Broken Control Arm

[Grants]

There doesn't seem to be any posts about broken control arms. Is this really rare? My passenger side one has snapped. None available here ($550 from Mazda if they were) hoping to get one at the wreckers.

Has this happened to anyone else?

[mitmaks]

should get one at wreckers, shouldnt be more than $50 USD

[DJsMX-3]

Grants how does your arm look when you say its snapped??

I have had a wierd sound for a while now thats getting steadily worse, oh and its allso on my passengersside..

I going under the car tomorrow to change my endlinks and lateron upgrade my controlarm bushings when my controlarms has been sandblasted and powdercoated..

If the sound is still there im going to replace my balljoints allso a hopefylly that will cure it

But maybe just maybe my controlarm is shot like yours,so what to look for if you would be so kind??

[Grants]

At the back of the control arm is a large stud that is welded in place and bushings go over it. The welds holding the stud appear to be broken and there is a lot of movement backward and forward of the wheel. Its quite obvious if you jack up the car, look in the right place and push the wheel. The bottom line is that if it moves any further it will fall out completely and 99% chance of a crash.

Sorry I can't give you some more detail but the car isn't here at the moment so I can't have a look to give you a better description.

A noise started about a week ago and got worse until yesterday I kicked the tyre and the whole thing moved back about 2 inches. Wasn't game to drive it after that.

[DJsMX-3]

I fully understand what youre saying

Its gonna show nomatter what when i take my controlarms out then, really good you found out when you did

[Grants]

Got a control arm lined up, $250 from the wrecker.

The car handled ok right up to yesterday when it started drifting a bit, not badly but gently and the steering wheel moved slightly off centre. Maybe when going forward it would just wedge itsef into a consistent position? The steering stayed ok even when it was making a noise (mainly over speed humps, etc). Couldn't feel anything through the wheel.

No difference when braking either - just the noise. But I did notice a couple of days ago when going very slowly and riding the brakes in traffic the steering wheel would gently move a bit (maybe 1") to he left and then return. Thought nothing of it at the time.

[stepchyld]

hey grants! I had a little incident back in the pizza days. about 7 inches of snow, made lots of deliveries sliding around on the ice and snow. Was an absolute blast!!! till I turned down a hill that had another turn at the bottom, and very few vehicles had traveled over it. I slid into the curb, hitting hard, had to back off the curb and look things over. Seemed good, but there was a very odd sound, and just a touch of handling difference. before I got the car to the shop (also before my DIY commitment) I drove to Memphis and back, then the shop tells me the control arm was broke, so I went to take a look. It was the stud you mention, at the rear, the stud was broke inside the brushing, so that it held itself in place. Talk about scary when you realize you've driven over 2,000 miles in a month, on a broken control arm!! My shop was able to find one for 100, and labor was 100. If you haven't already fixed it, I can try to find one cheaper than 250. They gotta be out there....
On mine the stud itself snapped, I'd say your weld breaking would be a bit rare.

[Grants]

Thanks for that but mines fixed. Your right its a bit scary, if it came adrift completely anything could happen. Strange how the handling isn't affected much.

[stepchyld]

It is odd. I felt a little difference, but not near what you'd expect. Just enough to tell me something was wrong.