joeybutts

What exactly do control arms do? I know they help your car hook up better, but how? And where do they go? thanks!

randy78045

Control arms position your rear end under your car.... You have uppers and lowers... they are connected to your rearend housing an to the body of the car.

joeybutts

So they better position the axles under the car? how does this help the car get better traction though?

GodAmGT00

Well, look at the name, and take it for what it is...


The Control arms, help you control lateral and axial motion.. Front control arms help you control the steering of your car.. Rear control arms help you control the rear tires and their aspect to the road...


Your lower control arms (being lower than the Uppers [8D]) are perpendicular to the rear axle, located towards the outer ends/tires. These have the rear spring perches on them. The Upper control arms, are at about a 45 degree angle, from about where the middle of the rear seat, down to the axle.


Hope that helps..


JT

randy78045

Its not that they better position the axles, they ARE what positions your rear end.... along with your rear sway bar which conntects to the lowers an keeps your tires/axles working together... do not remove your rear sway bar as some do for weight purposes... the sway bar, tying you lowers together probably does as much for traction as replacing stock control arms...

joeybutts

Do the control arms physically move/rotate so as to keep the axles in one position? And therefore allow the tries t okeep pressure on the ground?

joeybutts

ok ok i'm getting it... what is the benefit of repalcing the stock ones? How are they any different?

GodAmGT00

The control arms don't rotate, per se.. As you drive, they are continuously moving though, up and down. When they work together, you can get better angles, and more rotational axis, than if they were solid, or only moved one at a time..




JT

randy78045

They move up an down... the best thing to do is jack up you car (an use jack stands), crawl under your car, an you will see the control arms an understand them better an how they move... they are what holds your rear end under the car so you cant help finding em...

joeybutts

Got it! Now, my last question....what makes aftermarket control arms better than stock ones? If it is something that has one motion how much can you improve upon that besides weight reduction? Or is that where the bushings come in?