Ok, Ive read all the threads on front end clunking, so ive pryed on all the front bushings in the lower control arms, end links, upper control arms, even checked front subframe bolts. I know it could be upper strut mount as others have found, but no way to check.

Everything seems ok for 60k on my 2005 CTT. Sway bar links felt the softest, so have new ones on order. But i cant get then to make noise yanking or prying. Also no looseness or play when i Jack up the front corners and do the 9 and 3 and 12 and 6 movements.

I get the clunking and overall loose front end feeling most on washboard pavement, and bumps where the front unloads more than pushed up. Handing is fine, no noise when doing emergency lane changes. I do get a huge front end clunk thud when I jab the brakes at parking lot speeds. Went to pull out of a lot the other day, less than 5 mph and had to lock them up cause car peaked out, and front end felt like it was gonna fall out.

To me that sounds like LCA rear bushing.

However, tonight i crawled under started grabbing and moving parts as hard as I could by grabbing them with force, and the right side output shaft/ half shaft where it enters the front diff was making a clunk noise both in and out of the diff and up and down, more so up and down. Hub side is fine. Checked the drivers side, just clunk in and out, not up and down. I do notice more noise on the left side when driving over bumps.

The play seems to be where the shaft enters the diff. Its not a lot, but i can shake it as if going over washboard roads and it makes a clunky noise.

I have no grinding or bearing/diff noise caused by rotation or with speed. Changed the front diff oil at 50k.

Sorry, that was really long.

So, should there be some play where the front cv shafts exit the front diff? Is this normal?

Am I stretching to much here and should just replace my end links, then LCA's and go from there?

Thanks

 

There are different types of clunking on this car. I replaced the parts and can say that:
- most clunking is due to lower control arms and /or upper control arms. No way you can pry the upper arms to inspect (the way the arms are mounted with bolts - very tight, you wont see bushings unless you remove upper arms). Bushings crack in the upper/lower arms. Not super hard job, just takes time. This clunking is like something was loose in the car and when you hit bumps you can hear a metallic clunk as is some metallic part is loose.
- Other type of clunking is from the shock mount bushing. This clunking is less metallic in nature, more of a thud when two hard surfaces meet. The shock (internally), has rubber bushings that are mounted on the strut end with 3 bolts. Over time, the rubber gets worn on the disk base that contains the bushing. Over time, that rubber cracks and the mount splits, leaving the inner most part of it on the strut, while the outer part separates from strut. This creates a lot of play inside shock and causes looseness in shock plus split mount results in the thuding sound.
- Next type of noise you hear is creaking or type of a squeak. This is generated by the sway bar bushings. Raise up both wheels so neither side has pressure on the sway bar to separate links, then loosen sway bar, remove it, replace bushings and put bar back in. Lengthy but not super difficult.

If this was the cardan shaft, your car would have extreme banging under your seat, around the gear selector area (so bad you will stop car). Car hard to drive, can lead to drive shaft severing. Then car not drivable. Drive very slowly and gentle home.

If this is a cv axle shaft, you will be able to lift the wheel off the ground, grab the shaft behind the wheel and will be able to feel a lot of playon the shaft itself. This is due to worn joints, etc.
Replace by buying new cv shaft, 6 bolts for transmission area bolt down. Bolts are stretch bolts, hence need to buy each time they are removed.
If you drive in tight circles to the left (counter clock wise), you will hear pronounced clicking (that is the bearings breaking internally). CCW clicking means passenger axle bad. CW clicking means driver side axle bad.

Other sound you can hear is a whining (extra noise) sound when driving. This is usually discovered due to wheel hub bearing going bad. Lots extra noise, feeling of car being restricted when rolling, etc.
Replace by removing hub, pressing bearing out, putting new one in, reassemble and get 4 wheel alignment, or your tires will be shot.

Hope this helps.