Clunk sound from the front end.

[BigGX5]

Hey folks wonder if you can help. My 2004 X5 3.0D Sport has developed a very annoying clinking sound from the from end. I messed around with it and found nothing so gave it to my friend who is a mechanic (and AA man). It is driving him up the wall, he spent four hours on it (for nothing) and we are no further forward. Ruled out bushes, antiroll bar, springs shockers, engine mounts. He now thinks that it might be a CV joint, but I find this strange as the sound is still there when car switched off, if you stand on runner board grip the roof bar and rock the car the clunking is still there. Worried it might be related to gearbox or similar. Sound seems middle'ish just ahead of cabin, pretty much engine area. Happens all the time, not infrequent, it rattles every few seconds when driving and not necessarily only if you run over uneven road, it can sound on good roads too. Help me please, it's doing my nut in.

[IanP]

Did you check the bolts that hold the engine cradle in from the bottom? I had the same noise and found one of them had fallen out, guess I didnt tighten it correctly after having the engine out

[murf62]

Have you had it over a pit & stood underneath whilst someone rocks it?

[Steamyrotter]

Front Drop links went on mine.
Felt reasonable when on the car, but a pile of loose nails when taken off!!
For circa £25 for a pair wouldn't hurt to change em anyway

[dan123ben]

i had a clunck turned out to be front lower ball joint on the ramp thay couldnt find it the way i did was jacking up the from and getting hold of the wheels and giving it a good shack

[mrmjn]

I had a similar thing and it was a ball joint on top of the suspention  or shock at front not sure if this is correct terminology but it is how they explained it to me I had every bush arm ball joint changed before they found it
might help!?

[Raj]

Drop link is certainly a possibility. Have you checked all bushes etc will jacked up or on the floor? If jacked up then may not be as easy to tell as the bushes are under load with the weight on them. Front thrust arm bushes too is another weak point.

[BigGX5]

Problem solved. I took her to Dornoch the other week having not drove her for a couple of weeks it was immediately obvious the wife had warped a disk on her. So my brother is sitting next and says why have you not fixed the drop link that is clunking, I tell him I had it checked and it is not the drop link blah blah. Three hours later he has had enough, pull in here he says, stick her on full lock. Out he goes, back he comes hands black as (dirt not oil). Drop link passengers side is F£cked, almost came of in me hand he says.
A week later we return, new disks and pads and two drop links later. The car runs like a sweetie. Apart from the new gearbox gremlin (see other post). Boy these cars are fun to own!!!!

[Raj]

Glad all sorted and straight forward in the end. Drop Links are a very common failure point on most cars.