When I hit larger bumps I get a Ka-chunk from the front end. If the suspension is loaded like in spirited driving it is not there. I have replaced the upper A-arms and the sway bar links (OEM at 148 thou). The front motor mount was replaced with the new trans (at 107 thou) and now at 168 I wonder if it is motor mounts.
If I rock the steering, even very hard it is not there. Is this the half shafts bouncing around relative to the engine?

 

can you isolate the noise (driver/passenger side)? Could be a ball joint, or even a blown strut. You'll have to get under the car and look for anything unusual

 

I have the same noise and i replaced the half shafts and ball joints. I'm thinking its the sway bar bushings

 

I did sway bars and end-links 15K ago, at 130K now.
A couple of weeks ago, about the time I got new tires, I began to notice a clunk when the car shifted side to side. One can make the sound by wiggling the wheel while driving.

I traded a loaf of my wife's supreme banana bread for lift time today, and me and my buddy pulled, shook, squeezed, prodded, etc. Nadda.

I'm thinking the noise was always there, and the much quieter tires have made me more aware of other sounds.

Next step is to look for something loose in the spare wire well.

 

This is why it is tough to figure:
No noise when rocking the wheel back and forth. Even aggressively.
No noise on low frequency bumps
Sound happens from either side- say if I go over a manhole cover or any bump making a sharp jolt. Clunk from left or clunk from right.
New OEM end links.
I have had the car in the air and nothing is loose in the suspension.

 

your not going to find anything loose with the wheels hanging down while on a lift,

jack one corner up at a time and use a pry bar against the ground prying up on the tire, this will unload the ball joints and control arm bushings as well as the strut plate if there is play in them, I would check the strut plates out pretty good as that is what it sounds like is your problem.

 

You can check the lower ball joints with the car on the lift by placing a prybar between the lower ball joint and the wheel and lifting. While there is some movement the lower joints are still ok. The upper shock plates have new bushings and I even shimmed them with a fender washer under the nut plate. I will check the the lower shock wishbone bushings next.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

little harder to do it that way but doable I guess, I wouldn't do it that way, also you won't see any play in the control arm bushings and your not going to get much leverage either so with everything hanging down and trying to pry on it your really not going to see much movement at all trying to inspect the suspension for worn parts on a twin post lift with th e wheels dangeling like they will.

FYI if you have any movement in a ball joint they are bad, about the only movement you can have is on an upper ball joint and a slight up and down movement any play inward or outward and they are junk, the upper is basically a piviot point only so the up and down play doesn't really matter but in and outward play does, that means your alignment is constantly changing. The lower is carring all of the load so any movement in it up down in or out and it needs replaced. Also you won't ever see any other play in the suspension with your method other than lower ball joint play and that will be minimized as well by the method used to pry on it.

 

ok, thanks

 

OMG... is that why im getting the clunk, no mechanic can find out what it is, they keep saying everything is fine, and my alignment steers to the left every other month!?

 

My lower ball joints definitely have some movement when pressed up into their bases.
Since our cars "hang" from the lower joint, unless it fails how do you recommend service life and/or replacement.
I don't want to be the typical Lincoln Town Car on the side of the road with a collapsed wheel...

 

I had a clunk coming from the front it turned out one of my top hats shock mount had rusted.

 

Thanks, I checked those and even shimmed the bushing to increase the firmness.
No change at all. And the clunk is not getting any worse (so far for a long while).
But during the oil change I grabbed each half shaft and checked for play.
My boots are still in good shape (silicone spray every oil change) but I was amazed at how much slop was in the CV joints. Almost a tinny chink-chunk. I guess they are shot and the grease is more like olive oil in there. No clicking when turning or clunks when shifting from park/reverse/drive etc.
So I will replace them AND the lower joints and report back.

 

leave the half shafts alone not your issue, if they are bad then you would be getting a vibration and not a clunk sound.

the half shafts have to float by design, the the suspension moves up and down the angle and overall distance changes that is why you have a small amount of play in them.