Jacked Up
 

Ok, here it goes and please don't laugh, well ok go ahead and get it out now so you can continue reading this!

I have called a few places here in OK and no one has had any advice what so ever to my questions. All I've found is people laughing and saying that it will never happen. I have looked and looked on google and multiple sites but I can't find anyone that has ever done it. I'm hoping that its possible and that no one has done it yet. Here it is, I want to lift my HHR between 3-8", put, well I would show u a pick but I don't know how to add it, but put bigger rims and some mud/street tires on it, with a tow hitch and a few engine mods so it will have enough power to pull a 2 maybe 3 horse trailer. All while still being able to haul my 3 kids, my wife, my Chocolate Lab and all my tack. So my questions are: is it possible and if so, how would I go about doing it. Where would I need to start and how much am I looking at spending on it?

You might need to drop a 454 in, that worked pretty good in my old Land Cruiser.

Well that's a little overboard for what I'm looking to do. I don't wanna swap engines or really mess around to much with ALL the suspension components. Just a few inches and find out if my engine can with stand that much of a load.

Although it sounds cool the probability of it being a dailey driver would be next to zero! Front wheel drive with say even a 2" lift would be a strain on your front axles! Through in some larger tires and wheels and the driveability becomes even less! The HHR driveline barely accepts minimal lowering without issues popping up more than a stock height HHR, I just can't imagine the longevity of an HHR lifted with anytype of large mud & snows added to the mix! We wouldn't do it for a dailey driver but maybe for a toy that doesn't see much more than weekend use you could pull it off ;).....

Not to mention the towing capacity is what? Around 1000lbs. Dont think she will hold up to a 2-3 horse trailer.

Simply put. Everything you want to do is a bad idea for a HHR.
This is not a frame vehicle that you could put a lift kit under. To raise the car that much, you would need an entirely different suspension installed. Plus, there is nothing on the market for this car. Custom made? Probably cost you out the ***.
Then, theres the axle angle as mentioned before.
The brakes would need some kind of upgrade for the added weight.
ECM and BCM would have to be reprogrammed because of some of the mods.
The horse trailer mentioned would be too heavy as mentioned before.
The list just goes on and on.

Best bet is sell or trade the HHR and get a more appropriate vehicle.

Hell yes, this can be done. DO NOT let the other members talk you out of it.








It's really a neat way to spend $20,000-$30,000 to have a "one off" vehicle.:wink:

Yup..need a 4x4 frame/driveline and transplant the body..only way..your front lower control arms would pull in waaaaaay too much to keep it drivable, and i dont know that there would be enough tie rod adjustment to compensate unless some major mods are done, steer rack would have to be remounted below the frame... and maybe, hey theres an idea...put body blocks between eng/front end cradle and frame..oh yeah,,, theres another thing...you would have to have custom springs and struts..definitly not an off the shelf parts mod...

A quick google search found a 2 horse trailer weighs 2600lbs, plus add 1200 per horse. Umm that's 5000lbs.

You bought an economy car to do what! So you must be pulling our legs with this one?

But welcome it was good for a laugh:thumb:

oh he wants to put horses in that trailer, that's another story :lol:.....