Front End Clunk/Pop, Cant track it down. Options

[jordisonjr]

For the past week or so i've had a random creak coming from the drivers side front suspension. Usually when turning the wheels, or turning and going up/down a bump such as my driveway. I greased everything up in the front end, and still no solution.

The other day I was driving and had to brake relatively hard, and there was a fairly loud 'pop'. Now, when I brake/take off hard there's a significant pop. I can takeoff from a stop gently, and sometimes there is a softer pop sound, and sometimes there's non at all. It also pops loud if I brake hard, and pops softly if I break gently. Also while stationary, if I turn the wheel to the left, at a specific point it will pop, and you can feel it through the steering wheel as well.

I crawled under the car a couple days ago and tried moving stuff around for about an hour, and could not manage to reproduce the noise. It's also seemed to have gotten worse since then. It seems to be related to moving forward/back, almost as if the LCA bushing is worn out, however, I changed these about 2 summers ago.

I'm curious if anyone has any insight as to what this could possibly be, before I take it in to have it diagnosed. I was leaning towards a ball joint, but the fact that there was no play/leaking in the joint, and i could not reproduce the noise, has me thinking otherwise. I will take a second look as it seems to have gotten worse since it first started.

Any input/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[jordisonjr]

Well, I took a closer look today, with the vehicle on the gronud, and weight on the wheels.
Upon starting and stopping, the entire wheel shifts forward/back and with the vehicle stationary, you can actually move the the wheel forward and back in the wheel well.

I've narrowed it down to a Lower Control Arm bushing/LCA related. 90% sure its the bushing, But will confirm once I know forsure.
Although it does still creek while turning the wheels, so LCA wouldn't explain that.

Now here's my dilema:

I replaced my LCA bushings 2-3 summers ago with Poly Bushings from poland(not winter driven, or raced) and once again, my control arm is clunking, upon breaking and acceleration. It appears to be the rear bushing making noise, but I need to take a closer look, but 90% sure it is the culprit as you can see the wheel moving forward and back in the wheel well.

I previously removed the arm myself and torched the bushing out, and had a mechanic press in the new bushing. I think he also removed the old "ring" on the inside of the control arm. Was this supposed come out, or should it have stayed in? Will I need to replace the whole arm, to utilize this "ring" where the bushing gets installed, or is my bushing simply worn out already?

I'm frustrated that I'm having to replace this again, as it seems like the bushing has been worn out prematurely.