here is how she sits now. i have fixed the bottom shock mount so now the back sits about 3/4" lower. its handles great even without the sway bar hooked up. other than putting the sway bar links in and redoing my washer fluid res. i think im done. i gave up on laying out the back and tubbing it for now. i'll post more pics of the valves and under the hood soon. i hope to put the buckets back in the back of the car soon.

Most importantly check out this video
http://s533.photobucket.com/albums/ee331/leeannmyers03/?action=view&current=CLIP0013.flv

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000718.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000709.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000708.jpg

I love how low that is! I wish i had the know how you do, mine would be slammed like that too!

the video shows how low the front is

I've only seen one HHR that low, the Nomad concept.

Looks great!

WOW!! That is sweet! :thumb:

A few beauty shots and I see a potential Featured HHR :thumb:

That's "in the weeds"! :thumb:

makes me want to fire up the old tourch and make mess with mine. thanks for the nice pix.

How much did everything cost you all together?

Great job on the work, love the stance.....what wheels are those?
:thumb::one::thumb::one:

Damronjr-- i have spent right at 1000, but i found some deals here and there
08blkss-- the wheels are from a pontiac g6 i painted them black with ssome gold flake, which was a mistake.
thanks everyone

oh yeah and the pic i put up doesn't show how low it is now. i uploaded one from before i moved the shock mount.

08blkss-- the wheels are from a pontiac g6 i painted them black with ssome gold flake, which was a mistake.

thought they looked familiar :thumb: :thumb:

:bow:Watch out for bottle caps on the road in the mean time!:lol:

Dear lord that's low. Really slick looking nice job

Damronjr-- i have spent right at 1000, but i found some deals here and there
08blkss-- the wheels are from a pontiac g6 i painted them black with ssome gold flake, which was a mistake.
thanks everyone

i would spend that much . if i only had the time to do it. my hhr is on the road 6 days a week. it would probably cost twice that without the deals??? plus your time. i really like it. could i do 1 wheel at a time?:roll: what i really like about it is that you can adjust it. i wouldn't want it to be that low all the time. i couldn't get out the driveway.;)

well if you run a nitrogen tank its way cheaper. you can do the back in about half a day. and the front will take about a day.all the wiring and plumbing can be done before you mess with anything. you will need to be able to weld or you will need spend a little more. here are some more pics this is how low it is now in the back.

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000721.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000722.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000724.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000726.jpg

i was going to say that i would think a compressor would be less $ in the long run and take up less space. but even with a compressor , you would still need a tank also. right??? can't you just fill that tank , or any tank with air and use for this.??? if so , you would need a nice/good water seperator. i don't think anyone sells this as a kit for the hhr.:thumb: maybe you have one of a kind. :one:

compressors get too much use and burn up. in texas with the humidity 10 water traps wouldn't be enough. electric valves dont like water that much. a decent comp. is about $200 and a tank is about $50. nitrogen bottle is $80 (good deal) and each fill is $10. i fill mine about once a month, but its not a daily driver. in a hatch back compressors would be annoying. i had compressors on my ranger with a bed cover and they were still loud in the cab.you can ge a "pancake" tank to fit in the spare tire hole but then where do you put the spare?

08 hhr is supposed to have came with a compressor. i haven't even checked to see if i have spare yet. i think you're right about the tank being the best route. i wonder if some of those small oxy/acet tanks would be sufficient and fit in the spare space in the spare space without removing the spare??? i have some , i think last time was about $20 each for exchange for oxy/acet. i know that thet are not cost effective for cutting , but i still like them.

love the vid, did the same thing with my Celica when it was bagged.

i think instead of a painjob im gonna go air. i miss it.

you think your wheels will tuck?

garage, nicely done. It really looks better sittin low! I would love to do the SS, but I dont want to give up the performance. I think I need another HHR to drop!!

i pulled the rear springs a couple days ago and lowered it slowly. i need to cut a lil out of the rear inner fender, then it will tuck.

i had to roll the rear fenders in about 1/2" on each side. take some tin snips and make a cut every inch then tape up the outside of the fender so you don't scratch it. hold a block of wood on the outside and beat where you cut with a hammer. also did you notice how far forward the wheel ends up. thats the curse of a 2link. i had to add an inch to mine.

