Originally Posted by MarkM

Thanks for the input....I don't think this is it (but I may be proven wrong!)...the track rod bushings (AKA guide rod, or braking rod, bushings) are new (1 year ago), and don't seem to be loose....when I recently replaced LCA bushings, and had the springs compressed, I couldnt get any play from the track rod bushings by moving the wheel assembly back and forth (I couldn't get any play out of ball joints either). The main reason I don't think its the track rod bushings is that when the bumping noise happens, I don't hear any noise from the foot wells...when track rod bushings are bad, my experience is that bumping noise will usually very clearly be coming from the footwell locations where they are attached, and the noise would be a deeper thump, and you would hear is when braking....you would not need "washboard" road surface. the noise I hear seems so clearly from the wheels (out to the corners down and low), and is a much higher frequency....very much like if I loosened a brake caliper, or the spindle nut (but these possible causes have already been eliminated).

At this point, I am making arrangements for replacing the ball joints (which were replaced in April!!). But, before I do these, I need to think of another way to conclusively eliminate (or verify) track rod bushings as the possible cause. Maybe just buy a new one and put it in (but I just returned the rented spring compressor from when I just did the LCA bushings)....I think this can be done without spring compressor, but its not as easy.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again,

Mark

Thanks