Really weird front end clunk (was embarrasing 4k sway bar Q)

[Huw Powell]

well, if you're *sure* a ball joint isn't moving a bit (one loose nut?)
or bad (how did you check them?) how about spring motion/poor seating or
a bit of gravel caught in one of the perches?

Dwight & Tina Varnes wrote:
> 
> Continuing with the diagnosis, I've determined my problem is NOT the
> sway bar mounting. It only hits the strut bottoms when the car is topped
> out, i.e. up on jack stands. Plenty of clearance on the ground.
> 
> Symptoms (and read them all and think first; it's not the obvious
> answer):
> 1) Thunk or pop during hard left turns, like parking
> 2) Steering wheel straight, then will 'pop' and be off center while
> going straight   (after a turn, usually a left). Tracks basically ok
> with only a slight pull off center. Squirrely, unpredictable cornering
> during left turns.
> 3) With the wheel turned hard left and pushing the car slowly, I can see
> the RF wheel 'pop' along with the thunk sound.
> 4) This is the good one...reverse is intermittently a problem. Depending
> on the position of whatever is causing the problem, reverse will work
> either perfectly or pop out of gear every time and be impossible to hold
> in!
> The problem is concentrated on the right side. It appears (but may not
> be) it is related to the hub/axle/bearing/transmission more than the
> steering or strut action.
> This all started very suddenly after driving carefully on a gravel road.
> Nothing was impacted.
> Tie rods ok, steering rack firmly mounted and ok. No noise from wheel
> bearing or cv joints. All bushings are new or reasonably new. Ball
> joints, A-arms, subframe mounts, etc. all appear fine and are not
> moving.
> This is baffling to say the least. My only ideas are:
> 1) wheel bearing (should make noise, or have made noise previously)
> 2) CV joint or axle (where is the clicking sound?)
> 3) transmission (worked fine before, and why would it be related to the
> wheel angle?)
> 4) ???
> Ludicrous suggestions welcomed.
> 
> Dwight Varnes
> 86 Coupe GT

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/

http://www.humanthoughts.org/