what component in the steering can cause clunking?

[cantspell]

Hello there,
I know there's a ton of 'front end clunking' threads, however I've recently just replaced the ball joints and sway bar bushings (which pretty much quieted everything, made driving much more pleasurable). But recently I get a very slight clunk that i can sort of feel through the steering wheel, but it's not the wheel and i can't seem to reproduce it yet.
I apart from feeling it though the steering wheel, i was off-roading a few weeks ago and at one point, really had to try to turn the wheel, which i didn't work, but it could it have messed up anything, like a tie rod end or something? I also had to pull the veh sideways, but this was on a slant and on snow, so it's no different from, actully probally a lot less stressful than cornering fast.
Anyways, if anyone knows what this 'slight clunk' in the steering might be, i'm open to idea's...
(oh, my bearing/hub is also seemingly gone, it's being replaced tomorrow - could this be it? But there's no vibration, only lots of sound.)
Thanks
Matt!

 

[IgotTwo]

HAHAH I just went through this ...this week and learned a lot.....

You lost "steering" somewhere in the problem
but if you have checked the obvious and nothing is dangling ...let me try with the short version from my 94:

My lesson learned: Clunks may seem like a front end problem but it can come from elsewhere

Check the front wheel bearings and the brakes

Pull the wheels ...I had a snap ring pop and the wheel started to walk off the spindle. I must have been the luckiest guy in America to catch it immediately!

Radius arm bushings -quick and dirty test - wooden pencil should be able to fit between the bushing and bracket. Look at em from behind..Do they look even? The arm can bang against the bracket.. the sound from hell

Check the drive shaft for loose bolts and things....check bolts WITH a wrench .. they may look tight

Check the rear end and all u-joints

Best advice:
Go for the easy stuff before you start loking for gorillas
hahaha

 

[Byrd91]

Check shock bushings, worn ones can cause a clunk when they move.

 

[cantspell]

I have a 98', so the front ends are quite a bit different, so i'm afraid it's not the radium arm bushings....actully, everything else has been changed, we'll see how changing the bearing/hub works...

 

[cantspell]

well the bearings/hubs are good the dealer says (and these are friends of mine), i changed the sway-bar links (which were appearantly quite bad).
So now, after some thought and driving i think it might be the front diff or tires.
The sound actully sort of drones at times and changes, but it is related to rotation of some sort, i just don't knwo of what.
The tires are new,maybe 5000kms, and i did get the front especially into some pretty deep water...could the fluid be...well doing bad?