The control arms on your Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, or Sprinter keep your wheels in line with the body of the car. Control arms are part of your suspension system and connect your suspension to the rest of your car. Ball joints and bushings are used on control arms to connect to your suspension. Control arms are found on both the front and rear of your car.
How long do control arms last?
Control arms will typically last 40,000 to 100,000 miles or more. Proper installation of control arms is imperative to their longevity. Control arms can fail within 1,000 miles if installed incorrectly. Front end damage will usually cause a control arm or arms to fail as well. Large pot holes or anything that can knock your suspension out of line is another common reason for control arm failure.
Control arms usually fail at the bushing. You can purchase bushing alone rather than the entire control arm but they will need to be pressed in. Shops will usually charge per hour to press the bushing in which will typically cost you the same amount as buying a complete control arm.
What is the proper way to install control arms?
Improper installation will cause excessive stress on the bushings which will cause them to fail. Your control arms MUST be compressed to static ride height before anything is tightened. The control arms must be in the same position as they would be when the car is on the ground before torquing them down to spec. If this is not done the arms will move to an un natural position once the vehicle is back on the ground. This adds an immense amount of stress on the bushings and will cause them to fail. Improper installation is not covered by warranty.
When should I replace the control arms on my Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, or Sprinter?
We recommend replacing the control arms on your vehicle if you notice the following:
- Steering wheel vibration at any speeds.
- If you hear a clunking noise when going over speed bumps or potholes.
- If your tires are wearing out unevenly. (This can also be contributed to a bad alignment).
- A sloppy feeling steering wheel can also be caused by bad control arm bushings.
Visual inspection showing cracked control arm bushings.
Control arms are important to your safety and should be replaced at the first sign of failure.
What is the best control arm kit for my Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, and Sprinter?
Europa Parts prides itself on carrying only the highest quality OE, OEM, and aftermarket products for your Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, and Sprinter. With that being said we offer a number of different control arm kits for your vehicle.
Europa Parts offers Meyle HD, Febi Bilstein, Lemforder, Hudson, Optimal, 034Motorsport, Genuine OEM, and our world famous fully customizable built to order kits.
If you're looking for a budget friendly yet high quality control arm kit for your Volswagen or Audi we recommend Hudson and Optimal. We have had great success and tons of positive feedback from our customers regarding these kits. As we mentioned before, proper installation is the key to longevity with any control arm kit.
Our most popular kits are from Meyle HD. Meyle HD kits are 12 piece and include all of the hardware needed to complete the job. The Meyle HD kit exceeds OEM quality by offering HD or heavy duty bushings which will last a long time if installed properly. We have tested the Meyle HD control arm kit on both track cars and vehicles equipped with air suspension and both have lasted well over 5 years. The Meyle HD kit is a favorite of our entire staff as well.
The 034Motorsport kit is a great upgrade over stock for vehicles that are driven hard by Audi enthusiasts. 034Motorsport's complete Density Line Control Arm Kit is designed to be a performance replacement for all eight of the factory front upper and lower control arms. Featuring high-durometer rubber bushings and high-quality ball joints, Density Line Control Arms are engineered to limit unwanted deflection in the suspension, resulting in tighter handling and more precise steering response than even brand new factory control arms can offer.
We also carry the 034Motorsport adjustable upper control arms These performance upper control arms are Camber Correcting which is perfect for those who have lowered their car from OEM ride height and are looking to correct camber to factory specs and reduce excessive inside tire wear. Over 5/8" of outward adjustability from stock length, adjustable in 1/36" increments, each 1/36 adjustment is approximately .1 degrees for highly accurate adjustments.
Contact us.
Control arms for your Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche, and Sprinter are important for your safety and the overall feel of your vehicle. If you have any questions regarding the best option for your specific needs feel free to contact one of our friendly customer service representatives with any questions that you may have.
NOTE: The B8 uses M12 for early vins and M14 for late vins. If you're not sure which size is needed please contact us with your vin number.
CONTROL ARM KIT (A4 S4 A5 S5 A6 A7 Q5, M12, EARLY, HEAVY-DUTY) $649.95 FREE SHIPPING
CONTROL ARM KIT (A4 S4 A5 S5 RS5 A6 S6 A7 S7 Q5 SQ5, M14, LATE, HEAVY-DUTY) $649.95 FREE SHIPPING
034MOTORSPORT CONTROL ARM KIT (A4 S4 A5 S5 A6 A7 Q5, M12, EARLY) $695.00 FREE SHIPPING
034MOTORSPORT CONTROL ARM KIT (A4 S4 A5 S5 RS5 A6 S6 A7 S7 Q5 SQ5, M14, LATE) $695.00 FREE SHIPPING
034MOTORSPORT ADJUSTABLE UPPER CONTROL ARM KIT (A4 A5 S4 S5 Q5 SQ5, CAMBER CORRECTING) $460.00 FREE SHIPPING
CONTROL ARM KIT (A4 S4 A5 A6 A7 S5 S6 S7 RS5 RS7 Q5 SQ5, FRONT UPPER) BUILT TO ORDER - FREE SHIPPING
ULTIMATE CONTROL ARM KIT (A4 S4 A5 S5 A6 A7 Q5, M12, EARLY) BUILT TO ORDER - FREE SHIPPING
ULTIMATE CONTROL ARM KIT (A4 S4 A5 S5 RS5 A6 S6 A7 S7 Q5 SQ5, M14, LATE) BUILT TO ORDER - FREE SHIPPING
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