Recently I've been hearing and feeling a clunck (from both front wheels) whenever I go over a bump, or over a rough road. It's getting worse!

My first inclination is ball joints, so I ordered new ones. But I'm not so sure upon inspection. Other steering system componants are tight.

Is it possible that the struts are going bad, or could it be something else? Oh, it's an 87 300DT............

Sway bar bushings are a known clunker item on the 124 chassis. If it clunks when one wheel hits a bump, but not both, then sway bar is a possibility.

The bushings are cheap and easy enough to replace there's little reason not to do so.

- JimY

I am not real familiar with the 124 chassis. However, the front end "clunk" on my 126 chassis turned out to be guide rod mounts.

I found that the vibration of worn guide rod mounts " clunk" and can really be felt with your feet (due to location)especially when going over something like a speed control bump.

However, a "clack" noise, that you can hear but not feel much while driving over small road variations, turned out to be sway bar bushings.

Hope that helps you narrow it down for you.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

This is interesting. I hear a "clunk" from time to time while going down a steep grade and the brakes are applied. It also makes the same clunk while the brakes are applied after reversing about 5-7 feet.

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Jason

00 Subaru Legacy (fun wagon)
96 Nissan Sentra (disavowed)
82 300SD (garage queen, will run again hopefully)
87 300DT (Gone: 10/15/2010)

Probably not guide rod mounts, seeing as the 124 front suspension doesn't have them.

- JimY

It's the front control arms. My '87 300DT has the same symptoms and was checked by an expert on these chassis. He aslo suggested replacing the rear control arms as they play a big part in overall control in cornering.
Do you also feel a little instability when coming into a dip at high speeds? The steering will tend to drift slightly to one side when going over a bump (unloaded) if the front control arms are worn.
Around $210 per side and its not an easy job.

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!

Control arms, hmmmmm....Well now I hope it is ball joints, or sway bar bushings!

I don't feel the straight ahead tracking change at all while hitting a long dip, have in some other cars I have owned. Thing is, this clunck is the same on both sides and identical, and only at times when over 25mph but under 40mph, and a good size dip or bump is there. Tires seem to ware equal and steering is normal.

234567

Mr. Fancy Pants,
How did you resolve this? My '87 124 is doing the same thing and I'm about to order new swaybar bushings. Did that fix it? Thanks.

LRG

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LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold