I'm still getting a clunk on the driver's side, even over small bumps like the little reflective raised bumps in the center line of the road. Here's what I've done to the front end:

-New Sachs Advantage strut inserts to replace worn out Volvo struts.
-Turbo swaybar with new Volvo bushings and brackets.
-New (used) strut tube on driver's side because I couldn't get the gland nut off and one of the four ball joint bolts broke off in the housing.
-New upper endlink bushings.

Here's what I've done to try to eliminate the clunk.

-Made sure the wheel bearings are not loose. Torqued to 40 lbs. while spinning the wheel, backed off to where the wheel turns nicely with slack at zero or just barely perceptible.

-Made sure the four new ball joint housing bolts at the bottom of the strut tube are torqued to 17 lbs like the book says.

-Made sure the gland nut is tight with the wheel hanging free and with the wheel jacked up 2 or 3 inches. Nut is not fully seated. Two or three threads are showing. The insert is the same length as the old one.

-Made sure the top center nut is tight. I also tried it with a washer under it. The nut is tight.

-Made sure that the three nuts at the top of the strut tower are torque to 15 lbs as the book says.

-Tried a known quiet strut that I have in the garage.

-Checked the end links. Lower bolts are tight. Everything feels snug when prying with small pry bar.

-Checked the bolts at the front and back of the control arms. All tight, including the three that hold the bucket.

The clunk wasn't there before this job. I'm running out of things to try. It sounds like a bad ball joint to me. Could doing this job take a marginal ball joint over the edge or take what appears to be good control arm bushings over the edge? Are all 240 end links the same? I did use two cleaner to replace the two that were on the car. Thanks for any advice on what to try next.
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Thanks everyone for all the help, Doug C. 81 242 Brick Off Blocks, turbo bars and wheels, M46; 86 244, B230, 155k , auto; 81 242 Turbo, intercooled, M46, 122k; 93 245, B230, M47, 153K.

Thanks to all for the replies. I removed the control arms and ball joints today. I'm going to replace the ball joints because the boots are torn, but I don't think they are the cause of the clunk. I did find a bad rear control arm bushing on the driver's side. The inner metal sleeve was frozen to the stud and the rubber bushing was freely spinning on the frozen sleeve. The bushing was not doing it's job, but I can't see how this would cause the clunking. The nut and washer holding the inner sleeve in place were really tight. The failure just caused rubber to move on metal. We'll see what else I find tomorrow.

The front CA bushings look good. Do they go bad often? I'm considering replacing them while I have it apart.
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Thanks for all the help. DougC. 1981 242 Brick Off Blocks, Turbo bars and wheels, M46. 1990 245, auto, 113k. 1993 245, M47, 154k.

Try 2 washers under the top nut. Dan

hi doug
when i did all my front end work is when my clunk started.
im thinking when i pushed down the control arm to get strut housing out to work on i damaged the old bushings, but havent went in to fix yet.
seems like my problem may be confirmed with the other response in your thread.
good luck and let us know how it turns out.
mike

Was the metal spacer in place at the bottom of the strut tube on the new\used strut?

Also check the steering rack mount bolts, and the inner tie rod play.
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Bruce S. near D.C.

Inside the strut tube looked just like the old one. No removable spacer, just the built-in seat for the bottom of the strut insert. With the ball joint off, I could see that the insert seated nicely when the gland nut was tightened down. Two or three threads are still showing on the gland nut.
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Thanks everyone for all the help, Doug C. 81 242 Brick Off Blocks, turbo bars and wheels, M46; 86 244, B230, 155k , auto; 81 242 Turbo, intercooled, M46, 122k; 93 245, B230, M47, 153K.

Front crossmember to frame bolts (accessable from under the hood). Use a FLE and a 1/2" drive ratchet and back off the bolts a turn and then retorque 'em.

Other than the already mentioned ball joint scenario, that's all I can think of...at the moment.

Good notion.

I had to have these tightened on my 84 245 GLT as well. The IPD catalogs (the odler ones anyway) had a small illustration of these bolts and their appropriate tightening specs in ft-lbs.

yes ball joints are a possibility, and on 2 of my 3 93's the metal inside of the rear control arm bushing had separated and caused a clunk. on Both cars
it was the driver's side that was the prob. you could not see any slack until the old bushing was removed.

BTW I thought ball joints at first -- changed them and clunk was still there.

goog luck
dhalljr