here are some pics of the hangers. this is how i made the 2link longer.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000580.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000582.jpg

Nice job might have to chop up the SS for this.

hey black death why would you think you would loose performance. air suspension will handle better that any spring set up if done right. plus lowering the center of gravity makes anything handle better. you may be right though cause the drive shafts get tweaked pretty bad when its layed out so the extra Hp and a heavy foot may cause trouble. it shakes a little when riding low but you also cant turn so i dont ride like that.... except when i want to make some sparks. other than that i baby the accelerator

is it bouncy??? it is ok if not so good. it is still cool enough.:thumb:

not bouncy at all. i used small enough bags that it needs about 100psi in the front and about 70psi in the back. that high of psi in a bag doesnt "bounce" much at all. its hard to compare to a spring suspension cause it reacts completely different. i would compare the ride to my work truck (f250 V-10) over bumps. its cool cause you can pull the wheel real hard and it has almost no body roll. you can carry alot more speed through a corner. And this is all with the sway bay in the front DISCONNECTED. i think today im finally gonna hook it back up cant wait to see how it handles.

they have kit on ebay now , $645 front , $591 rear , doesn't say or show how low it will go , or include compressor or tank. and does require cutting and welding. i think it is easy street brand. have you ever used any of their products??? it didn't mention the hanger link thingies.

it doesnt say anything about the hangers because that kit will end up about 2 inches higher than mine sits so you dont need it. its funny it would be $591 for the rear cause all you need is bags and fittings. firestones are $60each so about $130 and the back is done. no welding or anything unless you want to use the stock shocks. easy street is good from what i hear but never used em. they have remade the front struts for 09 supposed to get lower and ride better.

it said/reads that cutting and drilling are reqiured. no welding is mentioned. i also found some coilovers. adjustable but you have to get out the car and use tools to adjust. i also doubt that they will go as low as yours. but i think they may allow larger tires/wheels to be used because the spring looks to be less diameter.

whith the struts i have you can run a wide tire cause the bag sits over the wheel. with there kit you only have to drill for airlines.

whith the struts i have you can run a wide tire cause the bag sits over the wheel. with there kit you only have to drill for airlines.

about the bag location. i didn't notice that. can you also run a taller tire??? i know the taller tire will take away from the lowering. fenderwells offer some limits on tire size also. i've noticed a hump that sticks out behind my rear tires. i wonder if on the rear , the fenderwells could be removed and just go without??? also if that bump could be heated and pushed in. there is probably something behind it.

your tire will be so far forward that hump wont matter. the tire will rub the front of the fender well before it rubs the top. i have my fender wells(plastic) out. you can run how tall of tire you want with the kit i used cause you weld the lower bag plate to the strut, so you put it on the car and mark it. then take it out and weld it up. if your gonna do it i would use the easystreet kit for the front.

you can see the ring at the base of the bag plate gets welded where you want.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000614.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000612.jpg

im thinking about just replacing the strut with an upper control arm.

ok so i hooked the sway bar back up and now it handles great. i cant believe how much better than stock it is.

about how high/low is it when doing normal driving??? didn't you say that you can't turn with it all the way down??? it can't handle good if you can't turn.;) :bow:it still looks great.:bow: i want do do mine. but i don't want to cut /weld it. so it wont be as low. i'm thinking bags in the rear only. maybe coilovers in the front.

at ride height the front tire is even with the fender. the rear is tucking about 1/2". the only time you can't turn is when you are parked or dragging so it doesn't matter. all the way down it sits on the ground in front. for what you will spend on good coilovers you can get airstruts, and if the back is bagged you will already have the airsupply. if you dont mind a stiff ride and you really want it to handle well air is the best choice. you have to remeber also that with air you can alter your caster, camber, center of gravity, rake, and stiffness with the flip of a switch. but who races an hhr anyway.... oh yeah the SS guys

at ride height the front tire is even with the fender. the rear is tucking about 1/2". the only time you can't turn is when you are parked or dragging so it doesn't matter. all the way down it sits on the ground in front. for what you will spend on good coilovers you can get airstruts, and if the back is bagged you will already have the airsupply. if you dont mind a stiff ride and you really want it to handle well air is the best choice. you have to remeber also that with air you can alter your caster, camber, center of gravity, rake, and stiffness with the flip of a switch. but who races an hhr anyway.... oh yeah the SS guys

those are good points. do you know how long the bags can be expected to last??? isn't that what some of the lincolns come with , and have to be replaced after a few years???

