Go to Chevy's website and click on the Steering tab. I tried to post a pic, but it was too small to read. This will get you most of the way: http://www.chevrolet.com/hhr/specifications/

The steering ratio for the SS is 14.8:1 and the others are 18.5:1.

 

Thats what I thought. Now, what has changed the ratio? Electronics or something mechanical. In the old days, they would change the steering knuckles, or perhaps the gears in the rack. But since our cars are drive-by-wire, maybe there is an easier way...

 

Already have the Progress rear sway bar and the leveling springs. I was just wondering how that setup compares to the SS. Hopefully the price for the disk brakes will come down to something reasonable.

 

Lee....

You keep on saying, "drive by wire" . The HHR's are NOT drive by wire...they have NO servo units.

The steering is electronically/magnetically assisted (in the dash) instead of using hydraulics. There is a small shaft exiting the firewall that goes to the rack and pinon.

And comparing the Progress anti-sway bar and Goldlines to the SS suspension is no comparison. It's like apples and oranges. I doubt very seriously, that even giving consideration for the difference in HP, your car would NOT do as well as the SS on any SCCA tracks or road courses.

But, you may need to drive an SS to understand this.

 

I had no idea-I just thought I remembered reading that it was drive-by-wire. I have to go look now, but I dont remember seeing the traditional large shaft coming from the firewall to the steering rack. I do feel a little better about it now. So I guess the rack gears are different in the SS, which would be no simple task to change anyway.

I am not looking to do any road racing with my HHR, just curious as to the difference in suspension components. I know the SS is supposed to have a tuned suspension, but I was wondering how different the sway bar and springs were. I assume the SS has stiffer shocks, also.

 

All the reports I have seen state the 5speed is a blast to drive compared to the auto version.

I'm guessing your GF has the 2.4 auto? Your 5speed 0-60 is at 7.9 and her auto is at 8.37. It's a good spread. The SS is 6.2 for the standard and 7.5 for the auto, even bigger spread.

 

What is needed is for someone with access to the GM parts listings to see what suspension parts are different from the regular HHRs and the SS. You can't reasonably expect a dealer parts guy to spend the time to do this(could take a long time). Who has access to the parts breakdown information besides the dealer?

It would be great to have an "SS suspension conversion package" available from a supporting vendor that included all the the parts from the SS. Maybe it would be too expensive, maybe not.

I am guessing that the shocks, struts, anti-roll bars, springs, front spindles and rear axle(with disc brakes). The larger brakes will probably require larger wheels. The rear discs may require a different master cylinder/proportioning valve. Other SS required parts might be trailing arms, linkages, maybe even half-shafts.

If I had the parts info I would do it (compare SS to non-SS), but I don't have access to parts database.

I can't afford to trade my 06 1LT on a new SS and take the depreciation hit. I would be willing to swap SS suspension parts.

Yes, aftermarket suspension parts are available, but unless they are offered as a complete kit that has been tested it won't be as good as the SS setup. GM wouldn't have spent the money to tune the setup at Nurburgring if they could have just bolted on some individual parts and called it just as good.

Steve

 

Ditto. I am actually quite pleased with the way my HHR handles with just the leveling springs and rear sway bar. Not to stiff, but I can easily push it around turns in a nice drift. Not very much lean at all around the turns. Any stiffer and it could get annoying as a daily driver (spoken from someone who had a street legal race car with an all out track suspension on my Datsun). I have a wife and 2 kids now, and can not go back to 'tip toeing' when I drive, afraid I will bottom out or scrape the front air dam.

But I would really appreciate a quicker steering box (my Datsun was about 2 1/2 turns lock to lock. Like a big go-kart. I had to change the steering knuckles for that. But, coupled with a small diameter (12 or 13 inch wheel and manual rack and pinion steering) it was not the easiest thing to park. Then again, with the shortened shifter, changing gears took quite a bit of effort. And the racing clutch required pretty strong leg muscles to push. And starting from a stop required careful balance of the clutch and gas, thanks to the lightened flywheel. Several of my friends that tried to drive the car couldn't. They said it was too difficult :-) But boy did it handle well. I could put it through turns that would make your head spin (literally) and get you dizzy.

Wait till you see my next project-a Pro Street Jeep. Planning on it being in the low 11's, maybe high 10's. And something unlike anybody has ever seen before.

 

Let me say that the airdam is biggest worry point while driving the car. Let me also say that I can take a turn @ 40 without the tires even whimpering. Passengers are another deal altogether, but the SS suspension was tuned to go FAST! Overdriving the car would be a task for a very experienced driver. Considering my track and AX experience, I will say this is the best street performance suspension I have seen in a long time.