New member here, and I hope I'm posting in the proper place. I've scanned through some of the post, and have not found anything similar to the problem I'm having.
I have a 2001 AWD Mountaineer with 5.0 engine and 183,000 miles. A little over a year ago a harsh clunking noise started coming from the front. It was obvious that it was coming from one of the drive component because the noise and harshness changed with speed. At slow speeds it was clunking with every revolution of the wheels. The intensity seemed to change with the direction of the wheels also. I figured it might be a CV joint and proceeded to check them out. None appeared to be bad, but with the mileage on the car I figured it wouldn't hurt to replace the axle shafts, so I started with the left (driver's) side which is where I felt the noise was coming from. The noise went away and I was happy. To my surprise about 6 months ago the same noise came back. This time I replaced the right side axle shaft. Again the noise went away.
Unfortunately the problem hasn't gone away though. A couple of days or a couple of weeks may pass with no problem, but then suddenly it starts again.
I took it to a trusted mechanic when it was making the noise. It was so loud when I pulled into his driveway that he stopped what he was doing to look. But, when he took it for a drive it was as quiet as the day I bought it in 2001. I also talked to the service people at the local Ford dealer and they told me that there was basically nothing they were aware of that could cause this problem, but to bring it in the next time it did it and they would check it out.
At this point I almost want something to fall out of it. At least then we'll know where the problem is.
I apologize for such a lengthy description, and sincerely hope someone can shed some light on what the problem may be. Thanks!

 

normally clunks or vibration that are 1 to 1 with tire rotation are due to or related to the tires / brakes / caliper / rotor....... Ball joints, bearings and linkage problems can change with speed, but if it is a definite clunk - clunk - clunk each time the tire rotates, you looking at a bad tire - rotor - brake....... but if it does not change with brake pedal pressure, that might lead toward a tire. .......... you have only a noise, no vibration ?

 

Thanks for the reply.
This a metallic noise not the thumping noise that I associate with a tire. I failed to mention in initial post that the front end has basically been rebuilt from the axles out - new rotors, brakes, hubs, ball joints, bushings and shocks. Also, the tires have been rotated since the problem first began.
I might also mention that several thousand miles have been put on the car since the problem first started 95% of which were noise free.
It's amazing that it can sound like something is getting ready to fall out when you drive one time then can be as quiet as the day it was new the next.

 

If you have AWD, it may be the front drive shaft. I chased a noise like you and it was that knuckle that attaches to transfer case on my '98 AWD. I don't think you can fix them.

 

It could also be the transfer case. Does it seem to make the noise more when under load? You could try changing the fluid in the transfer case to see if that makes a difference. If it does make a difference, then you might know where to focus your search. If it doesn't make a difference, then you've just performed some preventive maintenance.

-Rod

 

Fingers crossed I think the problem may be gone. I pulled the front driveshaft, and replaced the u-joint and the CV joint. The CV boot had a small hole and the grease was dry. A couple of the ***** were a little rough, so I'm hoping that was where the problem was coming from. Time will tell.

 

If I'm understanding your original post here correctly, you've already replaced both front axle shafts and the noise keeps coming back. Are you driving primarily off-road to cause the shafts to fail so quickly?

-Rod