Question about a 4th gen, 94 Camaro (the fiance's car). Her dad thinks the clunk is a bad balljoint. I'm thinking it's a blown shock; it's got the original '94 shocks on it. I bounced the front end up and down a bit (when she wasn't looking, hah!), didn't hear a clunk at all. The clunk only comes up when she hits a bump. If it was a balljoint, wouldn't that clunk all the time, like when there's a slight dip in the highway, or when making a turn and the car leans?

 

Hard to say. Balljoints can make all sorts of odd noises when they have play in them since they see such varying amounts of load on them. You are probably going to have to jack that corner of the car off the ground and give everything a good yank to see where the play is coming from. Could be as simple as a broken sway bar endlink. I would also give the hub assembly a thorough inspection as they are quite notorious for failing and having play in them on 4th gens.....

 

ive had sway bar bushings fall out before and it makes the same sound

 

Jack the car up in the air, or get that particular tire up anyway. Grab the tire at 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock (top and bottom) Now try to move the tire back and forth. If the tire has some play when doing this...Balljoint!...If not It most likely is the strut then.
P.S Check the tierod ends while you have it up for to much play. The tirods can make some awfull noises too. HTH

Keiran

 

Gotta be careful with that test and really look at where the play is if there is any as play in the hub assembly will transmit through the wheel and tire and become evident when performing this type of test. But you should pretty much grab everything that you can and yank back and forth on it to check for play (ie. strut, tire, tie rod end(s), control arms, sway bar, etc.). Try checking everything with the suspension loaded and unloaded as well if necessary.

 

That is somewhat true. Actually you don't have to be to very carefull. Top to bottom is almost always the balljoint...side to side play is usually wheel hub, and or tierod. You can easily tell the difference from hub play and balljoint play.. The hub play will be from all spots. Top to bottom side to side etc. etc. If the play is from top to bottom play only, it is almost always a balljoint. If the wheel hub is his problem he would hear a grinding and or howelling noise. He describes the noise as a clunking or banging when hitting bumps...I highly doubt these noises are due to a wheel bearing or bad hub. Maybe...but I doubt it. It is most likely either a balljoint or the strut. Or possibly.... a tierod or a sway bar link. Just my .02 cents.