Give it a try. I jacked up the front wheel and took it off . Used a small pry bar to get some extra clearance and stuck some rubber gasket material under the spring as far as possible so it would be between the bottom of the spring and the top of the strut/shock mount housing. The plastic sleeve was still on the last coil of the spring but I think it was just used up.
Every time I changed strut mounts the one with the popping sound would come off it 2 parts (lower and a upper) and the ball bearings would go flying. Its just a bad design when you try lowing your car.

 

I've heard of sway bar bushings losing flexibility due to age and dryness causing front suspension noise but that was on a different car I owned. Just a thought. Good luck with your car.

 

Dly, so your putting the gasket in between the rubber on the strut mount and the spring? or are you saying that the plastic sleeve around the spring (at the top and bottom of the spring) has come off or is sliding? I took it back to ford for the head honcho to look at it... He didn't. We just talked about how much it could cost me to fix. I guess it's back to me fixing it myself.

 

I placed the rubber material at the bottom of the coil spring where it meets the metal housing on the Strut. There is usally a plastic sleeve on the bottm coil of the spring but it wears out fast. Jack the front end up, take off the tire and wedge the rubber material in between the coil and housing as far as you can stuff it. I used a small pry bar to help get the rubber in farther around the bottom of the coil.

dly

 

Dly I tried the rubber inset thing but it didn't help. It was worth a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

I realize you said you eliminated the sway bar links, but I had this issue and fought with it for a while before I put it on a lift and really CRANKED on the links. They moved. Crank them down hard and see what happens.

 

I like the joint greasing idea!

 

Well, you should, knowing that it's only a matter of using good sound judgment/common sense, to begin with!