I have this clunking noise coming from the right front wheel that comes and goes. The noise comes and goes by itself on a bumpy road. I can also get the noise to occur by accelerating/decelerating on a slightly bumpy road. I can't get the noise to occur on a smooth road by accelerating/decelerating. BTW, the clucking noise sounds like a CV joint going out. The CV joint looks OK.

I checked the right front strut to see if it is bottoming out and the strut is fine. However, I can get the noise to occur by continuously rocking the right front fender up and down. I might get 1 or 2 clunks for every 10 ups/downs.

There is no noise when rotating the steering wheel left or right. What do you guys think? Is it the strut, strut bearing, wheel bearing or CV joint?

Thanks

 

Try raising the wheel off the ground to see if you got play on the ball joint. I have 3 max's. 87, 91 and 96. My 87 was doing what your is. jacked the car up but found no play on the ball joint. But i knew it was so i replaced them and no more clunking. Sometimes it takes more pressure then sticking a bar under the tire to get the ball joint to show play.

 

I'm having the same problem....at first I thought it was my y-pipe hitting and then I thought it mighta been my spare or something in the back but I am pretty sure that it is like the front drivers strut....kinda worried though...

 

I had the clunk noise too but it turned out to be spring noise, I raised the car up and put that vinyl wrap on it, there is a write up on it somehwere on the org I can't remember but it worked great for me. The upper coils on some springs touch and after going over bumps for so long it wears of the coating so that it's metal on metal, the sound you are hearing might me slight metal to metal contact. Strut mounts can also make noise when they get worn but the best bet is to do the vinyl/rubber wrap first to see if that kills the noise.

 

Blown strut.

 

It could be stripped threads on your strut locking nut. Tokicos are really soft and can strip fairly easily. I found out the hard way...the install was fine for months, then the thing loosened up and the noises started coming. If you took the strut apart, you would most likely only find stripped threads and nothing else wrong. If it's really loose, it will make major clunking noises. If only slightly loose, it might make more muted noises.