Tie rod noise
 

I have a clunk going over even small bumps. The boot on the grill side bushing is cracked. Couple questions 1) Could this be the cuase of the noise 2) What are the chances of this exploding and leaving me stranded?

I'm out of town the next two weekends and won't be able to fix it.

Get a friend to turn the steering one way. Then look for any unusual movement or noise when steering is started the other way. If you have a tie rod end that bad you will see it as the tires on the ground provide a load.
Or just jack up one side at a time and pry with moving the wheel on that side with a helper looking for wear movement in the joints. I suspect if it is a joint that a balljoint is probably going to be more audable. Remember the old test of bouncing on a fender to try to localise where the noise is coming from. Works sometimes as well. Check your top suspension items too. Upper ball joints and rubber sway bar mounts etc.

I would check to see the upper control arm bushing to the body. If rotted, they will make a clunking noise.

I wouldnt be so worried about exploding more than falling off and throwing you into a ditch..

The upper control arm bushing looks fine. I don' think I noticed this before I put the new calipers on. I'm giong to jack up the thing tonight and see if the passenger side one is loose. The noise is coming from that side over bumps, but not when I brake, but we'll see.

Mine made noise that was most noticeable when driving across a parking lot of large pieces of gravel which pushed the wheel from side to side. I could see the movement in the tie rod when I jacked it up and grabbed the rod.

Caliper is on tight, and I yanked on the tie rod with no movement. I think I know what side I'll start my rebuild. I thought it would be fairly obvious considering the small bumps it takes to make the noise. Maybe I left a wrench in the wheel well...

You think this could be a wheel bearing? When I push on the bumper, I can't get it to make the clunk. I read in the 'Could it be a wheel bearing' a guy who had a bad rear bearing (and thought it was coming frmo the front) and had a howling noise when turning to the right. I noticed that howling noise today coming back from work.

Man all this reading about wheel barings is freaking me out... I have to pick up a friend in Milwaukee (180 round trip) this weekend. It just started making noise this week... I sure don't want this thing to seize up on me.