HHR Shocks and Struts Question
06-04-2011, 08:19 PM
#11
Technical Moderator
Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Posts: 24,669
Depending on how many miles are on the car.. You might consider a "Quick Strut Kit" that includes Everything (the strut,spring,mount, bolts,nuts) you don't even need a spring compressor, 3 nuts at the top 1 bolt at the bottom.
They run around $200 each, but the labor saving is priceless, and you get new springs and mounts! I know Monroe sells them & I think others are available.
Upon re-reading a previous post, if they will sell you that Quick Strut for that price, it is a good deal. But check other sources for the same part number. I am an old fart too! 1968 Olds 98 was to stiff for me!
They run around $200 each, but the labor saving is priceless, and you get new springs and mounts! I know Monroe sells them & I think others are available.
Upon re-reading a previous post, if they will sell you that Quick Strut for that price, it is a good deal. But check other sources for the same part number. I am an old fart too! 1968 Olds 98 was to stiff for me!
06-04-2011, 08:33 PM
#12
Technical Moderator
Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Posts: 24,669
Oh, yeah the "stance" won't change, that has to do with (mainly the rear) suspension geometry, not shocks or springs. Note that when you load up a 1/2 ton of stuff in the cargo area that the "stance" barely changes, handling goes to hell, but...
Jeez, I just checked out the prices. A year ago $106 each for struts only was a great price. Now that price will get you a "Quick Strut". $73 strut, $17 mount, + the spring. Get the "Quick Strut", Especially if you are going to do the job yourself. But check around for prices. The sellers seem to say FE1,FE3,FE5 are the same kit, evidently only the sway bar & links are really different????
This might be a great time to do the links and hubs and axles and rotors and pads (maybe even calipers). It's only your money, not mine!
But seriously, if you are doing the work yourself and you have the funds and you have 100K miles.... Labor is all the same X4. You would be talking 1 day in the garage and another 150K miles of "no worries". Don't you just hate "well you might as well while you're at it"?
Jeez, I just checked out the prices. A year ago $106 each for struts only was a great price. Now that price will get you a "Quick Strut". $73 strut, $17 mount, + the spring. Get the "Quick Strut", Especially if you are going to do the job yourself. But check around for prices. The sellers seem to say FE1,FE3,FE5 are the same kit, evidently only the sway bar & links are really different????
This might be a great time to do the links and hubs and axles and rotors and pads (maybe even calipers). It's only your money, not mine!
But seriously, if you are doing the work yourself and you have the funds and you have 100K miles.... Labor is all the same X4. You would be talking 1 day in the garage and another 150K miles of "no worries". Don't you just hate "well you might as well while you're at it"?
Last edited by donbrew; 06-04-2011 at 10:00 PM.
06-06-2011, 10:58 PM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-13-2008
Location: Washington State, where it rains
Posts: 4,708
All 3 systems are exactly alike,,the only difference between them are the spring rates and shock valving, thats why they say will fit all, besides , it sells , to people who dont know the difference....
05-16-2014, 07:57 PM
#14
Join Date: 05-15-2014
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 3
I just bought a 2008 HHR LT. Noticed when I backed it out of the garage that the rear seemed to bounce a little much, dropping over the 1" difference from the garage floor to the pavement. Rear shock were replaced at 120K miles. It now has 160K miles. Would the rears go bad in just 40K miles? The guy pretty much just hauled himself back and fourth to work. what say you???
05-18-2014, 01:02 PM
#17
Join Date: 03-31-2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 9
I purchased Monroe quick struts from Amazon - one was $98, the other $115.
I also purchased the Moog sway bar links @ $24/each.
The struts themselves are rather easy to replace. 3 bolts up top, two on the bottom.
It's the sway bar links that are a total PITA to get off! The nut on the back side to keep the stud from turning is very thin on the OEM links. Mine appear to be 17mm (vs. 18mm for the main nut). But I couldn't get an open end wrench to hold through all the corrosion and how skinny the nut is. I resorted to vice grips on one side, and used my floor jack on my breaker bar to get the nut moving.
On the passenger side - well, my car is currently still on jack stands as I contemplate my next steps. I don't have enough clearance for the vice grips on that side. I may have to go out and buy some cheaper, thinner vice grips.
So the struts are easily a 60 minute job. But add in 8 hours to remove the sway bar links!
BTW, I also purchased the Energy Suppression sway bar bushings. I'm going to have to attack those another time, as it's too hard to remove the bolts on jack stands.
I also purchased the Moog sway bar links @ $24/each.
The struts themselves are rather easy to replace. 3 bolts up top, two on the bottom.
It's the sway bar links that are a total PITA to get off! The nut on the back side to keep the stud from turning is very thin on the OEM links. Mine appear to be 17mm (vs. 18mm for the main nut). But I couldn't get an open end wrench to hold through all the corrosion and how skinny the nut is. I resorted to vice grips on one side, and used my floor jack on my breaker bar to get the nut moving.
On the passenger side - well, my car is currently still on jack stands as I contemplate my next steps. I don't have enough clearance for the vice grips on that side. I may have to go out and buy some cheaper, thinner vice grips.
So the struts are easily a 60 minute job. But add in 8 hours to remove the sway bar links!
BTW, I also purchased the Energy Suppression sway bar bushings. I'm going to have to attack those another time, as it's too hard to remove the bolts on jack stands.
