Why does my car clunk over bumps? Answers from Des Moines' best auto repair

A clunk or knock over bumps often comes from worn ball joints, sway bar links, or bushings. These parts hold the suspension together and keep it from moving more than it should. When they wear, metal parts have room to knock against each other every time the wheel hits a bump, like at railroad tracks or a pothole.

Worn shocks or struts show up as extra bouncing after a dip, or a floating feel at highway speed. The nose may dive when you brake, and the car may lean more in turns. Cupped, uneven tire wear is another sign. Shocks and struts keep the tires pressed to the road, so worn ones hurt grip as well as comfort.

Worn suspension can make stopping distances longer and the car harder to control, and it speeds up tire wear. The most serious risk is a worn ball joint. Left too long, it can separate, and the wheel can lose its connection to the steering. That is why loose or wandering steering, or a clunk that keeps getting worse, needs a check right away.

Yes. When shocks, struts, or joints wear, the tire can bounce or shift instead of staying flat on the road. That wears the tread in patches, often called cupping. Replacing tires without fixing the worn part means the new tires wear the same way, so it pays to check the suspension when you see uneven wear.