90 Notch Front suspension clunk

[MileHighDart]

My 90 foxbody has got some kind of a "clunk" noise in the front suspension.
It seems to happen most often when turning, or really just starting a turn from going straight.
Doesn't happen every time so its hard to make it make the noise, if you know what I mean.
I've been under the car and I cant find anything that obviously loose.

Just wondering if anyone has an idea of what to check first. Is there something common that wears out first on these foxbodies ? Control arm bushings, ball joints ?

 

[betke76]

Check to make sure the rac and pinion bolts are tight, happened to me on a couple of stangs

 

[boostfrk]

My 90 foxbody has got some kind of a "clunk" noise in the front suspension.
It seems to happen most often when turning, or really just starting a turn from going straight.
Doesn't happen every time so its hard to make it make the noise, if you know what I mean.
I've been under the car and I cant find anything that obviously loose.

Just wondering if anyone has an idea of what to check first. Is there something common that wears out first on these foxbodies ? Control arm bushings, ball joints ?

Check ball joints, tie rod ends (inner and outer), rack and pinon and control arm bushings

 

[MFE92]

And check your wheel bearings.

 

[MileHighDart]

Update: Only slop I could find anywhere was the wheel bearings seemed to have a little slop. When I removed the cotter pin and the lock washer thingy, I could unscrew the axle nut by hand. There was really no preload on the bearings at all.
I repacked the bearings and snugged them up a little. After a short bit of driving the drivers side seems to have the slop back.
I dont know, maybe they have been run so long without any preload on them that they have worn funny or something ?

Later, with the wife's help, I investigated the front end a little further. With me under the front of the car, I had the wife rock the steering wheel back and forth. I can definately hear what sound more like a "click" than a clunk, coming from the right front hub area, but cant really see any movement or slop that shouldn't be there. The sound has be either from the wheel bearing, or the ball joint.

I think I'll start by just replacing the wheel bearings with new cause I have a bad feeling about them, then next I think I'll do the ball joints to see if that gets rid of the Click or Clunk in the front end.

Note: I also started another thread about slop in the rear control arms cause the bushings seem to be shot there as well. It's kind of hard to nail down where the Clunk noises are coming from when you've got stuff going on at both ends of the car.

 

[MileHighDart]

p.s. steering rack and front control arm bushings seem to be tight, no slop there.

 

[2000xp8]

Likely the ball joints.

 

[banks98stang]

Likely the ball joints.

had the same problem couldnt really see it but i replaced the ball joints both sides and the problem was solved...u may also need new bearings