Drivability issue
 

Front end clunking from beneath when I steer and I get a separate thumping over the slightest road irregularities but not necessarily over sleeping policeman.


I've replaced all the front bits save the control arm ball joints and I get a terrible vibration between 45 and 65 specially at slight right sweeping turns on the highway.


Any ideas?


TIA


VM

Probably the tension strut balljoints then.. Or, the tension strut bushes, if you havent replaced these already...?

I too changed everything before getting to the REAL cause of the knocking sound similar to your description (though my saving grace was that I went the 'cheapest-part-first' route and elliminated those noises along the way :whistle:), which WAS the balljoint on the drivers' side, plus the bushes on both tension struts.

PITA day but got it done, and now no knocking whatsoever. Job done, very happy now. :thumbup:

Just lift the beast up and get a bar in there and try and move the bushes and balljoints.

Note: 'Tension struts' can also be called 'front thrust arms'.

Part #6 here: RealOEM.com * BMW E53 X5 4.4i Frnt axle support,wishbone/tension strut

Yes, thrust arm replaced, not the ball joint, that's next, I guess.

Makes sense this is what is causing the extreme vibration.

Thanks

VM

Have you done the sway bar end links? These are known to clunk over bumps when worn out.

Din,

I've checked the sway bar struts, they seem in pretty good shape and I can't get any play in them when I move them around, unless the noise needs a lot more force to be exhibited.

Now, the sway bar bushings don't look to good to me. I think I'll change those since I seem to notice that the sound is most notable when one wheel
goes over a bump and the other one doesn't.

BTW, I replaced the shocks and shock towers including strut bearing so they shouldn't be the culprit here either.

VM

very difficult to find play with weight loaded .check the drop link on the sway bar by rocking the car side to side .
you should hear knocking . best to observe whilst assistant rocks car taking care not to break anything .
you could just disconnect the lower ball joint on links to check if still in doubt .