# Clanking when front right tire goes over bumps

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/clanking-when-front-right-tire-goes-over-bumps/85645>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [June 26, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clanking-when-front-right-tire-goes-over-bumps/85645 "2014-06-26T03:50:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bossofbeefbowl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a8b319/32.png) [@Bossofbeefbowl](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bossofbeefbowl)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clanking-when-front-right-tire-goes-over-bumps/85645/1 "2014-06-26T03:50:58Z")

</div>

I’m driving a 2002 Chevy Prizm (123k miles) and when I drive over bumps in the road or sewers etc. there is a clanking sound but it only happens on the front right side.I’ve purposely driven over the same bumps in my parking lot with the left side and it’s fine.I recently had the engine mount replaced and the rear sway bar link on the right side replaced.This problem has been going on for well over a year now,maybe even 2.In this time I’ve also had the brake pads/rotors replaced and checked at a different shop to make sure that wasn’t the noise.I drive typically 10-12k miles a year.This has been a problem for at least 15k miles if not more.Any thoughts before I take it in?I really can’t afford more than one repair right now so I’m hoping it’s right the first time.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 6:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clanking-when-front-right-tire-goes-over-bumps/85645/2 "2014-06-26T06:30:24Z")

</div>

Possible sources of the noise: right front sway bar bushing, right front sway bar link, right front strut.

Any decent mechanic should be able to isolate the source. Guessing is not needed. A bad bushing or link will be obvious.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 6:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clanking-when-front-right-tire-goes-over-bumps/85645/3 "2014-06-26T06:45:23Z")

</div>

Gone bad muffler clamp?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 7:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clanking-when-front-right-tire-goes-over-bumps/85645/4 "2014-06-26T07:14:51Z")

</div>

With a clanking type noise in the RF I might suspect a bad strut mount or a ball joint. The latter is very crucial as that is something that be lethal if it breaks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2014, 7:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clanking-when-front-right-tire-goes-over-bumps/85645/5 "2014-06-26T07:37:21Z")

</div>

I was also thinking the ball joint as the most likely culprit.