front suspension groaning when cold.
 

Hi All

I have a 2011 2.2L HHR with approx. 84000 miles. The car is in great condition but now it is cold in the morning (Arizona cold) the front suspension makes a groaning sound. When the temperature warms up outside the noise goes away.

Hopefully someone can make a suggestion as to what needs to be greased or replaced.

Thanks

Front swaybar bushings...

Can I grease them or do i need new sway bars?

is this the part you are referring to?

Guessing you don't know much about cars. Greybeard suggested bushings not the endlinks in your Amazon link.
No you don't need new sway bars. (There is only 1 under there)
No, the stock ones can't be greased.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...fe5793e493.jpg

Ok Thanks for the info. It looks like i need: -

FYI. The bolts can be a real pain to get to. Unless you have the correct tools and know-how, might be easier to pay a shop to replace them.

I replaced the sway bar bushings today, the ones i removed looked good, not perished or misshapen but they are cheap so I replaced them. The ones i removed were stamped "25". O'reilly Auto parts tried to sell me "23" so I bought new "25's" from the dealer at $12 each. They were a bit of a pain to replace but not too bad, only 4 bolts. I will see if this repair has cured the groaning in the morning.

The sway bar stabilizer links appear to be ok. i can pull on them and they don't have any slack or noise.

If in the morning the groaning noise is still there, then perhaps it's the struts or the bearing plates (as suggested by oldblue). Is there anything i can do to them to make the noise go away?

Replace the complete struts.

Still groaning
 

46 degrees outside and still groaning. I guess I will look at struts or wait for warmer weather.

$12.00 each ? GM AC Delco? The price of convenience

https://www.gmpartsdirect.com/oem-pa...shing-20902784

but hey, it’s done and quite!

Shipping would be $16 from the online supplier making it more expensive than my local dealer, but I have saved the site and perhaps the shipping will be less of a factor on more expensive parts.

Thanks

Has anyone bought these cheap struts off ebay?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/For-2006-20...Crty#vi-ilComp
A complete pair for less than $100 is cheap but are they any good?

Unbranded parts are usually, not always in a class called "collision parts". They are good enough to put on and sell the car, and it's problems, at a profit.

It does sound "too good to be true".

Groaning noises don't necessarily mean anything. I groan on a winter morning, too. But shocks and struts get ignored these days. When they were cheap you couldn't get out of a tire store without new ones. Quality has not followed price.

The groaning is killing me.... I ordered the struts, both right front and left front for $97, they are complete with springs, mounts etc.
I will post a note on quality etc once i have installed them.

The struts arrived and i have installed them. The quality seems fine and everything bolted in without incident. The groaning has been lessened but it's not gone completely. I am going to take of the control arms to look at the bushings.

any other suggestions on how to get rid of the noise would be appreciated.

Throwing parts at it doesn't seem to be working. You're going to have to do some actual diagnosis to find where the noise is coming from.
One person pushing down and up on the car to make the suspension work till you hear the noise. The other person "finding" where the noise is coming from.
Noises are created by vibrations. May need to put your hands on the suspension to feel where it's coming from. Just be careful.

We have tried bouncing it up and down and that doesn't create the noise, tried jacking up the suspension (under the ball joint) and that doesn't make the noise. I have removed the lower control arm and the back bushings on both sides are torn but i have seen worse, the front bushings look ok, no play in the ball joints. with the lower control arms removed i can move everything around and.... no noise. perhaps the bushings are where the noise is coming from so i have ordered some new control arms. its a good job Chevy parts are reasonably priced.

Did you think maybe the bumper cover is the cause?

the bumper cover can be wiggled about, but it doesn't make any noise.

I can change from park to reverse and drive and the engine mounts appear to be fine and changing gear doesn't cause the groaning. It is definitely groaning less with the new sway bar bushings and the new struts but there is still an unacceptable groan. Hopefully the new control arms will eradicate it.

How is the frame (control arm bolts to it) attached to the body of the car? are there any rubber bushings between the frame and the body? I found this diagram and it doesnt show any rubber bushings but.......

https://www.tonkinonlineparts.com/im...181A09-010.JPG

another update: -
I removed the control arms and the back bushings were slightly torn but not too bad.
I bought and installed new control arms https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Front-Low...72.m2749.l2649
They were a great price at $55 for the pair with bushings, ball joint and shipping included, they are steel, not aluminium.
The installation was fairly simple, but once installed, it was very obvious that the car was in serious need of alignment as the steering wheel was no longer straight. My local Midas garage had a groupon deal for 4 wheel alignment for $55 (minus a groupon promotion of $10 so actual cost of $44).
now for the good news.......... the groaning has gone.
I think the struts were the main cause of the groaning but the control arms were also required.

The steel control arms are not HHR parts... They are for the Cobalt.

X2
The steel arms are NOT correct for the HHR.

Replacing the control arms should not require the front end be realigned. And yeah what the others have said - the steel LCAs are NOT for the HHR.

I sure would like to see one of them "HHR Pursuit" cars. When ordering parts one really really needs to verify the validity of the parts being offered, by double checking against other suppliers. And also consider dealing with a reputable parts supplier. And you can even check our PARTS LIST postings here: https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/comm...-thread-48833/

which states:
Lower Control Arm - NON-SS models - only for FE1 and FE3 suspensions
- GM P/N - 15787555 - (includes lower ball joint and both bushings installed) - Right side - passenger side
- GM P/N - 15787556 - (includes lower ball joint and both bushings installed) - Left side - drivers side
- Duralast (autozone)/Dorman P/N - 521-025 - (includes lower ball joint and both bushings installed) - Drivers side
- Duralast (autozone)/Dorman P/N - 521-026 - (includes lower ball joint and both - bushings installed) - Passenger side
- Rockauto - lower control arms part # RK620897 & RK620898 - they have several suppliers of these arms complete with bushings and ball joint - so check via a search for vehicle parts.
***NOTE: some stores/suppliers list LCA's for the HHRs and Cobalts - and are made of stamped steel - NOT aluminum as per the stock ones - we cannot recommend the stamped steel ones for various reasons, so don't even ask

The steel ones bolted straight in, the bolt holes were all in the correct place. the car is driving fine and no noise. The steel control arms were a little heavier than the aluminium ones but only by a lb or 2 so i don't see that will make much difference. I know i will be a lb or 2 heavier after new year ; )

There is a whole specialization called "material science".

x2 what Donbrew says - it has nothing to do with the weight difference between the steel and the proper ones. It's the strength difference. Yes they fit, but needing an alignment makes one wonder.

We cannot approve the use of the steel ones at all. You are using them at your own risk.

This thread closed.