Hello. How would I go about checking for bad upper and lower control arms? I had a shop tell me I had a bad control arm and ball joints. I can't remember which side they said.
Thank you
Shane
Thank you
Shane
How to check for bad control arms on 07Trailblazer
- Thread starter ShaneMC
- Start date
Blckshdw
Moderator
Some background info would be helpful since we can't see what you're working with. Do you have any clunking noises when you drive over bumps? You can turn the wheel all the way to one side, peek in and see if your ball joints are split, or looking raggedy. What prompted you to take your truck to the shop in the first place?
I took the truck in for an o2 sensor and asked the mechanic if he would look over the truck. He came back with tie rods and control arm needed replaced.
Blckshdw
Moderator
So no odd noises while driving. How about uneven tire wear? If you can, take some pics of these items and post them, that may help. If they can determine your parts are bad by looking at them, then we should be able to as well.
DocBrown
Member
- Dec 8, 2011
- 501
As said, bad control arms, tie rods, and ball joints will usually show up in uneven tire wear.
Jack up the front end. Insert the end of a crow bar in between the control arm bushing and the mount. Press on it like you are prying it, it does not need to be a hard push. Does it feel solid and does the rubber feel firm? Or is it squishy and does it feel like there is some "give". Do you see the pin and/or entire control arm moving when you press on the crow bar? If they are good, everything will be firm and there will be no movement when pressing on the bar.
To check the ball joints it helps to have a friend put the crow bar under the tire and like a lever, pull up and down against the tire. You watch the ball joint and see if the suspension is moving with the movement of the crowbar, or if the ball joint "gives" or allows the tire to move before the control arms move. There should be no vertical movement in the ball joint itself. You can also have your friend grab the top and bottom of the tire and wiggle it to see if there is lateral movement in the ball joint. There should be none, nor should he be able to move the tire like that.
For tie rods have your friend grab the front and rear of the tire and try to wiggle it left to right and back. Normal behavior is for the entire steering system to move with the wiggling. Watch the joints of the tie rods. If you see movement or slack inside the joint they are going. Really bad tie rods can show up as brake pulsation especially at high speeds.
Jack up the front end. Insert the end of a crow bar in between the control arm bushing and the mount. Press on it like you are prying it, it does not need to be a hard push. Does it feel solid and does the rubber feel firm? Or is it squishy and does it feel like there is some "give". Do you see the pin and/or entire control arm moving when you press on the crow bar? If they are good, everything will be firm and there will be no movement when pressing on the bar.
To check the ball joints it helps to have a friend put the crow bar under the tire and like a lever, pull up and down against the tire. You watch the ball joint and see if the suspension is moving with the movement of the crowbar, or if the ball joint "gives" or allows the tire to move before the control arms move. There should be no vertical movement in the ball joint itself. You can also have your friend grab the top and bottom of the tire and wiggle it to see if there is lateral movement in the ball joint. There should be none, nor should he be able to move the tire like that.
For tie rods have your friend grab the front and rear of the tire and try to wiggle it left to right and back. Normal behavior is for the entire steering system to move with the wiggling. Watch the joints of the tie rods. If you see movement or slack inside the joint they are going. Really bad tie rods can show up as brake pulsation especially at high speeds.
