bushings 1inch part number 9.5161 greaseable black qty. 1 as they come in a pair $15.19 from Energy Suspensions.

 

So what is the actual part I need to purchase? Is it just the end links? The parts store keeps trying to sell me the sway bars.

 

Glad I found this thread. I have the same clunking at slow speeds during breaking and on our gravel road. It is definately worth trying the end link/sway bar bushings replacement. It is crazy to hope spending well over a thousand bucks on either the steering column, intermediate shaft and/or a gear might fix the problem. The HHR is an '06 but only has 42k miles. All the while it could be a fix of about $100. Thanks GM.

 

@bandit12, I hope your repair will go smoothly.

Michelle, Chevrolet Customer Service

 

As many of you may have read on other area's of this HHR forum I posted I thought my new (to me) '07 HHR with only 39,000 miles had way too sensistive power steering. It's really touchy and I've gotten new tires had the front end checked out and nobody can figure out way the front end seems so "loose" compaired to the rental 2010 HHR I drove for 1,500 miles on vacation this past summer in Utah that had over 20,000 miles on it. (Liked it so much I bought my used one) But after reading everyone's comments on this thread about replacing there factory GM sway bar end links with the much much improved bigger in diameter with the Moog #K750012 ones two of you commented that it made your HHR much better & tighter steering response which is exactly the problem i'm attemping to solve on my car!!! So I went down to my local parts store and picked up a pair of new Moog HHR sway bar end links only cost about $70.00 total. Will be installing them soon and will report back in on the results hopefully my car will now handle much better with the tighter steering with the bigger/beefier diameter end links plus the new bushing's. Thanks for posting the great photos so I could better understand how this all effects the handling of the car when the bushings are wore out like so many of you with '07 HHR'sAnyone else reading this replaced there end links and notiched far better less sensitive steering in your HHR kinda now making more like a car without electric power steering ???

 

Have somebody who "knows what they are doing" check your control arm bushings and the rest of the front end components, specifically ask to check the control arm bushings.

I, for one, do not know what you mean by "loose front end" at the same time as "too sensitive steering". The 2 things are mutually exclusive in my mind.

Regarding your "sensitive" steering; did you check the tire air pressure all around (32 psi)? That is my first thought. New sway bar links will tighten the steering up a bit, they are not any bigger, just new, and reduce body roll. New struts will tighten the steering up. Everything I can think of will make the front end tighter, not less sensitive.

Have you checked the power steering fuse? Somebody may have jump started the car using the "black box that looks like a battery" under the hood, that WILL blow the power steering fuse. Use the search tool, you will find lot's of references to "power steering does not work after jump start". (the battery is under the spare tire, that thing that looks like a battery is actually the main electrical junction box, and the smaller red wire goes to the power steering).

 

If you can "feel" a clunking through the steering wheel in those conditions, it is more likely control arm bushings, bearings, struts. "Slow speed during braking" screams control arm bushing. If you "hear" a clunking and have lots of body roll in curves look at the sway bar components.

I have recently replaced everything in my suspension, front & rear; I still have a mild "catching" noise/feel.

 

Don Brew thanks for the comments i'll be sure to check the lower control arm bushings too but check out the photo as you can see the new Moog end links are most definently bigger in diameter then the factory HHR units which in turn is helping to stop the front end sway back in fourth which is probley why everyone who has changed them is saying it's helped to "tighten up the front end" CLICK ON THIS LINK TO SEE PHOTO....http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...s/DSC09066.jpg

 

Thanks for your comments this is exactly why i'm replacing my end links to to make the electric power steeing less sensistive and reduce the loose front end play sure hope it works for me too !!!

 

Thanks for heads up. Since I am having two things going on, I think I will look to replace the bushings and end rods. What is a good site to find these parts to take to my mechanic for an install? Also the part #'s. It is an '06 LT with 16" rims (if that makes a difference).