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Thanks for suggestion.
I put car on jackstands, removed the belly pan so I could see everything and can't find anything obvious. The end links on sway bar seem ok. I put a bit of pressure on them with large screwdriver and couldn't see any up/down play.
I also didn't see anything obvious on the control arm bushings - but not sure about what is normal. The lower control arm bushing was very stiff - couldn't get much play with large screwdriver.
The upper (or tension arm?) bushing is softer - I could get play (a mm or 2) with a large screw driver but it returns to center - no feeling of a break or slop/shift.
I can't get any noise by attempting to wiggle wheel in any direction though probably not be strong enough to move whatever is making the noise.
I took it to a independent shop and he said the control arm bushings and struts were bad, there was movement of the wheel during braking. But I videoed the wheels during low speed braking and can't see any movement + I never hear the noise during braking. I think their answer that it's struts and control arm bushings on a car with 125k is just a stock good starting point.
The noise is only on bumps but not all the time. It doesn't have to be large bumps, sometimes just rough road. I can usually hear it on a low speed left turn out of my driveway - which is why I was liking the suggestion of a sway bar link.
so, I'd appreciate any other ideas and/or how to better check something
- is the tension arm bushing "softer" than the lower control arm bushing, that is - is some movement normal as long as it springs back to center?
- can a strut mount make a knock? I would think if it goes bad it'd be pretty obvious and I can't see any damage, tears, etc.
If I can't figure out anything, I may just start with struts - but it'd sure be nice to find the source before shotgunning the problem.
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