Help me find clunk in front end. 94 Tbird LX

Help ! This is driving me crazy. I have a clunk coming from the left front of my 94 TBird LX each time I hit even a very small bump. I figured the struts were bad as the front end bounced up and down. I replaced them. The ride is much better but the clunk remains. I checked the upper and lower ball joints when I had it apart. All pivot points seem fine. The sway bar bushings are tight. I've been tugging and prying on everything that moves on the front end. It is all OK. I then started looking for things that don't move with front suspension. I found a loose splashshield, loose fascia end and a loose wire harnes bracket on the firewall. None of this was it.
Is there a known or inherant problem with 94 ish Birds?
I'm going to pull the splash shield out tonight and see if I can find something flopping around in there.
Help !
I'm going nuts looking for this.

Danford1
PS This is a new car to me. I don't know the history or how long the clunk has been there.

I don't know if this will help, but i had something similar happen to my 93. There was a rattle coming from the front left every time i hit the smallest bump. I checked everything over and over again and couldn't figure it out. I took it to a mechanic and they relaced a bushing and said it helped a bit (i didn't notice a difference). Last weekend when i was changing the brakes on that side, i was checking the calipers with my Haynes manual (best thing in the world) and they had a diagram pointing to the top of the caliper saying "make sure anti-rattle clip is firmly in place." When i looked, i noticed i was missing the WHOLE clip...LOL!!! Went to my junkyard ripped off the right caliper and got the clip (pops right off with flathead screwdriver). It's a little aluminum square that clips into the top of caliper (have to check, 94's might be different). Junkyard guy didn't even charge me for it...LOL. Put it in and problem solved. Hope this helps!

Just checked my haynes manual and the front brakes are the same from 93 up. If you have one, reference section 9-7 picture 3.7j

Not to be too technical, but if your noise is more clunk than rattle, this might not be the answer...LOL

Check your end links.

Check your end links.
By end links are you refering to the sway bar link rod ends? If so they are tight.
The brakes do have the clips in place. It makes the noise even while braking so brakes aren't it.

What "proper" procedure does the Hayes manual say to follow for checking upper and lower ball joints?

Danford1

Section 10-6 says "The balljoints on the upper control arm of this vehicle are not replaceable separately. The entire control arm must be replaced if the upper contol arm joints are worn out. The lower balljoints require a special tool (like everything else...LOL) that clamps onto the control arm and simultaneously presses the balljoint out. If the lower balljoint needs to be replaced, remove the lower control arm (see section 7) and take it to a dealer service department or other repair shop to have the old balljoint removed and a new one pressed in."

That's all it says about that, which sucks IMO.

Just a thought, but could he have a bad bearing?

I just looked and if it is a bearing, it says "the front wheel bearings are a single unit hub design and are pre-greased, sealed and require no maintenance. The bearings are pre-set and cannot be adjusted. If a bearing replacement is required, the hub and bearing assembly must be replaced as an assembly." It doesn't say how to tell if a bearing is bad though...

Special tools LOL. Its not really special tools it is basically short pipes and or large sockets and a torch with a press.

The bearings in the front hub will buzz when they are going bad, not clunk or anything else. To test the upper and lower ball joints, raise the vehicle so the tires are about 3 inches off the ground, get a long pry bar, stick one end under the tire and press up on the other. If you get anything other than normal suspension movement, isolate where it is coming from. I still think it is the end links by the way you describe it.

By end links, do you mean the small ends on the links that go from the sway bar to spindle?

Danford1

The bearings in the front hub will buzz when they are going bad, not clunk or anything else. To test the upper and lower ball joints, raise the vehicle so the tires are about 3 inches off the ground, get a long pry bar, stick one end under the tire and press up on the other. If you get anything other than normal suspension movement, isolate where it is coming from. I still think it is the end links by the way you describe it.

Yes, looks like this:

http://www.partsamerica.com/product_images/AAP/TRW/TRWF_SWBLK_PI_SwayBarLink2.jpg

I have a 92 5.0 Sport that is doing the same thing. Let us know if you find out what it is.

Hello All I just went thru the same thing.........IT WAS THE END LINKS. JAck up the front take off the wheel grab the sway bar and pull up and down hard.....mine made the noise I was going crazt trying to find. Easy Peasy Japaneasy. No more noise.