Steering arm replacement

[Uncle Rod]

Got timing and auxiliary belts done last week by Renault dealer for £130.00. Good price I thought but, on collection, I was told that the car needs a driver's side steering arm replaced . I've looked in my Haynes manual but it's as clear as muck. Could any of you learned gents explain in layman's terms what a steering arm is, what it does, where it is and should they last for more than 4 years.
Love my Migraine - hate the bloody expense of it... .

[oldbury863]

It seems that things dont last like they ought to; we just had an MOT failure on both ball swivels (connecting the steering rack to the track rod ends) on our '03 Meggie after just 62,000 miles. Cost about £150.
My previous car, a Primera, covered 130,000 miles without any component of the steering or suspension ever requiring attention. . . . . .

[Uncle Rod]

My car is a 1.5dCI Dynamique and I've always believed it to be way to solid at the front end. Unless the road is billiard-table smooth, my car seems to try shaking itself to bits all the time. I guess this "steering arm" is just the latest casualty of our alleged "roads".

[spungal69]

Its the right hand side arm from your steering rack to the ball joint on the hub helping the car steer obviously. Its quite a thick metal bar.