Loud Front end clunk

[PLAGUE PHANTOM]

For the past few weeks my car has been making an annoying front end clunking sound. It makes the sound when I turn, brake, accelerate, and going over speed bumps. My car has 100,000 miles and it still has the original factory steering and suspension. What could be causing this issue.

[sonoma_zr2]

Sounds like swap bar endlinks.

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 55&t=16985

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=25673&hilit=endlinks

[PLAGUE PHANTOM]

Went to go try to replace my endlinks today and i saw something that shocked me. The sway bar was not attached on the passenger side. My uncle told me when he owned the car the end link bolts were rusted so bad that he could not get them to come off. He said he hacksawed the endlink in half, removed the top portion of the endlink, and shoved a 7/16 socket in there to hold the lower half . It seems that when i was trying to remove the lower half the spacer has completely rusted to the bolt and it will not come off. The socket however is siezed inside the endlink bolt hole on the sway bar. My uncle did this "repair" 3 years ago and i am surprised i didn't hear any noises until now. Looks like i am going to need a new sway bar. What do you guys think? I am thinking of removing the sway bar and hammering the socket out. Will my car be safe to drive without a sway bar?

[Spitzkindl]

Will my car be safe to drive without a sway bar?

"Safe"? It's there for a reason, fix the bar first, and drive then.

[willwren]

Cut the socket/links out and replace them. Do not remove the bar. It's a real trick to get it out of there anyway, even with the front wheels removed.

[PLAGUE PHANTOM]

I finally got the socket and the broken half off...but now i have a rounded lug nut that prevents me from removing the wheel. Do i really even need to remove the wheel or do i just turn the wheel toward the driver side to access the endlink bolt hole locations?

[sonoma_zr2]

You could try turning the wheels, or just run the front end up a set of ramps and do it from below.

[willwren]

Go get a nut breaker from the auto parts store. Do it on ramps. It's been a long time since I've done a set (both of mine are upgraded per Techinfo), but IIRC, you want weight ON wheels for the work, and do it underneath.

[PLAGUE PHANTOM]

Finally got the passenger endlink replaced today no more clunk on the passenger side. Replacing the driver side tomorrow and I hope it goes A Lot smoother than the passenger side one

[PLAGUE PHANTOM]

Swapped the endlinks out last weak and drove the car. The clunk is still there but it is not as loud. Any other parts that I may need to look at?

[sonoma_zr2]

The list includes but not limited to...transmission/engine mounts, top strut mounts, brakes, subframe bushings, bad axle, something broken, something loose, etc, etc. I've even seen a bad door hinge cause a clunk.

[willwren]

The bottom line is that you're going to have to crawl under there and start shaking, lifting, poking, prodding, etc.

[quicksilver]

I actually have a similar problem on my car now and I made a post, never got any feedback on it though. My swaybar endlinks are fine, replaced them over the winter, and I checked them after I had the problem develop and they looked fine. Maybe today after school Ill take another look under there just to triple check.

But I want to believe that my cv shafts is the cause of the noise, got parts on the way from harofreak00, and ill know by tomorrow.

[PLAGUE PHANTOM]

Clunck is still there but it only happens when turning. I am leaning towards my subframe bushings as the culprit. The are cracked and colored rust orange. I will reuse my spacers and retainers...wish i could say trhe same for the bolts but they are rounded off.

This is the parts list i have compiled...tell me if i am missing something.

GMPARTSDIRECT.COM

6X Lower Bushing (yellow) 14103535
2X Upper Bushing (blue rear outer) 25536051
2x Upper Bushing (tan rear inner) 3542639
2x Upper Bushing (orange front) 25536050
6x Bolt 15677731

[willwren]

+ alignment when you're done.

[PLAGUE PHANTOM]

yup...bushings, retainers, and insulators are shot . Just got laid off so i will not be fixing this issue till next year. Does anyone possibly have a Sibframe bushing set for sale?

[PLAGUE PHANTOM]

Giving everybody an update. Clunk is still there and it is getting louder. I can really feel it through the floorboard on the driver side. I am now leaning toward the intermittent steering shaft going out. The clunk is only noticed when turning the wheel whil not moving or turning at around 10-30mph. Does it sound like the steering shaft is toast?

[92BonneSE]

I have a similar clunk while turning at low speeds only. I believe it is my strut mounts. I oil them every now and then which keeps the clunking down, although it is a lot worse in winter

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

Agreed on the strut mounts. Try oiling them first with a heavy-weight marine gear oil. A $4 bottle of SuperTech 75w-90 GL-5 marine gear oil kept my strut mounts fairly clunk-free for years.

[91NinetyEight]

The strut mounts on my old Ninety Eight made a clunk sound at low speed when taking tight corners. In my case the steering wheel wouldn't return to center after the mount made the clunk sound, so the alignment was off until I turned the wheel in the opposite direction.