Front end thumping noise in 2003 expedition -Noise than I just can figure out..... Please help!

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Chris r

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Hello everybody and thank you in advance for any help you can offer.
I have a 2003 expedition 5.4L that has developed a noise on the front left side that I hear in the drivers foot area. It is like a thumping sound that starts at 10mph and gets louder as I go. Started not so loud so I put some air in my tires and checked for nails but all was fine. Over the next 2 days it got worse and so loud I stopped driving it. Spent the last week in the evening taking everything apart on the front end and checking all previous work that has been done recently and checking for bad bushings, loose bolts, unjointed, etc. also rotated all the tires and still the noise did not change at all in loudness or location so I am assuming tires are good since they also look good and have no lumps or no bends or cracks in the rims.
In the previous 6 months I have had the front suspension work done:
New sway bar links, upper control arm with bushing, steering end links, lower control arm bushings, and 2 new hub bearings. I have triple checked all these parts and the installation and still the sound is there. I also checked my brake assembly and although it has a little more play than maybe it should I really don’t think it’s the cause of the thumping.
Keep in mind the thumping is consistent when driving and does not go away when applying the brake, and does not matter if turning left or right. The noise is still consistent.
If anybody can help or bring light to maybe something I am overlooking I would greatly appreciate it. The car rides great with all the new suspension work but. Is this sound and I can’t even drive it. Scared to take it to a shop because they will give me a run around of all the stuff I have already triple checked but I may have no choice.
 
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Chris r

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Also I did all the suspension work guys and have don’t many jobs on all my previous cars. Although I’m not a mechanic I fix things for a living and am pretty handy around my own garage. The hub bearing assemblies were changed after this noise developed. So it’s not faulty hub
 

1955moose

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Chris, doesn't look like anyone's chiming in, so let me give it a shot. I'd first check the lower, and upper ball joints. Use a Pry bar under the l/f tire. Rock it upwards checking for play or noise. Make sure everythings tight up front.If you have struts up front, its possible its rocking around in there. Happened to me working on a customers Volkswagen jetta. I replaced front struts, but didn't tighten top nut correct. On the road test it knocked like crazy. Re racked vehicle, found my mistake, and noise went away. You obviously don't trust any shops in your area, so your going to have to step up, and learn how the suspension works on your vehicle.

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Trainmaster

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Does the sound change with speed and tire rotation, or is it a suspension thump? If it's a rotational sound, I'd jack up the front end and spin the wheels. That might tell me if it's a C/V joint, transaxle or locking hub problem. You know where to go if that's the case... diagnose the locking hubs and the axle stubs...

Hate to call out the obvious, but did you do the sway bar bushings? Both the end links and those rubber mounts on the frame? The rubber mounts wear around the bar and the sway bar knocks. And Moose always gives good suggestions -- struts/shocks, whatever they are. They drift up and down and knock if the bushings are worn, but bouncing the car should diagnose them.
 
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