My 1991 Honda Civic Wagon (2WD) with 150K miles has started clunking really loudly when I go over imperfections in the road, or speed bumps. Is this the lower and upper ball joints? Could it be something else. The CV joints were replaced about 6 months ago. The suspension does not seem too bouncy, and the struts do not seem to be leaking anything. What the heck do lower and upper ball joints do? How much do they cost to repair?
You have to take it in to a repair place. They will gleefully give you details and prices. The ball joints allow the wheels to turn as well as let the wheels go up and down when you go over bumps. You may have something wrong with it that doesn’t involve ball joints but some mechanic has to actually see the car, as well as touch the car.
It could be a lot of things. It could be upper strut mounts.
The last one of these “thunks loudly over bumps” problems I fixed was dried up shrunken down antisway bar bushings…the ones holding the bar to the chassis.
There are numerous possibilities, most of them rubber.
Okay, I hear you. I’m off to my mechanic, blank check in hand.
You are the winner. I finally brought the car to the shop and they said just what you did, the antisway bar bushings were the cause of the problem. A much cheaper fix than what I was prepared to lay out for the ball joints.
thanks again.