Loud groan from front suspension..

[Best4x4xFAR]

So all of a sudden the X has been experiencing a very loud (and embarrassing) groan from the front left Suspension. It makes the noise when stationary and you turn the wheel, or when the suspension cycles up and down, but I can't seem to track down where it is coming from.

It also does NOT make the noise if there is no load on the suspension (so with the car jacked-up and the wheel off the ground, turning the wheel it makes no sound. But if I use a small bottle jack under the arm and put some load back on the assembly, it groans again.

So I'm stumped. Tension strut, Ball Joint maybe? Or the rear 'Wishbone' link? The noise is amplified up the strut tube greatly, and is almost impossible to track to its source, try as I might.

I suppose it could also be the Tie-Rod End or Swaybar link, but I don't think loading it would change the behavior of the tie-rod end, and the sway bar link seems like a long shot since it does it when stationary and turning the wheel, without suspension movement.

Hate to just start throwing parts at it, but may try the ball joint this weekend unless anyone has any other insight?