Hello all, I am new to join this forum but I have been discreetly following many post and I would like to say firstly thank you to all the great information on here. Secondly I want to apologize in this is a redundant question but I can not find the answer to a specific question I have about the dreaded front-end clunking.

​​​​​I bought this 2009 2lt with the FE3 suspension back in May with 46,000 miles on it. The car was garage kept every winter and never seen snow. This is good but I hear can be hard on rubber bushings and seals in the long run.

The car had a bit of a clunk since I bought the car and got worse recently which I found out was bad endlinks The problem was solved after I replaced them but as soon as the temp dropped it returned but was a different sounding cluck now with creaks(slightly dry rotted rubber sound and partial metal creaking sound) when the temperature drops down below 30. The swaybar bushings looked like they could be replaced and I planned on doing them when I get my wheel bearings for the front. I have 3 other options to look into when I have each side apart. I need to check out the lower control arm bushing, the upper strut mount and the struts themselves being the car now has 60,000 miles.

A question that I have not found an answer to, and I'm sorry if I missed it, is what would the most likely scenario be being that it went from non stop to now only when cold. I did the drive test with the lower control arm and it's seems ok but I won't really know until I get the front taken apart. The last question I have is that even though quick struts are frowned upon I'd like to try if I have to get into strut work So far monroes are out of the question due to fitment issues and I read the moogs are questionable. RockAuto has ACDELCO strut assembles that I'd be interested in but I can't find if the assemblys are for the FE3 or FE1 suspension. Not even the local ACDELCO distributor can tell me and they want $70 more for the same assembly. Those part numbers are ACDELCO 903038RS and ACDELCO 903039RS

I'm sorry to be long winded here but I was hoping to be as descriptive as possible. I do want to thank y'all in advance

 

 

Thank you for that I formation as that is exactly what I hoping for. Ride height shouldn't be a problem then. I have a few things to look at to determine what the actual cause is and I don't have a ton of money to throw at the issue but with this changing temperature the noises are so hot and miss I'm not sure where to start after the hub assemblies and swaybar bushings

 

The Monroe struts work just fine. Mine installed easily, and worked great for many many miles.

You can check a few of the items you mention fairly easy - both the rear lower control arm bushings and the sway bar bushings if shot with something like WD-40 will help isolate the source of the noises (especially creaks and squeaks). Sway bar bushings can also be tested for play using a lever or screw driver near the bushings to move the bar around - any visible movement is very suspect. The Rear lower control arm bushing can also be tested by prying against it and the frame to check for movement, and a visual will often spot the deterioration of the bushing.

 

Thank you for the advice, I never thought to do that this way.

I knew you could do this with the LCA bushings but I didn't think you could with the sway bar bushings. I was looking for the obvious rubber deterioration or rub marks on the bar itself. Thank you.