Slight "clunking" in the front end?

[Gebo]

I can hear (not really feel) a slight clunking noise in what appears to be the right front end area. It would give you the impression that a suspension component is loose. I was wondering about the rubber bushings around some of the bars and such. It is much more pronounced first thing in the morning. ANy experience in this? 193,000 miles '92 SE 3.8

thanks!

[Barry's94Transport]

Well I had both front ball joints go bad at about 150K.

[Gebo]

how did you know they were bad? I just had my van aligned and asked them to check the suspension out. They said they found nothing wrong.

[llerrad]

When going over bumpy road slowly ball joints will clunk, snap or bang. If your front end guy said they are good then start to check CV joints, bad CV will give shake on exceleration. Torsion bar rubbers bad maybe take a look and turn them 90 deg. or replace easy to do.

[LMP]

Well.."clunks" in the front end , that is what I"m used to. Indeed, testing the ball joints is not easy: if you jack the car, then there is no weight on the ball joint and is is not in normal position, so very hard to see. I use to test it by grabbing the top of the front tire from the side (car resting on tires, no jacks) and then I start shaking the car sideways..in synchronism with the natural swing that the car exhibits and this increases the movement more and more and with a bad ball joint, you will hear and feel and even see a definite play of the car relative to the wheel.

[Gebo]

I crawled under and got confused. I just got a 15 mm and tightened any nut I could get my socket on. I haven't driven it yet to see if did any good.

[LMP]

Originally Posted by LMP

Well.." if you jack the car, then there is no weight on the ball joint .

..in fact, I said the opposite of the thruth: when the car weight rests on the tire, the ball joint is just a "positionner" and has no weight on it whatsoever, and this is why it will move in any direction easily and "clunk" if subjected to even minimal side force. However, once the car is jacked, either from the center frame, or from the lower suspension arm, and the tire and axle carries no weight, then the full force of the spring acts on the ball joint and then it will not move and will exhibit a "no fail" condition.
So again, testing is best be done with car resting on tire....By the way, did you clear the problem?

[Gebo]

Sadly, nope.

[llerrad]

So change the ball joints can be done easy in the driveway, don't even need to drop torsion bar. Did mine last week, 93 transport. Cost of joints cheap.

[Gebo]

Originally Posted by llerrad

So change the ball joints can be done easy in the driveway, don't even need to drop torsion bar. Did mine last week, 93 transport. Cost of joints cheap.

ARe you serious????? Doesn't it mess up the alignment?

[llerrad]

I've had a ball joint come apart so for pease of mind so when there is noise in the front end to change out the joints is easy not expensive most times the joints did have too much play this too will mess your alignment plus alignments are something to do on a regular basis to make tires last. When my wife and kids are on the road I need to know they are safe and like I said joints are cheap once you do them you will see how easy.

[LMP]

Indeed..easy job. First time, have to get rid of rivets but afterwards ...because if you keep driving, you will change them again...., it is a bolt off - bolt on job

[LMP]

...just did it again...I kept posting about it and just realized I actually had to do it :left ball joint again. OK easy bolt off-bolt on, just a few tricks to pry the lower table down, but no problem. BUT I just found...or remembered..another way to find easily about a worn out ball joint: car normal on wheels, in neutral with parking brake on (not in PARK to avoid loading the joint) , turn wheels full on the side you want to check (to clear line of sight) , then have someone giggle with the steering wheel - left and right about 1/3 turn, engine running to help , - and then you can see easily the side play of the ball joint.