67 clunking front suspension

[TomB]

My Deville 67 is making very loud clunking noises from the front suspension even on very minor ripples on tarmac. Passenger side. Wheel is firm, no vertical nor horizontal play, replaced the anti sway bar bushings, greased the ball joints, all other rubber bushings seem new. The noise is very loud metal to metal clunks. If I jack the car up it bangs when I raise it with about an inch. Impossible to locate the source.

Read somewhere that the the spring might be ill positioned. How to check, and if so, how to fix?

Any expert insights?

Thanks, Tom

[V63]

The tie strut bushings are problematic. Check both sides (On each strut) as one side could 'appear'  ok. The tie struts go from each lower control arm diagonally to the front most frame member.

[Dave Shepherd]

Maybe get a helper to move things around while you listen, from here definitive advice is a guess. Shake things around, look at upper and lower control arm bushings, shock mounts? As mentioned inner and outer strut bushings.

[TomB]

The strut bushings are new, it might actually be the lower ball joint, although I don't feel play, but I seem to feel the clunk strongest with fingers on the ball the joint.

Is it possible to replace them "on car"?

[Dave Shepherd]

Not recommended, if riveted, hard to do in car, if bolted it can be done.

[TomB]

thanks!