Hattie, Check those Upper Control Arms, Sway Bars. I repaired my Sway Bars but that noise seemed to be coming from the rear end of the car. Then later on the clunking noise that you talk about came from my front end but i replaced the lower ball joints, tie rods, and the Upper Control arm, of course this fixed my clunking noise.

I am going to pull the front wheels off and see what I find today. This car drives on rails nothing can be worn that bad. Also she will stop dead straight. My sway bar brackets and bushings are perfect their is a little surface rust on the one below the battery.

I didn't replace the front subframe bushings when I did the guide rods. They seem to be pressed in and I didn't have the time or tools to do them. I'll do them this summer I want to take off the subframe's again to check up on a little rust I painted.

I suspect either the ABS is acting up possible being over sensitive? Or the ball joint on the upper control arm is worn.

__________________
2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I'm just guessing but I bet that bushing is more "worn" out than it appears. They wear and get hard. If this is your problem i'd go ahead and do both sides if not do the one now thats giving you the problem and then in change the other side out soon.

You sure it's coming from the front?

A couple of years ago, I had a similar noise, under similar driving circumstances, in my 116. It was a broken sway bar link in the rear.

Worth checking, at least....

Mike

__________________
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1979 300 SD
350,000 miles
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1982 300D-gone---sold to a buddy
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1985 300TD
270,000 miles
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1994 E320
not my favorite, but the wife wanted it

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I did the rear sway bar links last June those things make lots of noise when they go bad.

Here is what I have found:

Both sway bar bushings are fine, however the one under the battery is a little soft. I know some acid got in their because some paint was gone. I have had the battery tray out before. I will order a new bracket this week, I already have the bushing, I'll change that this Thrusday. The other bushing is fine, the driver's side bushing is a huge pita to get at in a W126. I think the fuse box needs to come out and maybe some other stuff. I'll do that one eventually but it is fine so it can wait.

However I think I have found my clunk. The large bushing at the base of the upper control arm. They are getting kind of hard on both sides, and their is some space between the bushing and the car. I bet when I stop a certain way the upper control arm moves a bit forward and I get the clunk.

Other than that the front end is tight as can be, their is no play in anything and I was really pulling and pushing. I don't have the money now I think the upper control arms are about $120 each. I'll do them next month.

__________________
2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I think you may be correct.


To eliminate the ABS, disconnect the control computer. That way you will know the ABS is not the problem, no ABS, no problem. However if the "clunk" stops then we may have the correct area of concern.

Try spraying some silicon spray in the upper control are bushings and see if there is any difference. It may help "quite" the clunk for a while.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

I will disconect the ABS first before I buy anything.

BTW upper control arms are $42 each on ebay!!! Their made by Ocap? For $84 they need to be changed anyway. I could do the whole job probably for $100.

__________________
2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

It could be the exhaust bumping the frame. This was a flaw in the design.
(Not enough play)
When I had my motor mounts replaced , they fixed this common 126 problem with shims.