430 owners. Weird noise from front

My 07 is making a strange noise and it has been isolated to the right front wheel by my friend who walked/ran along beside car as I rolled along in a parking garage.

It is a metallic clanking noise as if aluminum is hitting against aluminum. Almost like you were hitting two pieces of aluminum together every few seconds or dragging a piece of it along on the ground and it was hitting something else. Nothing out of the norm on visual inspection. I'm not a mechanic so I haven't pulled the wheel.

It seems to be getting worse or I've become more aware and it's driving me crazy. I only hear it at very low speeds when the car is rolling . Intermittent as well. Clutch engaged or not. I have a 3 pedal. It has been there for a while. It doesn't affect anything other than being annoying. No pulling, vibration etc at speed. Braking fine.

I now remember F of Ft laud. identifying a noise from front end a couple of years ago when in for service. They didn't have time to diagnose problem. I didn't hear it at time. I was more concerned with rear noise coming from broken exhaust brackets.

I'm going to see my indy mechanic first. Anyone else had this problem?

 

Thanks for all input. I'm taking to my indy mechanic first thing in morning. I'll have him check the sway bar bushings. It's none of the others. Or at least I don't think so.

Will update when I find the cause.

 

My guy has had it for three days now. Will check in first thing tomorrow. I told him I wasn't in any hurry.

 

Yes. But not good results. My indie replaced the lower sway bar/ball joints bushings something like that on both sides. I really didn't care as long as the blasted noise was gone. $700. Same effin noise persists. I'm taking it back to him in the morning.

 

Yes but wouldn't wheel bearing cause wheel to vibrate, pull to one direction or another, etc.? Plus it seems as if I would notice it at different speeds.

I dropped it off yesterday morning.

 

Ready for this? The right tire was taken off the wheel and lo and behold, a few plastic pieces were found inside.

They were part of a tire installation tool !! Can you believe it? I won't even tell you who changed the tires last time.

Now it makes perfect sense. I could only hear the sound at very low speed. Centrifigal force held the pieces against the tire at higher speeds.

My indie says the sway bar bushings were worn but were not causing the problem obviously.