Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll check things out this weekend.

The car has about 138k miles on it. I don't think it's the rack; it's been checked by two shops, and there is no discernable play when I grab each tire and try to make it move.

My new shop checked all of the bushings and the front were all good. (I trust these guys - they rebuild classic cars and the shop has some pretty neat vehicles: a Lotus, 1932 Marmon completely rebuilt, Jaguars, Porsche, a 1970 MGB that made me pine for my mis-spent youth, and more.)

Can't make it rattle by rocking the bumper, but I'll look at the strut nuts, the sway bar brackets (which have recent IPD poly bushings)

I had the rear control arm bushings replaced last year, but I'll look there anyway.
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'93 245, '96 850

I had a rear lower control arm bushing (Left side) that was wandering in and out. This was a bushing that had been replaced. I got a different bracket from the bone yard and had another new bushing pressed in. No problem since.

The noise was intermittent but since it was the left side I could feel it under my left foot.

If you sit on the front fender and rock it up and down can you replicate the rattle? I took the cap off my strut and rocked it up and down. I could see the strut nut come off the seat and hit it on the way down. I put three strut washers on it and put the nut back on. My two year rattle is gone. If I could only get rid of teh back hatch rattle.
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Simon 80 240 300k 17 years. 'White Lightning'

Has anyone checked the torque of the lower A arm bushing bracket fasteners ? They set up an terrible racket on my '89 if they are loose, specially on a cobble road.

C--

At one time or another in over 350k driving 240s, I've had front rattles from work brake pads, struts, main suspension bushings (almost-new IPDs; shop said they had been on the shelf too long and were starting to dry out and shrink), worn/loose wheel bearings, and sway bar (check your rubber inserts in the pedestals).

AND-- (I've got this right now and am just living with it) the steering rack. The end bushings on mine are worn enough at 213k that it clunks from time to time, but doesn't leak.

Good luck.

Doug Harvey

I've got a similar rattle in the front end that you can also feel. Just replaced both tie rod ends, both ball joints, all new sway bar bushings and links, lower control arm rear bushings. I am planning to change the strut inserts but not without replacing the upper strut bearings as well. (I was hoping to put off the shocks for a while but the rattle will push that job up soon.)
You didn't say how many miles overall. Mine has 200K so it was all bad. Strut bearings are the most likely culprit. I've had them fail on other MacPherson strut cars.

Dan Kretzer

I purchased a used 93 with 147K last Dec. It now has about 157K on it. Thought I'd respond to your post because my front end was just checked over by a very reputable shop. They replaced the left inner tie rod end and gave the steering and suspension a clean bill of health. However, when I spoke to the mechanic he indicated that he thought the brake hardware needed replacement. I note that the invoice reads " Note: Calipers rattling". Since the inner tie rod was replaced, I have recently replaced the front hardware, but I failed to check out the pads and I wonder if the pads(on the car from the PO) have too much play between the slots and the pins and maybe that's the problem. The rattling over bumps is still there.
If you find out anything, pass it on in this post. You might check you hardware, however.

Well, you've had a lot of work recently that would be suspect.
I would check bushings, both suspension and sway bar.
Check cross bar and other suspension fasteners for proper tightness.
Next, I would suspect the struts (I've had poor quality boge turbo gas that rattled after 1 year) I like Sachs better.
Check the strut tube nut for tightness as well as the top strut nut.
Finally, I've had the large bushing housing get egg shaped, allowing the larger bushing to rattle.

Good Luck

Tom