suspension clunks, ripped rack boot Options

[Euphoria]

Hey everyone, I've been getting a clunk from the front end whenever I touch the accelerator or back off, I'm aware my rack boot is ripped, could this mean dirt has got in a wrecked my tie rod ends causing them to clunk? I also get this other noise from the front end especially on cold mornings, its hard to explain, all I can say is its sort of a clunk, im guessing its my tie rod ends or my ball joints, anything else it could be? can bad struts make weird noises?

Also both my sway bar bushes have had it, I was originally waiting to change both sway bars but other problems and lack of money has changed that, If I just changed all of them to polyurethane would that be any different in handling?

thanks ahead.

[azian_advanced]

i would check the following:
-motor mounts
-stabilizer links
-sway bar bushings

if the car still drives straight and steers ok, i doubt it has anything to do with the steering rack or ball joints.
and unless you're getting the clunk after hitting a bump, i doubt it would be the struts either.

[twolownissan2002]

Yeh i would say motor mount when i bought my car they didnt even have a bolt in the rear mount and thats the same sound that mine made its the motor jumping around lol toke me 3 days to figure out what it was.

[GriffGirl]

I say it's likely your sway bar bushings and no poly bushings won't change the handling but they'll last longer than regular rubber bushings will. Plus who doesn't love red bushings?

[Euphoria]

thanks for the replys everyone, not the engine mounts, I just did the front and rear as they were destroyed.

It still drives straight, does wobble a bit on the freeway and I've had an alignment, are stabilizer links the same as end links? if so I'm pretty sure they are fine, only things that are bad are the sway bar bushings, im gonna jack the car up later to have a look.

[Euphoria]

well I jacked the car up, there is no movement in the tie rod ends or anywhere and ball joints, tie rod ends still have there rubber, only things that need replacing are the sway bar bushes and the rack boot, what I think has happen is that dirt has got in the boot or something, there is also a noise it makes when i turn the steering when its held by the jack, its like a creek noise at a certain point of the steering.

[Euphoria]

got a friend to turn the wheel as i listened and it was coming from the very top of the strut, like the bit you see in the engine bay, and was broken up rubber.

[Euphoria]

well turns out it wasn't that boot, my cv's were ripped about 20 000km ago and the goo from them must of leaked on the boot making it look ripped, only things that need doing are sway bar bushings and apparently need new bump stops and new shocks which I knew.