What could be making this clunking noise?
 

When I go over uneven pavement or a tar strip, there is a rattle or more aptly a clunking noise from the driver's side front of my car. The shocks are new on all fours, the front torsion bar is new with new bushings. Steering appears to be tight. Shocks appear tight and snug and the dust cover is tight. How should/can I check the front suspension components like tie rods? Any ideas what else could cause this noise? Could it be the steering rack? I'm at a loss here.

79SC

You sure its not a loose jack or tool kit?

That is possible. I'll put the loose items inside and try that tomorrow. I was thinking suspension since I noticed it a few months after I installed the Bilstein Sport shocks. They made the car much stiffer and corner flatter, but I was wondering if the added stiffness made another part fail.

Are you sure it is coming from the front? I had a similar noise that I tracked down on mine in the rear when I went over bumps in the road. My rear shock tower rubber bushings were put in wrong by the previous owner so the shocks never sat right on the tower.

One possibility is something uncovered by Leland Pate. He mentioned in a recent thread that his front shocks had a spacer that was causing the shock to bottom out. The spacer is for US cars but his was lowered to Euro height (no spacer needed) Is your car lowered? Did they put the spacer in with the new shocks? Search for the thread.

GB

Have you checked your ball joints?

Bobby