just spend the better part of the day replacing the sway bar bushings with energy suspension pieces. bit of a job but done. after doing the job, i noticed a space(maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch per side)between the (plastic) sleeves that locate the sway bar between the bushings. this "gap" allows the bar to drift left/right(especially with the greasable bushings). wondering if this "drift" will cause any problems...such as the bar hitting the control arms at full droop....? otherwise, are the sway bar sleeves movable or are they rather permanently affixed to the bar...???

 

Did you install 'poly' bushings ? If so it is best to use synthetic grease..

Regular grease imo is hard on poly..

 

spoke with ENERGY SUSPENSIONS about what kind of lube to use.......they said that since these bushings are impregnated with graphite(p/n 9.5161G), that plain old moly grease is recommended. one "mod" that i felt that i had to make was to replace the straight zerk fittings with 90 degree ones............makes it tons easier to grease the bushings.........

 

The sway bar does move L/R a bit, there is a stop on the inner side of the bushing to keep it from going too far. I had a symptom of end link contact with control arm when I had the 12" links AND bad control arms.

 

have the shorted (roughly 10 inch) moog links and what most certainly appear to be perfectly fine aluminum control arms(2006 LT model 2.2 engine). do see on the right sway whene there has been contact(a wear area on the control arm.right side only). kinda thinkin that that energy suspension may have provided enough "play" in the slots on the bushings clamps that i may be able to loosten up the screws holding the clamps down and not only have the ability to mose the brackets front/rear but(slightly) left/right as well. this will give me enough play to position the clamps(brackets) outward a little bit....well see.
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sk...E1295161G.html

 

The bar does have about 1/2 inch play L/R built in. I just looked at the link you posted. They do seem to have an adjustment F/R. But I replaced mine with GM OE bushings that can only go in one way, no adjustment. So, I'm no help in figuring the adjustment procedure. I am purely guessing that you would want the links to be perfectly vertical when the wheels are pointed dead straight, and the sway bar ends are horizontal.

But, didn't you already replace the control arms or bushings? That seems to have been the culprit in my case. If you did not, then take a verrrry good look the bushings are very hard to see until they are dangerously bad! The second one I replaced "just to make them even" was not much better than the one that the tire shop spotted as "shredded" the other one was only trashed. The contact I had was on the "shredded" side. So, in my particular case it seems to have been the "rear vertical mounted control arm bushing". I think that if you have near 100K on any HHR you should just take those control arms out and physically inspect them close up, if not just R&R every 100K for prophylactic purposes, they really are easy to pull out.

 

replaced the control arm bushings(with moog pieces) and the struts with monroe quick struts. i'm aware that there may be a spring rate problem with the quick struts but i can say that the car sits at the same height that it did prior to doing the struts. spring rate(especially at high compression) may be another story..either way, even had the bar/control contact problem prior to doing the struts.........

 

I don't see the struts as a problem. I did not notice any contact marks until I put the 12" links on, and I don't know that there is a "problem" with that. I do kind of wonder if new end links of the "lube type" may permit more play. My front end is too new and evolving to check right now, next week I'll be in a better position.

 

i've got some checkin to do myself..........will update as i find things..

 

I thought you had to run the correct length. Sway bar end links and I assumed the sport suspension fe3 I believe had the shorter. Links?