i know someone that has had bags on a daily for about 4 years with no problems and heard stories of 8-10 years if they are set up right. the front strut bags may be a different story. the ones i got are cheap, which is why i recommend the easystreet kit. the lincolns have trouble cause the are "sleeve" bags. everytime the lose pressure the bag rolls over itself.

hey guys, whats happenin? long time listener, first time caller, ha. but anyways, i just ordered my bags for the rear ( front still stock). i went with the DeNominator II from airbagit, picked up 4 for the rear, 2 for replacements. i'm piecing together a nitrogen system cus i really dont want a compressor inside my ride. just gotta find a refill station close by, cus it is a daily driver. so, garagebuilt, with your ride as inspiration, i'm probly gonna have a few questions for ya in the near future. thanks for the info

i picked up some 2x4 square tubing to redo the rear and make it lay out. should start this weekend. i was messing too much up draggin the front so ill make the rear drag.

here is what the easy street kit looks like. i have been talking to a guy who put this on a saturn ion. im waiting to hear back on how it rides. it only tucks about an inch of tire but gets about 4-5" of lift. i dont really like that they use "sleeve" bags

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/100_4607.jpg

forgot to post this pic. i got one side done. some people had said it looked ugly so here is what it was supposed to look like

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000737.jpg

[QUOTE=garagebuilt;371001]forgot to post this pic. i got one side done. some people had said it looked ugly so here is what it was supposed to look like

dat looks much gooder ;) . so , you mean that that kit will only lower the front 1 inch???

so, the bags for the rear just came in!!! switch box too!! just waitin on my solenoid block and a nitrogen tank... and a weekend off. cant wait to get em installed so i can take my ride to a whole new low. hopefully i'l get some pics up, and keep y'all posted

hey guys, whats happenin? long time listener, first time caller, ha. but anyways, i just ordered my bags for the rear ( front still stock). i went with the DeNominator II from airbagit, picked up 4 for the rear, 2 for replacements.

What kind of cups or Brackets are you going with and what size bags did you get ........

Thanks
Ron

not using any brackets, just modifying the factory hardware slightly. the bags are 6.25 dia, and have about 8" of stroke. airbagit.com has all the specific dimensions, looked like it'l fit, so ima go for it. i'l see what happens...

hey just be sure you get the wires that go to the rear brakes out of the way. take a grinder and make a notch for the wires then zip tie them out of the way. or they will rub the bag. also the cannister for emmissions will hit the rear suspension if you move it back any. it has a bar in between to protect it. i havent moved mine yet and it hasnt fallen off yet.

Ah, yeah. I figured the exhaust would get in the way too, so i chopped it off... now it sounds like a beast. Got a thrush glasspack, just gotta put it in, and run it out before the tires. hopefully i can put everything in on the 11th. oh yeah, does the rear drag, or do i gotta get drag blocks ( i wanna throw sparks )?

the exhaust will still clear if you raise it about 2 inches. i cut mine off and added the 2 inches where it first turns up to go ver the suspension. not sure about louisiana but i think in texas the exhaust has to extend past the last door. it would look good to come out in front of the rear tire but it would drag pretty easily.

the rear will NOT drag. it wount even be close. it may if you had the front bagged and could raise it higher than stock.

on mine the front will drag but i have raised the strut towers 3".
this shows how far off the ground it is. looks way lower in person. also in this pic the front sits about 2" higher cause i have some stuff welded on there to drag, which im about to cut off.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/DSC02092.jpg

Its hard to tell but the frame sits about ¼” higher than the ground (before drag blocks)
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000695.jpg

