Are Ram's Plastic Control Arms Really As Bad As Social Media Says?

Considering that its genitor company Stellantis has spent 2025 bleeding cash, nan Ram marque astir apt isn't looking for much bad news this summer. That's why it must beryllium truthful frustrating that a rumor has erstwhile again popped up astir its pickups utilizing integrative precocious power arms.

Even though immoderate integrative is doubly arsenic beardown arsenic steel, it conscionable doesn't sound very reliable to opportunity a cardinal portion of your truck's suspension is plastic. And successful fact, nan ones utilized successful nan Ram 1500 aren't made of that material. At slightest not completely. As confirmed to The Drive by a Ram representative, nan power arms successful mobility are "a composite that is integrated pinch a alloy structure" and person an further coating to thief forestall corrosion. The consequence conscionable happens to person nan aforesaid quality arsenic nan worldly utilized to make beverage crates.

Now, if you spell backmost to nan property materials for nan current-generation Ram 1500, you'll spot that nan truck's then-new beforehand suspension featured "lightweight composite precocious power arms." And nan Ram squad confirmed to The Drive that this is "the aforesaid portion from nan motorboat of nan 2019 Ram 1500 and has been successful reliable work for 7 years." Nor has it been taxable to a recall. There's simply nary difficult impervious — astatine least, not yet — that Ram's integrative power arms are arsenic bad arsenic those net stories make them seem.

Control arms are truthful named because they thief power nan activity of a car's wheels, and successful nan beforehand suspension, that intends some nan up-and-down mobility arsenic you spell complete bumps successful nan roadworthy and nan turning mobility arsenic you steer. In addition, they physically link nan wheels to nan vehicle's frame. 

Ram's precocious power arms look benignant of for illustration ample cowboy spurs, pinch 2 attachment points going to nan framework alternatively of nether nan bottommost of your cowboy boots. Technically, they thrust connected bushings to thief destruct metal-on-metal clash and wear. The different side, nan curved portion of nan power arm, connects pinch a steering knuckle and shot associated for accrued scope of mobility erstwhile you turn.

But you cognize what precocious power arms don't do? They don't play a portion successful supporting nan conveyance supra nan wheels, for illustration nan little power arms. With that successful mind, engineers don't person to interest astir making nan precocious power arms arsenic beardown arsenic nan little ones, letting them prevention weight by utilizing lighter materials for illustration composites. Saving weight is besides down nan inclination toward plastic suspension springs (actually made of composite).

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You could spell nan life of your conveyance without ever having to switch its power arms, arsenic they're usually bully for 100,000 miles of driving, aliases more. They're not indestructible, though, and a difficult capable effect pinch different car, curb, aliases pothole tin crook aliases break them. Control arms tin besides beryllium taxable to corrosion arsenic you thrust done roadworthy brackish and water.

Regardless, location are a fewer telltale signs your power arms are connected their measurement out. One of nan astir noticeable is simply a clunking benignant of noise, particularly arsenic you spell complete bumps and irregularities successful nan road. It's usually nan consequence of worn bushings that tin nary longer forestall nan power limb from bumping into nan car's framework arsenic you drive. 

Bad bushings, on pinch deformed aliases damaged power arms, tin origin issues pinch turning, too. Here, nan arms simply can't do their occupation of controlling nan wheels and keeping them decently aligned arsenic you steer. You besides whitethorn announcement your steering instrumentality really shaking aliases vibrating, while nan tires you thrust connected whitethorn commencement wearing retired unevenly. One bully solution comes from Chinese supercars that tin jump over nan potholes successful nan first place, but don't look for that connected a Ram motortruck rather yet.