I would jack the front up and check for ball joint wobble. I corresponded with the Moog catalog editor he said they have no record for a HHR SS specific ball joint. The one they list that "fitts all" is not for the SS. The ball stud is larger on the SS, so the "fits all" does fit, but way too loosely in the knuckle. Sure you can torque them to spec, but the pinch is stopping when the ends meet not when the stud is pinched.

I got my information directly from Moog and from many members here that have been mislead.

 

You weren't afraid to drive it because you didn't know that the wrong parts were installed...

Not bad on Moog, your mechanic(and you) didn't know that there is no separate ball joint for HHR SS.

The only way to get the right ball joint is to get the whole control arm assembly.

 

Maybe you found the one parts guy that knows the correct part number but it is not in the Moog book.

 

No problem with that. As I said previously, there's plenty of gap on the pinch bolts, the stud is not too small and it certainly isn't moving around. There certainly is A LOT of conflicting information out there. I checked several sites (Advance, O'Reilly's, Summit, a half dozen more) and searched with VIN X, full VIN, 2.0L engine, etc., and they all said K80567 was the correct PN for the 2009 SS. Furthermore, the "official" Federal-Mogul/Moog site (https://www.fme-cat.com/overlays/par...e=Ball%20Joint) says it fits, without qualification (see screen grab). Only when you search using the SS info does it "not find" a part number. Not finding a part number is not the same as saying it doesn't fit. There's far more saying it does fit. I didn't see anything specifically saying it "does not fit". Saying "w/o FE5" (or something similar) means it DOES fit those other applications, but it DOES NOT mean it doesn't fit the SS too. That's an assumption, not a specifically stated claim. I do know the hubs/bearings on the SS are larger because the axle shafts are larger to handle the extra power. I bought the proper SKFs for that, it was very clearly stated. I never heard anyone at GM say there were different ball joints, just the hubs. Even if there were different sizes for the SS versus the 2.2L & 2.4L, FE5 vs other, etc., that's not the issue here. The question is whether Moog K80567 fits a 2009 HHR SS non-Brembo, not if it has a smaller stud diameter and only fits non-SS, non-FE5 variants. From what I was able to determine, the stud diameter is 19.95 mm. If there's a smaller stud does anyone know what that diameter is? I saw something about a 15.95 mm stud but it wasn't conclusively stated. A 4 mm difference in diameter is only 0.16" which, considering tolerances, could be even less. Does it matter? Probably? But it's not a problem I have, because my studs are fine.

The bottom line is I put them in, there was no indication AT ALL that the studs were too small. I didn't have to over-tighten the pinch bolts to get a snug fit, the pinch bolts didn't crack, and there's still a gap rather than the two sides being in contact. The car drives great, as it has for over 20k miles and 3 years. If the studs were too small I'm quite sure some of the Michigan craters I've hit in that time would've been far more eventful. I can take my hands off the wheel at 80 and the car tracks straight. If the studs were loose the expansion joints, grooves in the road, etc., would surely make it move around. It's not a case of I "didn't know the wrong parts were installed..." or that I "didn't know that there is no separate ball joint for the HHR SS" so I'd have to buy the whole control arm. There's just not a separate ball joint available FROM GM. Having worked there I can tell you that doesn't mean one doesn't exist. It just means they don't sell it that way. That could be for any number of reasons ranging from how their supplier contract is written to dealer service-related issues to inventory costs at the warehouse, etc. Come on over for a test drive, you'll see for yourself. You'll be too impressed to worry about the ball joints.

 

Again, GLWS, any buyer will have to make their own decision whether they trust it.

I'm out.

 

Ok, now that , I’ve asked and you answered , eloquently, GLWS .

 

I too had installed the Moog ball joints on my SS and they went in great, the pinch bolt tightened up with a gap. However when I learned of the difference in diameter I ordered and installed oem control arms. While swapping i compared diameters and the Moogs were visibly smaller. No noticeable difference while driving in sound or feel but good peace of mind knowing the correct parts were in there. Also i had installed KYB struts/shocks, pulled them out and went with oem, big improvement in ride quality with oem.

 

What are you trying to get for it?

 

Question for seller: why would you do such a nice build and be running mismatched tires front to rear?

No car guy worth his salt would ever be running mismatched tires imho.

 

That's your opinion. I needed as much footprint as possible for the power I have. I didn't want to go to radical bodywork, etc. The tires are very highly rated as far as all season tires go, and I can vouch for their performance in the dry, wet, and moderate snow. The difference in diameter is negligible, well within what the ECM/EBCM will accept. The H&R lowering springs left the rear a tad higher than I wanted so the slightly smaller rear diameter helped offset that without any negative impact to handling, ride, or electronics. Have you never heard of "stagger" with regards to tire sizes? Many OEM fitments have different sizes F vs. R.

I worked in the GM Performance Parts group for over 3 years. Besides myself, 2 other guys in my group had HHRs. We all drove them to work in Pontiac, daily. We had full access to ALL the information anyone could ever want with regard to how each of our individual vehicles were built, how ALL HHRs were developed and validated, what parts and options were tested, what service issues and recalls there were, etc. All from our GM corporate laptops in confidential/proprietary databases. We could also go talk to the development engineers who actually did the work, if they were still with the company (most were). You guys can think whatever you want but my "salt" and I sleep just fine, as do the 2 other guys in my group, along with others in the company we know with HHRs. Most of the others have owned their HHRs even longer than I've owned mine. They've also gone on long trips and have done upgrades, just not as much as mine in terms of pure performance. They're more towing oriented (for small boats and motorcycles, etc). We all do our own work and we're all quite happy with our cars as they are. None of you have access to better information about ANY HHR, I can assure you. None of you have driven or even seen our vehicles up close. We do this for a living. It you'd rather rely upon what you read in forums from people who do not have this level of access to GM's data, and/or who get their info from 3rd parties, distributors (NOT the actual GM Tier One suppliers), or the media, etc., then be my guest. We've been driving our HHRs for years with minimal trouble and maximum enjoyment. Other than freak things like a shifting turbo blanket, collisions, and collateral damage from MI potholes and punctures we're all quite happy with our HHRs. I'm only selling because I have to, not because I want to. It's not for everyone, most people don't want so much performance in a daily driver. I do, I built it how I wanted without any concern whatsoever for resale. If you don't like it or are worried about the ball joints, etc., then don't buy it. It's got more performance than many people would be comfortable with on a daily basis. I will continue to drive it almost every day, with no worries whatsoever, until it sells. The buyer will be able to do so as well. I'm still asking $9,400 and will continue to do so, it's worth every penny of that and more. The invoice for the NEW LHU engine installation alone was over $6k! It's barely broken in AND it's even better than the original LNF was. I just put new rotors and pads (all around), plus new rear calipers on it. You can see all the other stuff in the original post. I'm not going to discuss price with anybody who isn't even serious enough to contact me about it. It's not for everyone, it's meant to be driven and enjoyed. If you are serious enough to come and drive it you'll understand. If you just want to hypothesize about ball joints and speculate about impending doom based on hearsay, it's not for you.