Also look at this picture, the emissions “canister” hangs low too. i gotta figure out how and where to move mine to lay out the back
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000597.jpg

garagebuilt..........what do you think about an air management systems( like Auto Pilot Digital Controller )? It would be a nice luxury of a button to get the car up to ride height and just running one wire to the front. At the same time you have 4 sensors that same will say can be off more than 5 psi... If you use a needle gauge you'll need to run air lines up front, the needle will move a little going over bumps and theres no sure way to set the ride height but to look at your gauges...What do you think is the best way ? what do you Run ?

i put the switches on the dash where i can reach them from outside the car. just watch it raise to where you want the front is easy cause i have my regulator set at 100 psi which is what the front needs for ride height. i just hold the switch till it stops.

i want the autopilot but dont want to spend the money. i would say its better than a needle gauge but i know a lot of people who have needle gauges. it usually doesnt matter that the needle bounces cause most of the time you will be sitting still when adjusting the ride.

when they say just one wire ran to the front, they mean 1 cable probably about a 1/4" thick. you will also have a ton of wires going to your valves for all the sensors. but its still a nice system.

ok so the front is fixed for now.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IMG_1399small.JPG
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IMG_1401small.JPG

nice...............

thanks... im pretty good with photoshop

Hey Garagebuilt, Your ride looks great, really like the looks:thumb:.

How far are you from the DFW area? It would be sweet to see it in person and maybe get a few pics :thumb::one:

thanks Tracy

08blkss
i am a long way from DFW. im on the map if you want to know exactly. its about 5 hours
i will be a little closer this weekend though. there is a carshow in conroe

made it to kill switch in conroe tx. some bad roads on the way there.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/johnboyon20s__412200923904PM4881.jpg

Great looking HHR bro! I have a concern though about mine. I'd like to consult to you the noise I'm hearing from my HHR. I brought it to the dealer which unfortunately does not have a warranty anymore. But they give me a free diagnosis. Noise from the steering wheel is caused by the intermediate steering shaft. Crackling noise from the left front wheel is caused by the stabilizer link. It will cost me close to $400 to have both parts replaced. Are these repairs necessary? Are these critical to vehicle safety? If I ignore these symptoms, am I looking at future major problems? Need advice. Thanks bro!

here is a pic of how i got nuts on the top of the bag to mount it. its ugly but its about to get cut out to go lower. and also the new front struts. i made the botton clamp on instead of welding, which i think is what ruined the first set.

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000744.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000742.jpg

here is some of what i have done. i am using 2x3x3/16 square tubing to rebuild the rear end. the plan is to get about 2-3" lower and center the wheel.

before
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000768.jpg
reused the stock bushings
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000774.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000779.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000778.jpg

looks like one hell of a project. gl

are bags quieter than springs? (if you don,t drag the ground)<g

the reason it is so loud is because its a unibody car with no sound deadening.it will always be loud unless you dynamat the whole car

I dynamatted & foamed all the boxed channelling long ago (which was a great improvement!)& traced the remaining irritation to coil spring thrum. wouldn,t mind an inch lower but my chop & channel days occurred 40 odd years ago.

ok i thought you wanted it lower not just quiet. yea then you probably have done all you can do. i wish these were made like cars were 40 years ago. its scary how thin the metal is. the 3/16 square tubing im using is almost twice as thick as the stock stuff

here are some more pics of what i have done. i forgot to take one after i tacked all the pieces together. I test fit it and everything looks good. got about 1.5" without trimming anything in the fender. just needs to be gusseted and then paint.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM0007791.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000783.jpg
before
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000768.jpg
after. still can go lower
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000785.jpg

Since you've built your own new rear axle assembly, why not make brackets to put rear discs on also :poke: would sure look better than drums through your thin-spoked wheels :thumb:

yeah i thought of that but im tight on my budget. i will do it if you would like to sponsor me!

here are some more pics.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000787.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000789.jpg

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000791.jpg

DAMN:bow: im impressed, you gotta make me one too:D yeah, i finally found some nitrogen bottles, ended up payin way too much for em through AIRGAS, but its all i could find. but, the ride is up on jack stands, and i removed the springs,shocks, and upper spring mount. hopefully tomorrow i'l have it sittin low, and hittin switches.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/bottlesandbags.jpg

That looks awesome :thumb: great job

FINALLY!!! :D got the rear bagged. no time to post any more, gotta go play
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/baggedrear.jpg

aye, check out a quick vid of the bags
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxwuuCHB5Lw

hey lunch box, did you try pulling your shocks loose to see how much lower it would go? also when you get a chance will you measure the rear fender when its all the way up and then all the way down. curious to see how much lift those bags actually get.

