gio89kid

2007 Chevy HHR 2.4L FE3 2LT

Well I have had a slightly bad ball joint on my lower control arm and tried buying complete control arms to replace the original, but kept getting the wrong part. So I decided to upgrade my existing arms.

Not replace the parts, upgrade them!!!

So, moog makes the best suspension replacement parts that I have found, but they now make a problem solver line of products.

The problem solver line of products fixes design flaws that car manufactures have made.

You need to check out there new bushing. Everyone on this forum probably knows about the bad lower control arm verticle bushings and how often they fail.

Please check out this http://gio-outdoors.blogspot.com/201...-arms.html?m=1link, until I have more time to turn it into a diy on this forum.

So far I have the bushing replacement up, and I'm working on the ball joint replacement.

I already finished the passenger side and will take more pictures when doing the driver side.

But you need to check it out!!!

gio89kid

Please let me know what you think.

And watch there video, it explains it way better than I could. I think it's the coolest upgrade, and you will probably never have to replace it again.

hurst2001

Yes that's a cool idea next time that's what I'm doing

whopper

Looks like a great find - looking forward to the results of your experience with it, and whatever pics you post.

Good one man.

donbrew

Funny that you say the bushings are not in the worst of shape. They could only be worse if they were completely fallen out.

If you have had an alignment in the lately you will need it again; since those are so broken that the angles would have been affected.

Oldblue

I've already done the Moog ball joints but the Moog K200792 part was not available then, can you confirm this is the part number you installed in your LCA for your HHR

K200792 Chevrolet Cavalier 05-95; Classic 05-04; Cobalt 10-05; Malibu 03-97; Oldsmobile Alero 04-99; Cutlass 99-97;
Pontiac G5 10-07; Grand Am 05-00; Pursuit 06-05; Sunfire 05-95; Saturn Ion 07-04; Ion-1 05-03; Ion-2 07-04; Ion-3 07

gio89kid

K200792 is the correct bushing for FE3 which is what I have and I believe is the same as FE5.
They have the same bushings.

Check this out, it's not on the moog website but it's from there main retailer.http://fme-cat.com/LiveDocs/MOOG_PS_...ailure_Eng.pdf

And that's what I meant, I've seen worse when they have been completely detached.

And yes I'll be getting an alignment after I finish the driver side.

Oldblue

I just ordered a pair for $38.00 each from Wrench Monkey here in Canada with free shipping. as Amazon.com won't ship to Canada, and Amazon.ca didn't have any in stock and listed them for $46.00 each

I haven't checked mine lately but the brake shake is just starting again, and the LCA bushings were the issue last time about 90,000 miles ago.

gio89kid

Nice! Yeah, mine were about $40 for both, but I got a really good deal online.

But they do retail for $40 each, still cheaper that the original dealer bushings, at least my dealer wanted $45 for one of the original replacements.

And autozone stocks them at some of there stores for the $40 price each, or you can order from them. Just in case you don't want to get them online.

Oldblue

the original GM bushings here cost me $76.00 each when I replaced them 4 years ago!
if they don't look too bad I might leave those in for awhile more.