I searched the internet a bit, but couldn't find any sugestions beyond what I've tried, so hopefully you all can help.

I've got a 92 z28 305. In a tight turn, the front end makes a loud, sickening clunking/thud sound. I feel it through my feet, so whatever it is is attached to the frame. For reference, it sounds as if the rim is loose, and it's wobbling side to side, but of course it is not. When watching the car turn, there is no visible movement of the front end. It sounds like it's coming from the front wheel on the driver's side.

What i've done so far in troubleshooting:

Wheel bearings, both inner and outer, both sides.
Tie rods, (inner and outer ends, both sides)
Ball joints, both sides
Alignment after all of the above.
no gap or visible issues with the A-arm bushings
Struts are almost new (not even rust showing on the sleeves) and are solid.
Springs are solid.
Brakes (while i had the hub off for wheel bearings anyway)

it sounds like a metal on metal pop/thud noise... hard to describe. you don't feel any feedback in the steering wheel, but can feel it under your feet.

I'm at a loss on this one, I'm hoping there is some known issue that you all are aware of and/or can point me in the right direction

Thanks in advance.

 

wow u got almost a new front end. i would have thought the ball joint would have been it. whats left? a frame bushing, lose k member, or a motor mount is all i can think of. of those u have checked the bush always a first right so maybe check the k member bolts. probly did this but jack the car up and see if u can push the wheel in if u havent tried it yet. maybe set a 2x4 under tire for leverage and try pushing in on it and see if anything moves. be very careful and raise only one side so u dont push the car off the stands/jack, if its a lose k member then this will probly not do anything. well thats all i can think of. hope it helps

 

What kind of shape are your sway bar end links in? Are they broken, or is the rubber dried and deteriorated to be metal-on-metal, or did you replace them? I didn't see those mentioned in your hit list.

 

Well since it looks like a complete front end rebuild. I am going to ask if you checked the STRUT MOUNTS ??? Possible metal on metal noise from them and it is the right location..

 

wow, thanks all for the fast replies.

i'll start from the bottom and work my way up, lol.

I started with the strut mounts, because it seemed to me to be the most likely culprit based on the way it was behaving, they are solid though, th struts don't move at all.

The sway bar and all bushings look to be in good shape.

The wheels were slightly loose, normal for the wear that was on the front end, but nothing extreme, now with everything replaced, nothing moves.

Something else I meant to say in the initial post is that at slow speeds, <30 mph, the front end has a tendancy to suddenly jump/pull one side to the other... I'm not sure that this is related, and is probably more likely a combination of the very poor condition of the road (tire ruts from heavy traffic, etc) and the bad shape the tires are in from being out of alignment for too long (i really want to nail this issue before I put new tires on it. they are both bald on the inside).

one of the mods i wanted to make to the car anyway was to replace the stamped steel suspension/traction components with tubuar steel (a-arms, panhard bars, etc). In doing so this would replace the a-arm bushings anyway, so if that's the next step, so be it, even though the a-arms look fine, very little play (for a car w/ 112k miles on it) in them. I believe the previous owner had replaced the stock ones, as it has urethane bushings on it now.

 

I had EXACTLY the same problem a couple years ago. It was especially bad if I turned from a stand still up onto my driveway, or rolled the car back and forth with the wheel turned all the way to the right. I finally took it to a mechanic, who couldn't figure it out for a while.

I didn't see exactly what he did, but apparently there is a stop somewhere in the front end which limits how far the wheels can turn, and all he did was lube it up, and I haven't had the problem since.

 

is it a posi thats locked up or maybe do you have a spool and not know it?