It sits about the same height without shocks, maybe 3/4 inch lower,
but the ride is terrible. Its damn near impossible to drive above 60.
I'l check the stroke when I get off work

yeah thats why i extended the lower mount.

so, with the bags fully inflated, the fender sits at 29 3/4" off the ground, and deflated its at 23 1/4", so about 6 1/2" of stroke. but my bags arent bottomed out when deflated, theyre sort of smashed in the spring cup, and holding it up a couple inches. i guess cus the billows are a larger diameter than the 2500# bags. i definitely gotta fix that, and not cruise with em fully deflated. further increasing the need for a new rear link setup.

so you used #2600 bags? i wish i would have. it would ride a lot better and use less psi to lift

here are some pics of how it looks now that the back is lower. something ruined the image quality though.
down
http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee331/leeannmyers03/IMG_1801.jpg

up
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IMG_1803.JPG

first pic is now desktop background.Thanx and sexier ride by the day:thumb:

wow . it looks great:thumb:...i'm jealous...........is 2nd pic all the way up???

yeah, i'm runnin about 40 psi right now, its kinda slow gettin up ( 4 sec. ), but im using less nitrogen that way. with no shocks, runnin 160 psi, and toggling the switch, i was hoppin the rear, but that drained my bottle real quick ( hella fun though :D )

here are some pics of how it looks now that the back is lower. something ruined the image quality though.
down
http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee331/leeannmyers03/IMG_1801.jpg

up
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IMG_1803.JPG

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet :bow: love that look :thumb:

Hey Garagebuilt, the more i see of your bagged HHR, the more i love it.From your threads you really did a alot of work, but paid off very well:thumb:.

the back isnt all the way up in that pic but the front is. the back will go up almost 2" more. then layed out it should be close to setting the bumper on the ground once i tub it. i got way more stroke moving the bag forward.

i leave my regulator at 120psi. the back comes up pretty fast but the front is slow.the front rides good at 90-100 psi and the back i have no idea what psi but it rides the best with the tire even with the fender

Hey Garagebuilt, just wondering in ballbark figures, roughly how long did it take and how much to air bag your HHR?.

got the rear a little lower
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IMG_2184sm.JPG

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IMG_2185sm.JPG

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IMG_2189sm.JPG

The video... what exactly is that dragging on the pavement? You'll have to forgive me but all of this is new to me.

ah, you moved the bag toward the front. great idea ( more stroke ). you mentioned the shock relocated to the rear wasn't quite workin for ya, it still bottoming out in its current location, or you fixed that already? and what is the upper shock bolted through? did you add reinforcement? All in all, its a great setup, maybe one day mine will be up to par with yours. Keep it up... or down :thumb:

Czechman
that was some 5/8" metsl plate welded to the subframe. i will no longer drag the front. i was starting to here my cv joints clunk. i planned on dragging the back but now i dont think i will drag at all. it throws up metal shavings that stick in the paint and rust.

Lunchbox
i do get more stroke with the bag closer to the pivot point, but mostly i did it to get a softer ride. the shock is fixed in that pic. i moved it up 2.5" and it doesnt stick out as far. before it would actually rub the insside of the rim when i lifted it too high. i just took the plastic out on the inside of the car and drilled holes. on some allthread i welded on a nut and big washer. thats on the inside. since the shock bolts up tight to the sheetmetal on the inner fender thats all the reinforcement you need. my stroke is still limited by the shock but only a little. now the tires sit on the inner fender when layed out.

