BMW Control Arm come in many shapes and sizes, but they all do the same thing: locate the unsprung components in your suspension. What do we mean by that? Well, unsprung components are suspension parts that exist below the spring. Things like the wheel, axle, and hub are all unsprung. The BMW control arm connects these parts to the rest of the chassis and holds them in place, or "locates" them. And the shape and size of your BMW control arms are dictated by where they attach, which direction they face, and what the engineers want them to do.

For example, many older BMWs use semi-trailing rear control arms. They attach to the frame at an angle, then connect in front of the rear hubs. BMW front suspensions often use A-shaped control arms to make the famous "unequal-length A-arm" front suspension. And, since high loads are involved, BMW control arms are made from high-strength steel and aluminum. The lighter weight of aluminum also makes your BMW control arms react more quickly in cornering maneuvers. That's the skinny--the BMW control arm is a key component in your car's handling magic.