Noise in front end upon turning

[El Campo]

2000 F350 4x4. When I turn the wheel and go over bump or up a quick incline I hear a banging noise on what sounds to me like the left side. Sounds like slop in steering linkage to me. I have a little spongy steering but not bad. Lifted truck up and wiggled everything. The bar that goes from steering gear down to right side turns easily by hand, really easily. What is this bar called and where do I get it? Could this be the problem? Everything else felt tight. Truck has 265000 miles and haven't touched suspension in prob 100000. Any ideas would be appreciated

[dhanna6powerstroke]

Sway bar links or sway bar bushings are the most common cause for the "clunk" noise over bumps.

[El Campo]

That reminds me, I DID replace the sway bar links about 30,000 ago. They still have the ford stickers on them. I tried to shake the sway bar really hard and it's super solid feeling, could still be bad? The truck makes a bad clunk. And sometimes it's not a single clunk when am turning hard and going up a slope like parking garage it's a series of clunks. Thanks!

[dhanna6powerstroke]

Only way to see if the actual sway bar bushings are bad is to put your hand over them and have someone rock the truck. If you can feel the sway bar moving inside the bushings then they are junk.

[svilla]

check your steering gear mount bolts too. they are in your left wheel well on the frame, 18mm. That is what mine sounded/acted like before I ripped out the internal threads of the top bolt hole.