I replaced two of my tires today and they recommended replacing my control arm bushings at a cost of $1200. Yeah, right, I actually don’t feel any looseness or clunkiness but I always try to do preventative maintenance. I checked Rock Auto and the parts aren’t terribly expensive for the bushings alone or for the entire control arm so do most people just replace the entire thing? I look at it similar to the struts - it was easier to replace the entire strut assembly than piecemealing it.

 

The better moog "problem solver " bushings aren't available pre-installed. So, if the ball joints and front bushings are still good, replacing just the bushing is a good option. Press out, press in.

 

$1200 is waaaay overpriced. If you get GM parts they are $202 each and 1.8 hour labor for both; then they will try to sell an alignment. Without an alignment and figuring $150/hour labor That would be $674 plus tax and disposal fees.
Labor for just the bushings comes to 2.2 hours for both and GM gets $54 each. The generic part is about $12 at the local store. Borrow the pressing tool from them.
You can do it yourself for a lot less. DON"T accept stamped steel arms, the HHR takes the cast aluminum arms.

DIY will need a 1/2 inch breaker bar a good 36-42 inch length to get the 180 degree after 87 FT. lb. spec.
test the bushings

 

^^^ Oh I’m definitely going to do it myself, but I love asking questions here to save money and time when it comes to working on this ridiculously simple car. I’ve found it’s always best for me to order parts from RA and return them if not needed. This tire place usually does good work and gives good advice but today was a mess - they actually took off one of the good tires (I bought them from the same place two years ago) and replaced it with a brand new tire, instead of replacing the dry rotting tire. I’m like, “didn’t you check the date code (2016) and see the cracks in sidewall?” After that, I’ll double check the control arm advice.

 

That’s 74 ft lbs then 180 degrees it’s a 21 mm bolt head

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...ol-arms-44378/

 

That's what happens when I rely on 72 year old memory cells.
Real easy to check the LCA bushings; try to roll the tire, if the tire rolls and the body doesn't move they are bad. Usually you get a feeling that the brakes are letting loose after you stop. Not normally any sounds.
The press tool is basically a piece of all thread with a cup on one end and a washer on the other. There are other types.

 

The biggest thing that could go wrong is breaking loose the cage nut that the rear cradle bolts go into. That creates a major headache and prolongs the job greatly.

In advance (day before at least) of removing the bolts, spray Liquid Wrench, PB Blaster, etc. onto the nut to soak it and hopefully loosen rust (I see you are in a snow state).

DO NOT use an impact wrench to loosen the bolts. I broke a couple of cage nuts loose with my impact wrench until I stopped using it. I haven't broken one loose since I used a breaker bar to loosen them (I have removed dozens of them).

I would buy a couple of replacement bolts to have on hand just in case, they are cheap. Even if you remove the bolt, it may be rusted so a new one would be better. Also get a couple of 14mm flanged nuts with a 10.9 grade (stronger than regular metric nuts which are 8.8 grade) in case you break a cage nut loose. I found the nuts at our local farm supply place.

The other bad situation occurs when the bolt is seized to the bushing center tube. This requires cutting the bolt off in place with a sawzall. There are posts here describing how to do it.

Good Luck
Steve

 

Thanks all! I'lll just go the bushing route. Any preferred part supplier - Moog? AC/Delco?

 

That price is Out Of Line. Was that a chain tire store that made that recommendation? Maybe some larcenous computer algorithm popped that suggestion up.

To save a lotta work, the time to change the LCA rear bushing would have been when your new struts went in. (Noticed the KYB's inyour profile.) How long ago was that? Did you put them in? You probably would have noticed bad bushings then.

If you go rooting around in there, maybe squirt some penetrant on the cage nuts, maybe after awhile try to break them loose and retighten, but don't try too hard. If you get them free, you might be happy later when the bushing actually do need to be replaced.

 

As Oldblue stated, Moog ProblemSolver bushings are best. They have a bearing inside the rubber.