hey , have you guys seen LoPro's video on youtube ? is he a member here ?..... [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqAfrjMpkeO

yeah, its kinda what first inspired me to put air ride on mine. I think he's runnin the Easy Street kit, front and back. i'm currently waitin on Air Lift to finish up my Easy Street front kit. I'ts not gonna go as low as Garagebuilt's, cus he gusseted the front end a few inches, but it'l work for now. soon, i'l be switchin from my double nitrogen tank setup to my double viair 480c and twin 5 gal tanks. runnin all 1/2 inch tubing and valves. it should be very fast, might even hop the rear end a little bit :D

not sure if you will do the same but i quickly learned that i hated 1/2" valves and lines. even worse on a daily driver. i had a ranger that took about 5 min just to get the ride height set. i run 3/8" lines and valves with undersized ports. i love it. its slow but i can chane the height by less than an inch at a time instead of about 2 inches.
either way youll love it compared to stock once the front is done if you dont mind the bumpy ride.
let me know how you like the compressors, cuase i may do the same
ill have to shoot a video of mine lifting and laying out to compare it to yours.

oh yeah more to complain about.....haha the side to side stuff on an hhr is almost pointless. as most people already know the hhr with a 2 link and sway bar up front doesnt twist much. you can tell by pulling through a dip diagnally when on wheel comes off the ground! not to sound like an old man but after having all that i dont like it. all i need is 2 switches. less valves and wires= less trouble and less $
tell airlift to hurry up!

yeah, i figured the ride might be a little haggard. i'm regulating the front to 150# and reducing from 1/2 to those 3/8 braided stainless, then going into the 1/4" ports on the struts. plus, the easy street struts got 9 dampening settings, so i should be able to adjust how rough the ride is. as for the side to side... yeah , you can feel it when you're inside, but from the outside, it doesn't look like much movement. might end up getting a custom triangulated independent rear setup, but that'll cost me. just sent a message to air lift, and should be gettin an ETA on the front struts soon (cant wait) .

well... still waiting on the easy street kit. They said it'll be worth the wait, cus the new kit will go higher and lower than the previous design. In the mean time, i figured i would upgrade my rear bags, and prep my tank and compressor setup. i decided to switch from my cheap ass Chassis Tech bags for some Slam Specialties RE6's. The new bags are twice as expensive, but the ride is much smoother and i don't have to be lifted so high for a descent ride.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/newbags.jpg

yeah i think the rear is a bit light for such a big bag. have you ran the new bags without shock? alot of people say they dont need shocks when they run slams.

i tried it, cus the shocks are bottoming out, and it was still pretty bouncy. the roads in louisiana aren't engineered well at all (cus it's a damn swamp down here), and most of my driving is done on long bridges, and my car bounces along more and more on each little span. its kinda like ridin a horse or somethin. i went ahead and ordered some KYB shocks and lower mount brackets ( the ones with 3 holes for height adjustability ). i should be sittin a little lower, and have a smooth ride then.

yeah we just drove I10 to orlando. the roads are horrible there. i think if i ever get the paint done im gonna tub the rear so i can drag the muffler off! too bad the front will always be higher cause of the subframe.

aye, i got the compressors in and one 5 gal tank. tubed it up with the 1/2" lines and valves and... it is scary fast. i'm runnin 200 psi now, but i'm probably gonna get a lower pressure switch. right now the rear end launches up, and bounces all about. it is hella fun though, but the compressors are kicking on all the time, and they aren't that quiet. i havn't tried it without shocks yet, cus it took me too long to finish the setup. maybe i'l get a video of it tomorrow.

if you want it slower just put some needle valves on it and use them to adjust the speed. if i do a compressor ever again it will be engine driven.

How do you like the slams compared to the other bags? The nice thing about the Slam Specialties bags too is that they don't balloon out when you inflate them - can fit them in tighter spaces...

i love the slams, the ride is much smoother. and yeah, the chassis tech bags ballooned out and rubbed on the spring cup. Slam Specialties are just a better bag... period. my HHR was my first attempt at an air ride setup, and i've learned quite a bit, mostly what not to do. and well, you do get what you pay for. it's better to spend more money up front on the right parts, instead of getting cheap parts and having to upgrade later on. i've ended up paying for two separate setups for the rear, and am still waiting on the front to be finished. oh, and the compressors aren't that bad, the road noise and my exhaust drown out the sound, and i've got enough dynamat to get rid on the vibrations.

well, finally got around to posting a vid of the new rear setup. Video quality isn't that great, but you get the gist of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEZtec5Ej-M

Well, they've finally arrived... and it was worth the wait. AirLift has completely redesigned their kits for our rides. The most obvious change is the billow bags instead of sleeve bags. AirLift's new "Lifestyle" line of struts feel and look very well crafted, much better than the Easy Street kits. A couple specs so far are as follows: 50-125 psi operating range, and 4 1/2" of stroke from deflated stationary position to bottomed out. Cant wait til this weekend, then i get to install em' and have a little fun.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/AirLiftStruts.jpg

do you know if the shock is hydrolic or gas? they look good. how much did they end up costing? i wonder if you will still have to raise the towers to lay the front.

