I finally found the source of my clunky front end. For the longest time anytime I would drive over a bump or a wheel would drop into a depression (anytime the struts would unload) I would get a clunk. Sounds like it should be a ball joint, right? "But I just rebuilt my control arms with the kit?!? There is no way it could be the ball joints."

Well it is the ball joint. S.O.B!!!! I am not sure where I went wrong when rebuilding them and it all felt tight once finished. I discovered it when I dropped my car to the ground after removing the fender and heard the clunk. So I lifted it back up and started shaking the wheel and finally lifted the wheel itself up and could lift it up out of the control arm.

I had to preload it a little by lifting one side of the car up and leaving the other side compressed (sway bar loading the strut) and this is the only way to make it move with a crow bar.

Control arms 951.341.150.10 (Pass) and 951.341.149.10 (Dr) both are displaying the same symptoms. Video shoes the movement.

 

Did you epoxy the base of the ball joint?

 

Yes. The first one I did held up fine, the second one had the snap ring come out half-way on the road. I got a new snap-ring and paid extra attention to how it was seated. It has held so far.

Are there any differences between the ball joint kits for different types of 944 control arms? I did a quick search for the part number of mine and I think they are M030.

 

I've used those kits a few times now. I'd say the only way they can fail like that is that not enough care was taken to apply and cure the epoxy. Those snap rings on the bottom will not stay there without being firmly secured by the epoxy.

I don't think the M030 option included any different control arm ball joints, maybe someone else will chirp in and confirm. I do know the 968 ball joints are different and cannot use the kits.

 

Swapped the rebuilt control arms for used good ones. Old ones have the snap ring still in place and seated correctly. I thought these would solve the problem but they didn't. The left side still clunks when I press up and down on the driver's side only. It isn't the ball joint. I'm going to have to get a helper to press on the fender while I'm under it to find out what is making the noise. I'll take a video of it later because it has a very distinct noise. I'm not ruling out brake duct either. I'll remove those and see if it does it.

 

Found it. Embarrassing fix too. I rebuilt my struts a few years ago and the lock washer provided didn't lock the bolt in place. It started backing out and that was the clunking noise. See video. I thought it once, but disregarded it and assumed it was ball joints since they moved so much on the other ones (which I still cannot explain).