2018 Ford Escape clunking from front end over bumps

Your guess is a good one. Sway bar end links are the prime suspect on this generation of Escape. They are a known weak point on Fords, and at 74k miles you are right in the window where they wear out. A bad link clunks over bumps and driveways at low speed because the sway bar loads and unloads with every dip, and it gets louder over months exactly the way you described.

Start by checking them. Get under the front end and grab each link (the short vertical links between the sway bar and the strut) and try to twist and shake it. Any play or clicking means it is done. If the links are tight, check the strut mounts next: have someone bounce the front of the car while you watch the strut towers under the hood. A failing mount will thump or visibly shift.

Also inspect the lower control arm bushings for cracked rubber and the ball joint boots for tears. A loose ball joint makes a similar clunk and is a safety issue, so do not skip that check. Worn struts usually ride rough and bounce more than they clunk, so they are third on my list.

Check the model specific service information for the link nut torque specs before you button it up.

https://ezcarfix.com/guides/ford/escape/2013-2019/front-sway-bar-link-replacement