Suspension Noises... Can't figure them out!

[GT Convertible]

In my 92 GT Convertible when i hit a bump something under the front end makes a loud clanking noise, and i cant figure out where it's coming from. It also makes the front tires wear on the inside faster than the outside. I'm thinking it's either the ball joints or the struts are bad. any help is appreciated.

 

[cardudeusa]

Is your car lowered or stock? I've had ball joints make a clunking noise when bad and also had one of my front struts would clunk like 2 or 3 times when I accelerated. When I pulled it off the car it would go in and out with absolutely no force. As far as tire wear if your car is lowered with out c/c plates that could cause it and I believe ball joints or shocks could cause the same wear as well.

 

[GT Convertible]

Is your car lowered or stock? I've had ball joints make a clunking noise when bad and also had one of my front struts would clunk like 2 or 3 times when I accelerated. When I pulled it off the car it would go in and out with absolutely no force. As far as tire wear if your car is lowered with out c/c plates that could cause it and I believe ball joints or shocks could cause the same wear as well.

it is at stock height.

 

[ReefBlueHatch]

My car was noisy in the front. Just on Saturday when installing lowering springs/struts/iso's we discovered a broken spring that probably caused the noise.

 

[MFE92]

Inner tie rod ends.

 

[MustangLX-5.0]

Inner Tie-rod ends (where it attaches to the steering rack) . They are simply ball-joints in the steering rack. If people drive their stangs over heavily bumpy roads or they nail speed bumps like they weren't there, then the inner tie-rod joints will wear out FAST. I had exactly this from nailing speed bumps too fast at work lol. Front end eventually started making banging noises, especially when hitting bumps. It was the inner tie-rod on the right side. The wheel easily turned in and out by a quarter inch.. And this can really wear out the tire/s on the side that is bad. Another thing you may want to inspect... the front brake calipers. Make sure they are bolted in TIGHT to spec. Otherwise the bolts can slowly start backing out from bumps and heavy braking, and then the calipers start clanking around from being loose.

Damaged strut (could be old, cylinder could have blown or it is damaged and/or bent) . Ball joints... maybe . Usually the ball joints will slowly start making creaking noises before they bang around from bumps. How many miles on this car?

 

[2000xp8]

Pretty simple, jack the car up from the front A arm.
Take a tire iron, put the point of it under the car perpendicular to the tire. Use it as a lever as if to lift the tire up and down.
If the tire moves at all, it's the ball joints.

 

[Wildstringer]

Pretty simple, jack the car up from the front A arm.
Take a tire iron, put the point of it under the car perpendicular to the tire. Use it as a lever as if to lift the tire up and down.
If the tire moves at all, it's the ball joints.

If thats ok grab the tire at 3 and 9 and shake. if it's inner tie rods you should feel it then

 

[GT Convertible]

Inner Tie-rod ends (where it attaches to the steering rack) . They are simply ball-joints in the steering rack. If people drive their stangs over heavily bumpy roads or they nail speed bumps like they weren't there, then the inner tie-rod joints will wear out FAST. I had exactly this from nailing speed bumps too fast at work lol. Front end eventually started making banging noises, especially when hitting bumps. It was the inner tie-rod on the right side. The wheel easily turned in and out by a quarter inch.. And this can really wear out the tire/s on the side that is bad. Another thing you may want to inspect... the front brake calipers. Make sure they are bolted in TIGHT to spec. Otherwise the bolts can slowly start backing out from bumps and heavy braking, and then the calipers start clanking around from being loose.

Damaged strut (could be old, cylinder could have blown or it is damaged and/or bent) . Ball joints... maybe . Usually the ball joints will slowly start making creaking noises before they bang around from bumps. How many miles on this car?

My mustang has 190,000 miles on it, so it probably needs all of it. thanks for all the info.

 

[MustangLX-5.0]

++1 to Wildstringer & 2000XP8 .

@ GT Convert.... perform those tests. Save yourself a few bucks and replace only what is busted. Don't be like one of those guys that go out and replace everything in the vicinity just because they don't feel like trying to isolate the exact problem... lololol ..... Just sayin man.. hehe