FMHHR

Ok here is a short story about a DYI job and fustration. Topics include front brake pads, rotors, wheel bearings, lugnut torque, axle nut torque. I bought my 07 LT1 at 66k from a local dealer almost 3 years ago. Now has 130k. After purchase under Chevy 100k used bumper to bumper program, they did struts,bushings, cut rotors and new pads. Also top end engine rebuild, but that is another story. So other then routine maintance, ie oil and filter changes and a nice wax jobs all was good till now. A little wheel shake..rotors on the to-do list..hmmm, a little front wheel hum, whirling noise, nasty between 25 to about 60..Hmmm,more research front wheel hubs on the to-do list with rotors. Now for two weeks of fun. Let me say at 43yrs old, a total car buff,driveway restorer.I have been around the automobile block a few times. I have pulled my front wheels off so many times in the last 2 weeks feel like I could beat a Nascar tire man. Hours of online price research, Order new hubs with ABS, look up correct installation procedure, Look up correct brake pad procedure, some old ABS systems require you to relieve pressure when pushing caliper piston back, I didn't see anything listed so I just pushed slowly with caliper spreader. Did the job,all was well, UNTIL...after a couple of days of driving around with my axle nuts set too loose, 81lbs the manual says, turns out my gut was right, 155 was more like it. Pull the wheels loosen axle nut retorque to 155lbs. This took hours of web research and industry calls to figure it out. Wheels back on. 10days later, wheel noise WTF! wheel vibration WTF! Wheels off for inspection, all looks ok. More research. Did I throw a bearing with wrong/loose torque? Getting worse. Should I have sprung for better timken hubs, rather then less expensive? Hmmm? Getting worse! Wheels back off complete look see, pull calipers, pull rotors, check for end play, and general issues, Pull hubs felt good, scratch head. by this time over analyzing everything. Hate comebacks on my own car! Put it back to together, check, grab,measure everything. Still there.
Hmmm, took day off today, getting so bad, did not want to drive, didnt feel safe. Dam it. So back off with the wheels and with my gut again I flipped rotors from side to side, and noises flipped. Take rotors to a friend for run out check. SHOT! two weeks old. Looked like an old 33rpm album left in the sun on his dials. Brought rotors back to Car quest and they exchanged them. At $50 apiece made in china, they should last longer they two weeks and a 500 miles, I do brake on a steep grade on commute. I try not to, but other drivers make me. This time I spit shined every thing, lubed every thing, little bit of pad adhesive, retorque axle nuts again and , all mounting bolts with BRAND NEW torque wrench, since I didnt trust old one, a dear friend left it set up high and placed it in my box where it sat a for a few years. Not sure if you know this but ALWAYS RETURN torque wrenchs to zero. However my old school butt self did something I have never done..torqued my LUGNUTS at 100lbs. All good now, wheels back on for a while I hope. Maybe you can teach an old T-Handle new tricks, or maybe for now on it's for road side flats only, in my driveway, my new torque wrench is my new lugnut friend. Wish me luck. Oh ya, ordered a new cd/rom shop manual too.
All is smooooooooth and quiet again. God Bless.

frdfandc

I think if you edited your post into paragraphs, it would be easier to read.

My eyes are going

VinceP

Sounds like a lot of checking and re-checking. While you were doing all of this did you adjust the rear drums? (assuming you have rear drums, sounds like you do) I was having difficulty with my fronts as well. Several members suggested that the HHR does not automatically re-adjust the drums like it is supposed to. I adjusted my rears on my last go round and have not had a return shimmy as of yet.

BlackknighT

Yes the rears are the key for us drum people!

Budster

how do the rear drums cause a shimmy?

843de

As the rear drums creep ever further out of adjustment, the front brakes take more than their fair share of the load. As the fronts creep closer to doing 100% of the stopping they overheat, then they warp and wear prematurely causing the dreaded "HHR Judder".

Rear drum brakes on the HHR should be adjusted manually every 5,000 miles or at every oil change. Unfortunately the "self adjusters" on the HHR and some other Delta platform vehicles don't self adjust.

Blue_SS

Sounds like the OP found it. The drums could be an issue, but uneven torque on lugnuts can cause a shimmy as well, especially with lightweight wheels. I am with the OP on using a torque wrench on mine every time now.