You really can't have a lowered stance and the same ride quality as stock in the same package. But you can come close.
After researching all the springs out there, the choice was definately Pedders, for a number of reasons.
After installing a OTTPerformance "Hardcore" rear bar[ one inch and a quarter], the ride was'nt that much stiffer, only cornered like a "Bat out of hell".
Installed Pedders springs, and the ride was a little stiffer, but not a lot. Now it handles very impressively[as some of my ex racer buddies will attest to], and lots of others that have seen the back end of the SS, going away.
Bottom line would be: Ride will firm up a little[which is good], but not enough to ride rough. The stance you get with Pedders[slightly raised in the rear] is the correct stance for a FWD car, meant to be driven hard at times.
GM show cars, and lots of race cars use Pedders for a reason, they do the math, and they work, and most of all they handle. Pedders...... "Moon'

 

Great info, Thanks!

On a note about lowering, lowering alone should not make the ride stiffer. Stiffer springs make the ride stiffer... I had a LT panel and used Eibach springs. The stock HHR was WAY to soft and sloppy. I added a Progress rear bar and Eibach springs and was happy. My SS is much stiffer then my LT was. I want to lower my SS, but don't want to hurt or soften the handling. Pedders may be for me. Eibachs are too soft for serious handling in my opinion.

Thanks again.

 

Depends on which Eibach springs you are talking about. The sportlines are pretty stiff and lower the LS about 2", while the prokit springs lower around 1" but are a little softer. So for an SS the prokits arent what you need, but the sportlines would drop it a little more.
However if you are looking for performance, the pedders are a great choice according to those who have them. They dont lower as much as the sportlines, but make for a very responsive ride.
The theory behind lower/stiffer springs is this. With stock springs, you go over a big bump that compresses them 90%, close to bottoming out. If you put on lower springs with the same spring rate, the same bump will cause you to bottom out. Ouch. So lower springs are usually stiffer.

 

Im on B&G springs now. I like the car to be LOW and it sure as hell is with these. If i ever switch them out it will be for the pedders for sure.

 

If you want to see before + after pictures, look up the thread I have called "Red Hearse on Pedders". As Moon said, the ride isn't back-breaking stiff and the responsiveness is excellent. My SS is my daily driver and I'm very happy that I chose the Pedders springs.

Later
Allex

 

I'd love to the lower mine but I would get stuck all the time in the snow. The SS is a snow plow!!

Dave

 

i want to lower mine, i tried getting to your thread allex but it didnt come up, it just brought be back to this one, do you think you can post pictures on this thread?

 

before after and after

 

Here's some recent pictures. I Daily Drive mine even in the winter and never had any problems to date. They've been on for just about a year now and have settled nicely IMO.

When first installed:


These were taken about two weeks ago when I had the new rims installed:



This one was taken Saturday:


and to compare at stock height:



and sitting next to Rodney B (stock springs, but I was still about 1" lower than his, weird):

 

asanti....... PF01s......... i hate you.