Toyota FJ Cruiser Control Arm With Ball Joint

The Control Arm forms part of the automatic suspension system. Also known as the A-arm, it is essentially a hinged suspension bridge that holds the wheel between the axle and the upright suspension, or hub. The control arm with ball joint has many sections, the inboard (chassis) end of a control arm is connected by a single pivot, which is usually a rubber bushing. This allows it to control the outboard end position in a single degree of freedom, while preserving the radial distance from the inside brace. The lower link of a suspension is created by most control arms. They are used as the upper link in few vehicle designs, usually with a lower wishbone. The additional rod of the radius is then placed on the upper arm.

In the center, the control arm attaches the wheel hub and steering knuckle to the vehicle frame. For driving comfort and controlling the Control arm bushings are crucial. They help to cushion the suspension system that allows noise and vibrations to be controlled, as well as providing a smoother ride over bumps.

We need to learn first how the control arm is attached to the vehicle to be able to understand how this works. On one end the control arm is bound by a ball and socket called a ball joint to the steering knuckle (at which the wheel is attached by means of the hub and bearing assembly). The other end of this is connected to the frame / body of the car. And if the vehicle goes over a bump, the control arm swivels up and down with the wheel and helps the body of the vehicle to stabilize. The control arm also has a bushing on the frame / body side (or a pair of bushings) which allows it to pivot smoothly.

The control arm attaches the hub wheel and knuckle steering to the vehicle frame. The come fitted with bushings on the vehicle's frame side and a ball joint on the vehicle's wheel side, allowing adjustable and controlled movement according to the driver's road conditions and steering feedback.