The shocks appear ( sound like ) to be hydraulic, and the adjustable dampening gives them a wide range of stiffness ( just compressing by hand ). All in all, the struts cost me about $650, which isn't tooo expensive. They fit into my budget, but you can definitely get it done for cheaper ( universal kit ). I don't think i'll be layed out with just the struts. Part of me wants to drag frame and throw sparks, but the other part doesn't want to thrash my ride... decisions. I guess i'll see what happens on saturday

DONE... :nuts: got em on, and its bad ass. She sits about 5" lower now, and still has about 2" of frame clearance. I could put on my drag blocks, but i'm not sure if wanna do it yet. The hardest part of the strut swap wast the removal of the old strut bolts... but i just needed a bigger hammer :D. the new struts were a complete ready to bolt in setup ( the easystreet kit used old parts from the struts). I'm just glad its over, and with the terrible weather, my "couple of hours" project ended up takin about 8 hours. new pics coming soon

dragging is cool but its also a pain. it will leave little specs of metal stuck in your paint on the rear hatch and bumper. thats the main reason i ended up painting mine. you shouldnt have much trouble with the cv joints at that height. just remeber how close the pan on the motor is to the ground if you do drag it. i wore out some 5/8" plate on mine pretty fast and now that its gone i think im done dragging fast. ill still drag in parking lots to scare people though.
let me know if you get much wobble when your riding low and accelerate. my tire has to untuck from the fender or it shakes but thats where the bag rides best.
post pics here
VVVVVVVVVV

here are the pics of how i added an inch to the rear
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000582s.JPG

http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/IM000580_496302.jpg

FINALLY!!! :D got the rear bagged. no time to post any more, gotta go play
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/baggedrear.jpg

Separated at birth?

http://www.myattitudesucks.com/hhr/images/exhaust23.jpg

yeah, i hear ya about the wobble when i'm tucked. thought somethin was broke at first, but it's just the horrendous camber. but, after i'm at ride height, it rides damn smooth. as for dragging, i dont plan on doing it too often. I'm gettin the welder at work to make me some grind plates out of 1" slabs, so they should hold up a little bit. mostly i wanna drag at the next car show ( Siknik ) they got an area for dragging. oh, and i gotta tub the front fender wells too. when i slam it, i'm sittin on the engine bay.
XXL... that is bad ass, and i love the rear bumper too ( i gotta do mine like that ). what kind of plastic welder are you using? I wanna get one so i can shave my bumpers.

As you can see, I can only squeeze 2 fingers between the gap
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/layframe.jpg
And this is where i'm sittin when i slam
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/rubbin.jpg
got a couple more pics in my gallery too...

XXL... that is bad ass, and i love the rear bumper too ( i gotta do mine like that ). what kind of plastic welder are you using? I wanna get one so i can shave my bumpers.

It's an old Forsthoff handheld unit. Works great for small amounts of work. I've yet to shave the front bumper, but that's on the list. I then have some sheetmetal plans that are going to cause a few double-takes. Until then...

so that pic of the frame compared to the ground is with it layed out? and it sitting on the humps in the fender? thats way lower than i thought it would be. how much further do you think it will go? that would be nice if it layed without raising the towers.

oh and about the camber.... mine actually isnt too bad through its whole cycle. its way better than a upper and lower control arm setup. and its backwars too it cambers positively when layed out. it works out good too because it pulls the wheel in as it gets lower so they tuck easier.
also it doesnt tow in or out too bad either. i havent drove mine a whole lot but the tires seem to wear fine.
i baby the throttle now cause i am afraid of breaking a cv joint.
i need to get done with the paint so i can tub the back.

