Front end noise question.... control arms?

[etajohn]

Yeah, I know, no one can acurately diagnose a problem over the internet. I'm just asking for a quick opinion. My car has a front rattle/clunk developing over bumps with a corresponding jiggle in the steering wheel. I have recently replaced the tie rods and had a shop do the control arm bushings about a year ago. Car has 2 year old lowering springs and shocks also. Anyway, I've looked underneath, the tierods and bushings are still good. I'm thinking control arms. That's a little out of my league as far as ability goes so I take it to the local reputable BMW shop. They say the control arms are old looking but still tight. The only thing they find wrong is the rear subframe bushings. Well fine but the clunk is in the front of the car. I can hear it. I can feel it. Upper strut bearings seem good too. What's a good way to check the control arms? By the way, I've done the "autocross check" where I grab a wheel while the car is sitting on the ground and give it a good push pull twist from the 3 and 9 o'clock position on the wheel. There is an audible clunk on both sides of the car when I shake the front wheels. Control arms or control arm bushings, right?
Stupid shop!
Thanks.

[egk2]

When's the last time you replaced your control arms?
How do you know your upper strut mounts are good?

[jlevie]

The only way to truly check the upper shock mounts is to disassemble the front struts...

The diagnostic for worn control arms it to see if you can induce any motion along the axis of the ball joint shafts. Squeeze the joint with a large (as in about 24") pair of channel locks or use a pry bar.

[etajohn]

"When's the last time you replaced your control arms?"

I haven't. But the shop said they are tight. However, everything else is basically new. Control arm bushings, springs, shocks, and tie rods. The steering rack has a remanufactured sticker on it, but I bought it that way so I don't know the age.



"The diagnostic for worn control arms it to see if you can induce any motion along the axis of the ball joint shafts. Squeeze the joint with a large (as in about 24") pair of channel locks or use a pry bar."

I believe that is what the shop did to check. But I just assume that when I walk up to my car, resting normally on the ground, and grab a front wheel at the 9 and 3 oclock and shake it there shoulb be no play or clicking/clunking sound. I mean, it has to be something other than the rear subframe bushings like this shop seems to think is the problem.

Thanks for the responses and insight, by the way! :-)

[PiercedE30]

Sway bar end link bushings maybe?
Have they ever been replaced?