I've got this annoying clunking sound from the front suspension of my 98 Sentra SE 2.0. At first, it occured primarily while accelerating from a stop and turning (at the same time). It has become increasingly frequent, and now occurs also on straight acceleration, and when applying the brakes, or sometimes when going over bumps. I replaced both axles. There was a temporary improvement, but over the course of a couple days, the clunking came back. I pulled the struts, inspected the ball joints and everything else I could think of. There was again a temporary improvement. I pulled the right axle back out to replace the seal (I had dislodged it while installing the axle), reinstalled, and again there is a temporary improvement -- on both sides. (The clunking comes from either side, not at them same time though.) It seems that jacking up the front end temporarily reduces the frequency and amplitude of the clunking.
I'm thinking the only other possiblities are the brake calipers and springs. Could the calipers shifting around make a clunking noise? I have KYB AGX struts with stock springs. Maybe the springs shift around on the perches and cause this noise? I guess I'll be pulling the struts back out and inspecting everything in detail, but I'm otherwise not sure what to do. Anyone have any ideas?
Bill in San Diego