Front End Clunk - possible cv shaft to front diff?

[Corvetteboy6988]

Ok, Ive read all the threads on front end clunking, so ive pryed on all the front bushings in the lower control arms, end links, upper control arms, even checked front subframe bolts. I know it could be upper strut mount as others have found, but no way to check.

Everything seems ok for 60k on my 2005 CTT. Sway bar links felt the softest, so have new ones on order. But i cant get then to make noise yanking or prying. Also no looseness or play when i Jack up the front corners and do the 9 and 3 and 12 and 6 movements.

I get the clunking and overall loose front end feeling most on washboard pavement, and bumps where the front unloads more than pushed up. Handing is fine, no noise when doing emergency lane changes. I do get a huge front end clunk thud when I jab the brakes at parking lot speeds. Went to pull out of a lot the other day, less than 5 mph and had to lock them up cause car peaked out, and front end felt like it was gonna fall out.

To me that sounds like LCA rear bushing.

However, tonight i crawled under started grabbing and moving parts as hard as I could by grabbing them with force, and the right side output shaft/ half shaft where it enters the front diff was making a clunk noise both in and out of the diff and up and down, more so up and down. Hub side is fine. Checked the drivers side, just clunk in and out, not up and down.  I do notice more noise on the left side when driving over bumps.

The play seems to be where the shaft enters the diff. Its not a lot, but i can shake it as if going over washboard roads and it makes a clunky noise.

I have no grinding or bearing/diff noise caused by rotation or with speed. Changed the front diff oil at 50k.

Sorry, that was really long.

So, should there be some play where the front cv shafts exit the front diff?  Is this normal?

Am I stretching to much here and should just replace my end links, then LCA's and go from there?

Thanks

Edited September 16, 2019 by Corvetteboy6988

[lewisweller]

I would be looking at bottom ball joints for play or control arm bushes or arb links. Remember when loaded they might seem ok, if you disconnect arb links for example they can then prove to be sloppy and worn. The diff output bearing movement isn't normal but I don't think you would feel that driving along unless they whine like mine did (you said they didn't), but certainly coming to a abrupt stop the diff bearings and CV's are going to get some torque stresses and clunk when worn.  

 

I had a clunk on mine and found one bottom ball joint nut wasnt tight following an engine/transmission drop for a new torque converter seal. 

Before that Pretty sure I replaced the front arb bushes also that run near the front bumper bar. This was another time and front end clunk was the symptom over fast speed bumps and potholes. 

 

 

[Corvetteboy6988]

Thanks for the feedback, I will be doing the front sway bar endlinks here in a day or so, so I will know if its that.  Are you suggestion the ones by the front bumper, the 2 large sway bar bushings that are connect to the frame, was a problem you had?  I will look at those tonight, they are hard to see without remove the belly pan, so didnt check them previously, although the little I can see of the outside end of them, the "look" ok.  I have also pushed up on the stabilizar bar to see if there is excessive movement in them, and there isnt.

Maybe Ill just do these as well, after the end links, as I have read one other mentioning these although they look good, can be bad, allowing the stablizer bar to hit the frame mount.  Then, move on to the LCA's after those to things.

When I disconnet the endlinks to change them, I will see how the bar bushing act when moving.

 

yep, no whine or other noises from the front diff, just this bit of movement when I tug on them from under the car.

 

[lewisweller]

3 hours ago, Corvetteboy6988 said:

Thanks for the feedback, I will be doing the front sway bar endlinks here in a day or so, so I will know if its that.  Are you suggestion the ones by the front bumper, the 2 large sway bar bushings that are connect to the frame, was a problem you had?  I will look at those tonight, they are hard to see without remove the belly pan, so didnt check them previously, although the little I can see of the outside end of them, the "look" ok.  I have also pushed up on the stabilizar bar to see if there is excessive movement in them, and there isnt.

Maybe Ill just do these as well, after the end links, as I have read one other mentioning these although they look good, can be bad, allowing the stablizer bar to hit the frame mount.  Then, move on to the LCA's after those to things.

When I disconnet the endlinks to change them, I will see how the bar bushing act when moving.

 

yep, no whine or other noises from the front diff, just this bit of movement when I tug on them from under the car.

 

Yeah the two centre arb bushes and end links were worn on mine, you gotta remove a plastic cover piece and the under tray to see the Bushes IIRC.