Well about 2 or 3 weeks ago I brought my GranVit into my work on the weekend to change all the oils in the driveline and engine since it finally clicked over 100,000 kms.  Everything went well, used 80w90 GL-5 in the front and rear diffs, jacked the front end of the car way up high to get about 1.25L of gear oil in, used semi-synthetic 75w90 GL-4 in the transfer case, and used full synthetic 75w90 GL-4 in the manual transmission.  Hardest part of the job must've been getting the oil fill plug in and out of the transmission, and directing the rubber hose into the trans and trying to fill it.  Who was the idiot that decided a torx allen key or male torx socket would be the best tool to get the fill plug out when you only have about 2/3rds of an inch of clearance?  A normal 6-sided plug would've been much smarter, I searched the shop trying to find something to fit but couldn't find anything.  I ended up removing and installing the trans fill plug with vice-grips.  Hopefully next time around I'll be able to find a better plug.

Anyway, back on topic.  About a week ago now a clunk sound has developed.  I personally think it is a swaybar link.  But I had the car in the shop today for a look around and I was poking around under the car with a light, prybar and big channel locks prying and squeezing every bushing and link I could find and could not find the clunk.  Paid close attention to the swaybar links but I could not get them to make the noise, either squeezing the bar ends towards the control arms or prying them away.  Back when I was doing the gear oil changes before I put the car back down on the ground I checked the front end for play in the front end and didn't find anything then either.  Quick question: to check for play in the front ball joints, I need to have the car down on the ground, and jack up the control arm to get the spring load off the ball joint, correct?

It seems to only happen when going over curbs like when pulling into the driveway, or when making tight manouvers, or when I go around a turn fast making the car lean.  Like I said, swaybar link.  Today coming home from work I took a right turn quick, I heard and felt the "tunk!" sound, and then came to a red light, and when I let out the clutch again I feel the "tungg/tunk" sound again, and it Feels like it's vibrating through spring steel.  The strangest thing is that the car acts like the problem is up front, but it sounds/feels like it's coming under the floor from the back sometimes.

Some of the boot is exposed in the left swaybar link but as I said I couldn't get it to make any noise when it was up on the hoist.  Perhaps I need to check again while it is on the ground, either way I want to precisely locate the noise before I go tossing parts at my baby.

Till next time

James

Just for grins, make sure your Panhard bar doesn't have any play.  No great reason why yours should have loosened, but I had a sound that was very similar to what you're describing when I didn't torque the bolts down tight enough (after removing and reinstalling the bar).  My sound was clearly coming from the rear, though.

You can also disconnect your sway bar ends and see if the sound goes away.  Takes no time at all, just make sure the truck is level when you do.

I agree about the likelihood of it being the swaybar - but I reckon it's the bushes binding.  New bushes should sort it out.

Take the swaybar off...you won't miss it.

I left it alone for the day but since today was sunday I thought it would be nice to go for a drive with the folks along the shores of the St. Lawrence between Prescott and Summerstown since I'd never been there and it was a beautiful day.  But during the drive the noise got worse.  Didn't scare me since I had already checked the car carefully but dayum over some bumpy roads through some old villages and curves you could REALLY feel it coming up from under the car and it was loud with the windows down.

Got home and just for kicks I grabbed the roof rail and started heaving back and forth... Finally I can find the noise with the car on the ground.  Got my dad to do it again and yep there it is, left swaybar link has like 1/8" of play in it. 

Probably gonna replace both as long as I can find replacements that have grease fittings on them.  Same goes for ball joints, tie rod ends, u-joint crosses etc as they wear out.

James

I had a similar noise. Swaybar end links. It was pretty hard to discover but a very good tug with a prybar found it.

The noise sounded the same as your description. I could feel it through the floor boards and it VERY loud even with the windows up.

Do both at the same time. Oops...

If I could've found replacement end links that had grease fittings on them then I would've replaced both of them.  But MOOG I guess doesn't make them, after calling around I could only find them at the dealer, and they don't have grease fittings, so I only ordered the one.

James