Ok we are rocking out a 07 ls that was given to the wife. How ever has problems, pretty good with cars and not new to a forum scene just this one.

Replacing Quick Struts up front w/ monroe.
Shocks in back with monroe.
Replacing rear springs.

Here is where some things comes in I need help with.
I need to replace all the hubs around the car. When replacing hubs in the rear do you need ABS hubs or just ABS hubs in the front.

Now for the fun stuff.
Ive read the headers vs 2.4 manifold however, current price on both is the same for local price and including eBay.
Borla vs Magnaflow cat back. They really are both the same when it comes to how they are made, price is different though. Will stick with Magnaflow like i have for our other cars.

How hard are the header replacement, i seen it was crammed in there!

Next thing is the intake. There is K&N or Airrid. However K&N doesnt make one for the the 2.2 CAI why can the 2.2 not use the 2.4 they look built the same.

Any other things I should be looking at doing?

 

Are you replacing with stock springs? if so, there are probably a few members here with some lying around. (including me, but Im in Canada) If you are wanting a lower stance, which brand depends how low you prefer, vs ride comfort.
If your car has ABS, you need to replace with ABS hubs, the sensor is built into them which has a plug coming off it.
If you dont have ABS, you can still use the ABS hubs and leave the wire disconnected, as I have heard the ABS part is cheaper.
I have the airaid intake, its noticably louder but doesnt feel any different, and usually a dropin K&N filter works almost as well as the complete intake system. I thought K&N only made a full intake for the SS 2.0.

 

Welcome-

I have newer OE rear springs off mine, on the shelf if interested.

The K&N system will fit both 2.2 & 2.4, but the gain wouldn't really be noticed imo. No one has ever posted 'real' dyno numbers. I suspect the kits drop a bit of low end torque.. They do make more intake noise, but that seems to get confused with power gains.

Oh yea, other thing is, Enjoy the new ride !!!!

 

i figured the K&N intake for 2.4 would work on the 2.2 its made the same, almost exact same. i like the looks of the K&N better then the other one. I know no dynos have been showed, but Ive ran K&N in all our cars/trucks and can feel the difference, yeah little louder. but damn used to driving my explorer which has a snorkel... so talking about loud intake haha...

suspension. yeah im wanting to return it to stock ride height. I know the front need replaced they are going bad, so i figured i would just replace it all and be done with it.

i would LOVE to lower it since i have a lifted ride already. However being in Ohio, not to smart to do.

also would LOVE to get a hold of a rear disc conversion kit to get rid of them drums.

 

soo forgot i started this one, since its labeled suspension ill pull convo over to here instead of in the other one i had.... Sorry (moderator if you can converge it over)

Im looking at doing the front/rear Shocks/Struts Etc. Already found out to use fe5 strut. For everything else im looking at Moog Products, is there a better brand then moog? Ive never had a problem with them but I figured I would ask.

 

FYI - I just replaced the OE Struts/Shocks with Monroe Sesna-Tracs for all 4 corners.

The front struts - well, they work. I bought the quick struts in order to get the new strut bearings. They were an easy install. But they are no firmer than the fe3 ones. In fact, they may be a little softer than the OEs that had 112K on 'em.

The rears - they kinda suck. When I got the rears, I noticed that the tubes were kinda smaller in diameter than the OEs. huh? I slammed them on, then loaded the HHR for a trip to Florida. I wasn't to the Ohio border when my wife asks, 'Have you done anything to the back of the HHR?' It was bouncing around like crazy. I thought I was riding on half a marshmallow. We got back from FLA - unloaded is the same.

I'm calling Monroe tomorrow.

I also replaced one ft wheel bearing with a MOOG unit. Fitted perfectly. But seem my other post about the 'rust belt' effect - you may be getting intimate with the ol' air hammer ...

MD

 

yeah the rust cancer is fun, but ive worked on my 93 all the time, so rust is no biggie.

what im wanting to do is (or should say she wants to do) is fe5 Struts/Shocks all the way around with stock 07 ls springs. While its all off I need to throw on new hubs at all 4 corners. But getting mixed reads on and off site (currently search feature is not working, ive tried and tried and tried)

Will the fe5 Struts and Shocks fit with all the ls stock equipment also will it fit with the stock Sway bar links? just trying to get all my ducks in a row and have everything here so i can knock it out in a weekend.

 

OK shooo reading and reading and reading.. think i found some answers, will anyone back me up? Hoping PROD will step in, I seen you in a lot of what I read.

What i have 07 ls, wanting to upgrade/do suspension.

Use SS Struts and Springs aka FE5 Set up?
-So I use HHR SS struts/shocks/springs from 08?

Sway Bar links, i saw two different stories, Im suppose to change sway bar links for taller links or keep them same?

After doing The struts/shocks/springs is there anything else I HAVE TO LOOK at to change to do this?

From my understanding, just used FE5 Struts/Shocks from Adelco from Rock Auto, factory SS springs from an 2008 because weight is different from HHR to Cobalt. Then head to alignment shop?

 

I swapped to FE5 springs, then added the FE5 shocks/struts later. Kept my original sway bar links, I noticed no problems with any of that.
Since you are buying springs and struts separately, make sure the strut bearings (plastic rings) are well lubed and moving smoothly before you put the struts together.
Also make sure the rubber inside the top strut plates hasnt deteriorated, not sure if you are using original or buying them with the struts.

 

What year fe5 did u use. Ss didn't cine out til 08 and I have 07.

New will be strut and srtut top plate. I'll replace other parts if needed. I posted on here for some ss springs but I'm sure I'll havta buy new.

Sway bar link bolted right up?