usual 06 front end noise?

[cavell]

new to me 06 nox has a nasty rattle/buzz when i hit a bump with driver tire but today i noticed if i hit a bump with the pass tire it sounds much more solid and better absorbed. i am leaning towards maybe a bad ball joint on driver side? i did use a pry bar to try to see if there was any wiggle in the ball joint but nothing. maybe try the squeeze test with a big channel lock? or pop off the joint and see if there is any play?

 

[cavell]

changed ball joint, it looked ok, changed rear bushing on cntl arm, a bit of slop but not bad. i would say noise issue is better but the vague shimmy looseness from the front end remains. almost like a quiver feeling. i did notice the rear trans mount has a little sag. i can lift trans with pry bar about 1/2" but all my tech friends say that is normal mount squish. maybe the mount under the battery tray is bad as that one is side loaded.

i have had 2 saturn vues with the v6 and both were solid with no looseness feeling. my kid still has one and i drive it occasionally and it is solid also. her vue has original struts and motor mounts and only 1 new wheel bearing in 5 yrs time