How do you know if a front end problem is worn bushings or worn ball joints? I've got 206,000 on my '92 240. Original everything up front. When I back out of a parking space and turn the wheel, I can hear a clunk coming from the driver's side. Not really loud, but noticeable. Recently, I've begun hearing a slight clunk when I turn (mainly left) at low speeds. Also, there is some abnormal wear on the driver's side front tire, along the outside edge of the rubber.
I'm willing to bet the bushings are all shot...but how do I know if the ball joints are bad, too? And is there any way to tell if its the lower or upper ball joint making trouble? I don't have a lot of money on my hands these days, so I'm only replacing things that HAVE to be replaced. Thanks!

Sounds like my ball joints when they went bad. Could also be a bad strut mount/bearing, I am getting a similar sound turning sharp and car is going over incline at the same time. Mine is more of a groaning sound, however.

From a safety standpoint, it is probably most important to do the ball joints and tie rods first. A lot cheaper than struts too...



Jim 90 244DL 235K

Unless you drive only on glass-smooth roads and never expose your car to temperatures far from room temp, at 206K you should be looking at replacing everything "wearable" up front. This would include A-arm bushings, sway bar end links, ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings, struts and possibly strut bearings. If you took it to a dealer, that would run you over $1000. But with planning and decent tools, you can do it for under half that.

The'91 we got a couple of summers ago for the younger generation had lived its life in Queens, NY - nice cosmetics, but it was definitely "rode hard and put up wet" as the horse folks say. Younger son and I did struts, rear shocks, IPD bars, wheel bearings, new brakes all around, ball joints and tie rod ends in one weekend (more like one longish day) without breathing hard. A couple of weekends later we took a full day to do front and rear bushings. With the IPD bars and Sachs Advantage struts/shocks I think the total came to about $700.

If your funds are limited, then get ball joints, tie rod ends and basic front struts (OEM quality unless you can afford better) for starters. Have a knowledgable friend/Brickster help you with the struts. Plan on an alignment right after that work is done.

Next on the agenda would be the A-arm bushings. Just do the rears; the fronts are almost never a problem. The bushings are not expensive but removing them from the A-arm can be a bear... research various experiences noted here. Put on new sway bar end links and bushings. Replace the front wheel bearings.

A quick look at fcpgroton's prices shows that the stuff I mentioned rings out at $248 plus shipping. Throw in an alignment and you're around $300 if you can do most of the work yourself.

BTW, cars with MacPhearson strut front suspensions don't have upper ball joints. The upper steering pivot is the strut bearing plate, which bolts to the front strut tower sheet metal.

Another thing: I've got a standard tool kit, this pipe I've been using as a breaker bar, a pretty decent hammer, some heavy sockets, two jackstands, and WD-40. In your opinion, am I going to need anything else? Did you encounter anything you wish you'd known beforehand?

Thanks!

I'm kind of having this done in two stages. In February, I had both the struts and strut bearings replaced. With the alignment, this cost me about $600. I have since learned that I got taken to the cleaners on parts over the IPD or FCP Groton prices.
This time, I got all the bushings, urethane where possible, along with tie rods and ball joints for $154, including shipping, from Groton. The shop wants $320 to put everything on--again, including alignment. If I can find some spare time, I'm going to try to do it myself. I haven't touched the rear part, yet. That's coming too, I'm sure.

my car has the same problem except it's rear end clunk. The bushings have too much play when i jacked up the car and played with them. I also hear a sort of sqwweek sometimes when i start driving at lower speeds?

If i move really fast then i hear the clunk. There is also a slight wandering feel at higher speeds and the prvious tires had the outer edges worn out????

any clues?

i've heard the bushings are difficult to install btw???

There's a bushing in the rear suspension that you're supposed to have a $165 tool to press out, but you can burn it with one of those $20 dollar torches from Home Depot. I've done work like this on the front end of a few different Chevies, and it took me most of the day because I don't know what the hell I'm doing.
See some of the other posts on this thread about your problem. They've been an invaluable help to me. Also, get your parts from FCP Groton, if you can. From what I've seen, they're the most affordable.

you can create your own tool to remove the rear trailing arm

check this:
http://www-ese.fnal.gov/People/wilcer/volvo_trailing_arm_bushing_tool.htm
--
Rich Wiebe

I had a clunk in the front end when backing/turning out of a parking spot. I replaced the ball joints but it did not fix the problem. I replaced the front struts and the problem went away. Plus the car handled much better on the road.

good luck,
JJ

Raise the front, grab the wheel at 12 and 6 positions and try moving it (sorta like pulling at one end and pushing at the other). If there is play, it's usually your ball joint. However, the clunk you hear could be due to improperly torqued suspension bolts. IPD provides instruction for torquing these to the right value. I would get their ctaalog, if you don't already have it, and follow the directions. I am sure someone here can also explain this in detail.

Cheers,
Raj
--
90 BMW 325is, 98 BMW 528i, 90 Volvo 240DL

If you get a friend to push-pull the front wheel at 6 o'clock and 12 o'clock, you can get under there and see for yourself if there is any play in the ball joints. And yes, a bad ball joint will give your brick not only a clunk but a wandering feel, especially at higher speeds.

Of course any clunk could be bushings, but the first thing to do is tighten all the suspension bolts, as Raj says. The only problem with the recent IPD article on this subject is that it leaves out a very common location for loose bolt clunks: the lower end link bushing and upper grommet.

Often times the clunk when turning is either a loose strut "nut"...you know the big brass one that screws down into the housing, or an inner tie rod. A CLUNK when going over a bump is usually those three bolts at the rear of the control arm that house the bushing, they wiggle loose, and a squeeeka eeeeka is the control arm bushings, or the beginning of the end of the balljoints. Bad tire wear is "generally" more indicative of a tie rod problem...but you know these sound affects and symptoms are "generallys"...a car can throw you a curve whenever it wants to...