Scientific progress (imho) should not go boink. Or clank for that matter.

(edit: 1995 960)

While driving (probably due to vibrations from the road, maybe alignment is off a touch, not sure) I get an intermittent (non-rhythmic) clanking sound coming from under the car.

Dealership tells me "front sway bar links excessively loose & nagging"

the only time I have been able to recreate the sound I hear while driving is when the front wheel (I've been doing drivers side) is off and car is on stands, and I use the jack lever to knock on different parts. When I tap on the spring itself (the big big black spring thing [forgive my ignorance?])... maybe it's different hearing from inside vs outside? idk.

Anwyay, how can I test to see if the sway bar links (link ends?) are loose? Pretty sure I've identified the piece, and when I grab it and pull and jerk around with it, it doesn't budge anymore than the frakkin' driveway would.

btw, they want $264 for parts and labor. (I know I could do it myself for 50 - IF it was actually those end links that were the problem! and to think I paid a hundred dollars for diagnostics. Last time I ever go to a dealer when there are other options...)

 

I have the same sound I think. I think it's my front struts. I plan to replace them this summer.

 

any way to *actually* diagnose the correct problem? How do I check each component of the suspension? Pretty sure I could do any of the wrench work myself, I just don't want to waste money on parts that don't need replacing...

 

Not to my knowledge, short of visable damage to something like a torn ball joint or something like that.

 

have you checked your upper strut mount? its a fairly common problem in the 960's.