in both the front and rear suspensions. Like other body parts, the VW control arms should also be lubricated at every oil inspection. Handling and steering could become erratic if the control arms are malfunctioning and the unsteady movements of the vehicle could take away riding comfort.
There are two types of control arms, depending on how many A-arms are installed in the suspension system. If there are two such devices per wheel, it makes up a double wishbone suspension. It is an independent suspension design using two parallel wishbone-shaped arms to locate the wheel. The double wishbone suspension is also often referred to as double A arm or short long arm suspension. It is commonly used in sports cars, luxury cars and light trucks. The advantage of this type of suspension is that it is fairly easy to work out the effect of moving each joint, so it is easy to tune the kinematics of the suspension and optimize wheel motion. While one control arm per wheel makes up a part of MacPherson strut suspension. It is a type of car suspension system widely used in modern vehicles. It can be used for both front and rear suspensions, but is usually found at the front, where it provides a steering pivot as well as a suspension mounting for the wheel. Even if it is a popular choice because of its simplicity and low manufacturing cost, the design has some disadvantages. Such as the quality of ride it provides and how it affects the handling of the car.
The has an important role in having a smoother ride. It will ensure a hassle free and better car ride every time one decides to take a road trip.
