Clunk when turning

When making a left turn, I hear and feel a clunk when the wheel is straightened. It seems worse in colder temperatures, and sound like it’s coming from the front drivers side. I’m guessing it’s probably a ball joint, but I’ll have it checked this week. It’s chilly and damp outside and I’m too busy to do it myself at the moment. So if that’s the case, should I go with Ford parts or Moog?

BTW, it’s a 2010 Limited 4x4 V6.

could be the common upper control arm too...... Easy to change.... Or maybe a tie rod.... I like moog....

Thanks Todd! I’m leaning Moog, too. I haven’t done as much of this as you have, so I appreciate the advice.

Any reason to go ahead and do both sides or just the bad one?

Depending what it is I would do both, reason if you need an alignment you are only paying for it 1 time .... if its a ball joint or upper arm, do both, cheep and easy.

Perfect. Thanks!

Im' also a Moog suporter.

Thanks Eddie. Should be able to get it in the shop in a day or two. Gotta get my son's Fusion diagnosed first...misfired, sputtered and stalled in the driveway last night. I've gotta get a scan tool and a copy of Forscan...

Duncan, when you ask the shop for Moog's. Tell them to put the grease fittings in. Moog is one of the few that still have grease fittings. They come tapped with a plug. Also with a grease fitting in the package.
Dont take it to Ford. I found out with my Moms car. I asked for moog. I got no grease fitting fords. They offered a free oil change for the mistake. Told them we wont be back.
My brother inherited the car. He had to change them again after 30k miles. He went with moog.

Great advice, Eddie. Thanks!

It's a local, family-owned shop I've done business with for years, so I think I can get them to do what I want.

It appears that it may have been none of the above causing the clunking noise. I have been carrying my old wheels around in the bed since I had the new ones put on, and it looks like one of the old lugnuts was rolling around in the bed and hitting the driver’s side of the bed when I would straightened the wheel after a left turn.

I haven’t heard a clunk in a couple days now. As you can probably imagine, I’m going to be pretty pleased if this was indeed the cause of the noise. I’m just glad I caught it before I took it into the shop and let them find it.

Funny thing is that I could feel it in the steering wheel and was convinced the noise was in the front end.

LOL.... the ST has great harmonics..... Rear brake noise sounds like the front and so on..... Rattles are usually a loose jack, spare tire or tailgate. Glad it was simple and not a waste of time and money.

So I spoke too soon, the clunk returned when the weather got cold again. It was the sway bar end link. Also had a high pitched whine with cold temperatures that was the power steering pump. I don’t have a place to work on it at the moment so it’s at the shop and should be ready tomorrow.

Ok, let us know

Got it back this morning. The mechanic showed me the broken front sway bar end link. The end was sheared off adjacent to where it meets the sleeve. I'm surprised it wasn't noisier.

End links and power steering pump replaced and no noises so far.

I've gotta get my garage cleaned out so I have a place to work on this truck and not pay the shop. I'm fortunate that I have a shop with mechanics I can trust (locally owned, 2nd generation family business), but I still hate paying for things I could do myself if I had time and space to work.