Steering? Suspension?
 

First, I apologize for yet another thread on this subject. I've searched a ton and have not found the culprit.

I've got a "bump bump bump" noise from the front end when I first start driving for the day. The best way to describe the noise would be like a tire with a lump "golf ball/egg, etc..." in the rubber, but my tires are new and have so lumps. I can feel the "bump" slightly in the steering wheel too. I just had the car aligned again and it's still there.

Crazy part is, after driving for a few minutes, the bump feel goes away and the car drives and sounds like it should.

I'm planning an overhaul of the steering and suspension starting with the shocks/struts next week, then on to the control arms with new sway bar end links, then tie rods. Then I thought I'd move on to new bearings/hubs. The driveaxles have been replaced and have less then 1,000 miles on them.

I figure one of these upgrades oughta fix the problem, but I'd like to change my upgrade order if anyone thinks they know which component it could be...I might as well start with the replacement that will fix this.

Just because the tire is new doesn't mean it can't be bad. I had a set of Good Year Comfortreads installed and had the same sort of bump in the steering when the car was cold. Increasing tire pressure would make it go away. I argued with Good Year for 3 months about it. They even passed a road force balance several times.
I finally got them to replace both front tires and it's been smooth sailing ever since.

Rotate front to back and see if the bump in your steering goes away or changes.

Are the Rims bent?? Wheel bearing?? Sounds like the noise emanates when the tires are rotating. In that case, i would start with those two items and check the Haynes Manual too.

+1. A bump-bump-bump at low speeds accompanied by a steering wobble with the same frequency as the bump, sounds like a front tire.

cudnt possibly be rear tire.

Thanks for the ideas guys. I failed to mention that they were rotated last week at 3,000 miles and have had the issue with both sets up front. Sorry I did not get that in my first post.

I'll get it up on jack stands this weekend and start having a look for play, worn parts, etc...

Does the thump noise have a hollow clunk/bunk noise with a quiet rubbery feeling and it can be felt into the steering wheel. I am sure It's the strut mounts that are going bad and there making noise every time your going on the bumps. Check to see if it's the bolts on the strut mounts that are loose because the threads on the shocks are stripped.

So lets rule out the tires for now. If it's a rotational noise, then you've got to look at the rotors and wheel bearings next.