Mercedes Benz Control Arm

A control arm, also known as an A-arm, is a hinged suspension link or special metal strut between the suspension and the chassis as well as a hub that carts or lugs the wheel. The control arm's chassis or inboard end is connected via a solitary pivot, typically with a rubber-made bushing included. This car component thusly controls the placement of the outboard end in only a single degree of freedom, which helps keep the radial space or distance from the mount of the inboard. Although it's not intentionally made to move freely, the single bushing doesn't control the arm from moving to and fro or back and forth. With that said, having a control arm on your Mercedes Benz suspension system has many perks.

Part of the MacPherson strut assembly

In terms of the MacPherson strut independent front suspension (made by American engineer Earle S. MacPherson), the control arm or track control arm is a strut component that's perpendicularly placed to the axis of the automobile. In MacPherson's original design, the anti-roll bar is attached through a ball joint and doubled as the radius rod versus modern designs wherein there are separate radius rods and anti-roll bars. In turn, the diagonal radius rod limits the strut from moving forward and back as well, allowing for structural integrity of the suspension and vibration-free rides via a simple and easy-to-manufacture strut variant.

Upper and lower control arms manage wheel motion

Your Mercedes Benz car has an upper and lower control arm. They're bars with pivots at both ends arranged to form the letter A. They're part of your Mercedes's suspension system, attaching suspension members together to the chassis of your car for the sake of wheel motion management. In particular, it's responsible for synchronizing wheel motion with car motion together, ensuring better control of the vehicle altogether. They work along with bushings or friction-reducing cylindrical linings that help ensuring the integrity of your vehicle by keeping it stable and in one piece, restraining these components from going in different directions.

Carry suspension load for better transmission

Control arms-particularly those used in modern suspension designs wherein the anti-roll bar and radius rod are separate, with the former mounting to a sliding bush-can be utilized for the sake of carrying suspension load and transmitting the weight to the shock absorber or spring. This is commonly done with torsion bar suspension systems, with the bar's outboard end connected to the control arm's inboard bearing. As a result of this, drivers can now drive their cars in long, winding roads without getting car sick or dizzy because the control arms control the smoothness of the movement of the car along with its suspension rig, shocks, and tires.

Lightweight and can alter the rear track and camber setting

Having a control arm, particularly an aftermarket lower control arm, is useful for changing the camber and rear track setting if it's a replacement with a different length to your stock control arm. However, it would be better to adjust the upper control arm for the sake of camber adjustment instead of the lower one in light of how the trailing arm is supposed to work. These arms are also lightweight and fitted with hard bushings for better function. There are arms that can get even lighter than your stock arms, but to be honest unless you have a seriously competitive racecar, there's little to no reason why you'd need weight reduction.