Dropped by Maier Racing, to chat with Mike Maier[former SCCA autocross and Road Racing champion], and he gave he some tips[one of which I found intresting].
He had watched my two, last minute runs, at the Goodguys autocross, last fall, and said "Your SS opened up more than a few eyes, hazing the tires at WOT, and your times were faster than a lot of V8's". Unhook your front sway bar and trust me you will be quicker" He showed me on his heavily modified Mustang, that he does'nt even run a front bar.
So, come April when I run the autocross next, I will unhook the front bar.
Weather gets better, think I'll test it out. "moon'

 

Interested.

 

Does the HHR SS have a stock front sway bar or did you add an aftermarket front bar or both?

 

The SS comes with a front sway bar, and no rear 'swar bar' from the factory. That's why most of us have installed a rear sway bar only. You can upgrade the front sway with an Eibach piece (that's the only one offered for us as far as I know) but you need to basically unkhook the front cradle to get it on or have a shop do it for you. From what I've read + seen the front sway doesn't really need to be upgraded unless you're getting into hardcore road racing.

Later
Allex

 

I did the complete Eibach sway bar kit front and rear....

 

Got news for ya, Allex.... If you look at the rear torsion beam, you will see a round bar in there! It is a "sway bar", and meets the definition of that due to the fact that it torsionally resists motion between the wheels on that end of the car! Hey, I am an engineer with Masters level courses in suspension dynamics, so what would I know, huh? This is a BIG fallicy on this forum!

Oh, the SS has a 23 MM front bar. The "plain" HHRs have a 25 MM front. Food for thought!

 

I thought the "plain ones" had a 19mm or a 21mm (don't remember which) front swaybar?

 

Yes Joe, hence why I put the term SWAY BAR in quotation marks. I know that there's a torsion bar set up out back my friend.

Later
Allex

 

I'm an uneducated dummie but can tell you having both back there works better simple

 

Oh yeah, adding the big rear bar, makes the SS, corner like a slot car. "Moon"