yeah, in the frame pic i'm layed out on the fender wells. when i chop em out, i shouldn't get more than an inch lower. it's way lower than i expected as well, i was thinkin about 2-3" from the ground. camber-caster... always get those mixed up, but it's not that bad... it actually saves me from rolling the front fenders, but i'l probably end up doing it anyway.

there is really not much to roll. just get some new wheels. mine are about 2.5" in when layed out. just cut out the top of the plastic inner fender and it should be ok. i would have killed to get that low and not trash the towers....lucky....
looks good.

new wheels?... well, i just ordered a set today. Decided to go with these Zinik's. They're really the only rim that just stood out to me, with a combo look of luxury, tuner, and bad-assery ( think thats a word...:D). Can't wait to get em in, but probly cant get em installed for a couple weeks, depending on my schedule. I'l let ya know how the fender well choppin works out too.
http://www.tirerack.com/images/wheels/zinik/swap/zinik_z25_mbsa_ci3_l.jpg

Those are some sweet lookin wheels. And, according to Urban Dictionary, "bad assery" is a word
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bad%20assery

Here's a quick photochop of my rims and possible 2 tone. Not sure how low im gonna be with the new profile, but it should be about the same height.
Aye txbass... thanks for the assist. Anytime you can quote Chuck Norris, is alright by me :lol:
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/rimsandpaint.jpg

what size are the wheels? how wide are they and whats the offset?

The wheels are 18" x 7.5" with a 42mm offset. Forget the size of the tires though. The guys at the shop said i'll still be able to tuck and not rub.

The wheels are 18" x 7.5" with a 42mm offset. Forget the size of the tires though. The guys at the shop said i'll still be able to tuck and not rub.

Those are the same dimensions as the stock SS wheels. Im thinking of getting some that size and putting 235/40/18 tires on, let us know the size you get and how it works out. :thumb:

How's this for low?...:cool:
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/ontheground.jpg
ok, it's not really that low normally. i just had the rear end up on the ramps ( fixing the strut mounts ) and thought the front looked killer. still haven't chopped the fenders out yet, maybe tomorrow.

How's this for low?...:cool:
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/1/3/9/5/8/ontheground.jpg
ok, it's not really that low normally. i just had the rear end up on the ramps ( fixing the strut mounts ) and thought the front looked killer. still haven't chopped the fenders out yet, maybe tomorrow.

Purrrrrrfect. :cool:

yea i wish it was that low. you gonna leave the black part off the bumper? what all did you do to the rear? forget all the negative stuff i said about dragging. i have had so much trouble with the paint i dont care if i mess it up. i welded some more plate on mine to drag. im also not so sure about the rear end i built. i may have to do something different. like a straight axle.
i did a calculation and drawing for the g6 wheels which may help.
http://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/files/3/6/5/wheeloffsets.JPG

yeah, it'd be great to actually sit that low... without the rear bumper 3 feet off the ground. I removed the black lip on the front forever ago, when it started falling off. When i get my donor bumper for shaving the front end, i'm gonna use the lower portion of the donor to make a new lip. I plan on only having the sides of the bumper with a lip, and leaving a lower-grille sized gap in between. As for the rear end, i opted to use the factory mounting holes for the shocks, cus the new KYB's don't bottom out there. Oh, and i fanally figured out what that bracket was that you posted pics of... it's the rear link mounts :red: . I might end up doing that to mine too.

well dont copy my design for the rea set up. i twisted it pulling into a gas station somehow and now the drivers side rubs the shock. and i didnt get to drive it to the secod day of Battledrag.
looks like a straight axle and 4 link will be coming.

lunchbox where did u get the struts from?

Juan look up Airlift. they are the airride company that makes them. the old style was easystreet but the new ones are called something different

Got em from airlift, they're the Lifestyle struts. Cost me about $650, and waited 4 months for em. Wait might not be so long, cuz I was the first set in Production

thats sick man. ive got an 06 and want to bag it

heres what im doing now.
http://chevyhhr.net/forums/showthread.php?t=26658

as i've said on streetsource, very nice

thanks. id like to drive it again sometime