Clunking Noise from front end

[sporty111]

I'm trying to figure out what is causing a clunking noise from my front end. 2001 Mazda protege, 230,000 km.
When going on a straightaway, say over a speed bump, the suspension behaves fine; no unexpected noise. It's when I am turning either left or right, and hit a bump, (such as going into a driveway) that I hear a clunking sound from the front end. I replaced both front sway bar links, and while that did help reduce the level of the sound there is still some noise there. Any ideas what else could be causing this noise ?

 

[JReichle1]

Sway bar bushing or strut mount possibly. Also check the ball joints and lower control arm bushings. Good luck!

 

[Pyro-tege]

Check the front sway bar links for play and noise.

 

[rdaex]

I had a similar noise.
Had both front stabilizer bars replaced and its good as new

 

[sporty111]

I did replaced the stabilize links earlier, but this partilcular noise ended up being the ball joint. As it turns out, on the Protege, replacing th a ball joint involved replacing the entire control arm. The part was $CAD 125 and an hour of labour. The clunking noise is gone !

Unfortunately the mechanic put a hole in my CV boot while he was blowing away the ball joint screw with a torch. So it's it will be going back tomorrow to get them to fix what they screwed up. This is exactly why I perefer to work on my car myself - at least the things that I have tools for.

BTW I looked into changing the front sway bar bushings, and they look pretty hard to access. But they looked OK; no obvious gaps between the rubber and the sway bar.

 

[BAHKACK]

Hi all.

Didn't think I should start a new thread but my problem is CLUNK FROM REAR SUSPENSION. ~ over small bumps I get a clunk from pass side rear (2001 ES 2.0).

I read that it could also be swaybar bushing on back?

What about strut mounts? I took rear package tray off and checked for any looseness in the mounting bolts and strut top bolt but they are tight.

 

[slavrenz]

I did replaced the stabilize links earlier, but this partilcular noise ended up being the ball joint. As it turns out, on the Protege, replacing th a ball joint involved replacing the entire control arm. The part was $CAD 125 and an hour of labour. The clunking noise is gone !

Unfortunately the mechanic put a hole in my CV boot while he was blowing away the ball joint screw with a torch. So it's it will be going back tomorrow to get them to fix what they screwed up. This is exactly why I perefer to work on my car myself - at least the things that I have tools for.

BTW I looked into changing the front sway bar bushings, and they look pretty hard to access. But they looked OK; no obvious gaps between the rubber and the sway bar.

They better not have charged you anything for that boot.

 

[sporty111]

No they did not charge me. The mechanic admitted that he nicked it with a hammer when extracting the old balljoint. I don't want to know how hard he must have been swinging that hammer. As it turns out they replaced the entire drive shaft. I understand that's a faster job than messing around with replacing a boot.

 

[DennisM]

Well you have to give them credit for that. It's ok to make a mistake as long as you own up to it and make it right (fix the mistake) . Sounds like they did. I am having a simular noise so I am going out to the garage today to do the entire front end if nesessary. but that sounds like a good place to start.