Buying Control Arms... choices...

[erikv11]

To add to mecheng's point: If the ball joint is bad enough that the front end is wandering around on grooved pavement on the highway, or the steering is affected (it will feel "loose"), then it approaches becoming a safety issue and I wouldn't drive it unless necessary, and then not much. But if you just have some clunks or some pulling w/braking, that does not sound very bad. If you get the front end up in the air you can check it. Wobble the wheel, and eyeball the play in the ball joint while you do. A few mm of wiggle means it is bad but not a safety issue, a floppy ball joint is reason for concern.

What is never a safety issue, is installing a cheap control arm. It won't last, but it won't be a safety concern.

@cn90, I recall you have *clearly* used "Russian roulette" to imply safety issue or grave operability concern (e.g. timing parts) in many of your posts, including one earlier this week. Do a search and check it out, correct me if I'm wrong. Sometimes the usage makes sense to me, sometimes it does not. When it doesn't, I am likely to say something. I'm a stickler for words, it's a forum, people read those words, sorry if I offended you! For someone with thousands of (mostly great!) posts who has consistently written up some of the best summaries of contemporary internet group-think on car repairs, being careful about your words makes them more useful because like it or not, people are likely to take them seriously, now and/or in the future. I know I screw up sometimes, I hope people will correct me right there in the thread. I am familiar with the idiom (It is not a metaphor) of "Russian roulette," in common usage it doesn't just mean "taking a risk" (that might be roulette) it means "taking a risk with a potentially lethal outcome." You may wish to consider more carefully how you use it. Or not, up to you of course! Regarding the other alternative you suggested, if your usage of "Rr" up there was for humor, apologies that I missed it. Fortunately, there is still plenty of humor in this forum.

[j-dawg]

In addition to the cost of replacing the part, suspension work like a control arm will also require you to get an alignment. This costs as much as the control arm itself, so it's worth buying the Lemforder and doing it just once.

[erikv11]

I totally agree it is worth buying the lemfoerder but the car doesn't need an alignment after replacing just a control arm. Nothing in the arm is adjustable, as long as the new one is made to spec then there will be zero effect on alignment. So not necessarily needed. Unless alignment was out already!

[cn90]

erikv11,

You don't offend me at all. I understand exactly what you mean.
And I appreciate your comment.
The difference is in personality.

At home or at work, I joke a few times a day, it makes things better and I am happier.
This is who I am, I joke around a bit but I take things seriously, and fix my cars as you know.
You seem to be a "classroom professor" person (BTW some professors joke too) and sound very formal, nothing wrong with it. It just sounds too formal for me. Car is supposed to be fun!

Nothing wrong with either, it is just a reflection of different personalities.

For me car is both formal (yes sometimes it is safety issue) and fun (I don't care if one of my door actuator does not open, I reach from inside and open it), so I add humor to it (ever listen to Tom and Ray's Car Talk on Saturday? It is fun stuff).

When I bought a used car for my kids, I joked with my kids..."We are playing Russian Roulette" and we all laughed.
My kids understood exactly what I meant: buying a used cars is risky business.

[plumsmooth]

I want to thank every one again.
I am honored to have my thread/post be the palette for the continuing evolution of forum etiquette.

Thanks to this place, I am still driving my Volvo 850 Wagon -- which btw, is a Palm Beach Volvo 850...

Last year by the skin of my teeth I completed the PCV replacement and now officially consider myself a beginner Volvo mechanic...

The bad news is I haven't done much else! Let alone even Jacked my car which quite frankly I am intimidated about... especially in my not-so-level driveway...

The good news is I usually go over-kill on safety protocol when life is at stake.
But rest assured I'll be back begging for information and help when the time comes...

I think I'm going middle of the road with my Arms; and I like FCP because they are closer to me in Vermont from CT., where I was born.
Last time I ordered parts from them they were here pretty quick...

I'll go with the Meyle which are almost half the price of the Lemforder which are half the price of the ebay specials by Deutsche...

But I'll do both sides for fun... But then I have to do brakes...

[plumsmooth]

I was waiting to glue the "Palm Beach" back on 'after' I painted the tailgate...:

[j-dawg]

I totally agree it is worth buying the lemfoerder but the car doesn't need an alignment after replacing just a control arm. Nothing in the arm is adjustable, as long as the new one is made to spec then there will be zero effect on alignment. So not necessarily needed. Unless alignment was out already!

True if you're replacing like with like. However, between different manufacturers of control arm, the differences in geometry may be large enough to require alignment. Not sure what brand of FR control arm was in my car before I installed the Lemforder, but after the swap the alignment was way out of spec and I had to reset front toe (which, owing to the badly-corroded tie rod jam nuts, was by far the hardest part of the job).

[polskamafia mjl]

Whoa - more Russian roulette??!! OP - Search this forum for "Russian roulette" and you will see that if cn90's use of the phrase had any meaning at all, about half of MVS member would be dead. Or their cars would be, or something.

XD


To OP, I recently installed the Meyle HD control arms. I've got less than a thousand miles on them so I can't speak to their longevity but they had good reviews on FCP.

True if you're replacing like with like. However, between different manufacturers of control arm, the differences in geometry may be large enough to require alignment.

The control arm geometry really shouldn't be different between manufacturers unless a really low quality part is used.

[misha]

Volvo OE (Lemfoerder) is the only choice.


URO/Scantech (Dorman)/Pro-Sedan Parts/Febi/etc = low quality parts...

I agree with this...except for Febi.
Febi is quality brand.

Meyle is ok but Meyle HD have excellent quality.Meyle HD versions lasts even more than oem.

[mecheng]

I was waiting to glue the "Palm Beach" back on 'after' I painted the tailgate...:

Wow, I've never seen a Volvo rusted that bad, looks like a Mazda. Not one spec of rust on either of mine, 19 winters later.
I would focus on some rust protection over control arm brands.