Have a popping noise when I cross speed bumps seems to be only on the R/side. Changed the shocks & upper shock mounts (they where shot) also had an alignment done sounds like a bushing or ball joint but can't see anything. Put a jack under the lower control arm don't seem to have any play at the 12&6 positions but I do get a little at 3& 9 positions w/wo the jack under the control arm. Does not seem to be in the tie rod ends. Could be the steering rack but I would think the noise would be on both sides. Any ideas would be helpful. This is a 2001 xj8 with 145000 miles

 

I had a clonk from the front end going over bumps, and it was the front lower balljoints-there was no obvious play when rocking the wheel from 3-9 & 6-12, but you could grab the wheel and 'lift' it very slightly. That's how I found the lower balljoints were shot-they were a pig to replace as well since the taper handles the full weight of the front of the car & hadn't been 'broken' for 12 years. The joints come as part of the lower arm & have new bushes on them too-you can replace just the balljoints, but this requires a BIG hydraulic press...

Could also be the front anti-roll bar bushes-that's a much cheaper & easier fix!