RJ_RS_SS_350

Wouldn't hurt to measure the ball joint stud.

DangerBoy

I've got a set of digital calipers so I can do that. What is the diameter of the stud supposed to be?

donbrew

The dealer parts book may be wrong. Double check the part NUMBERS. The only thing the VIN tells them is year and model, they make it sound like magic. If the parts book says "fits all" then the part fits all and nobody is going to convince them differently.

RJ_RS_SS_350

The LS/LT is 19.5 mm. I think the SS is 20.5 mm, but some have said 20 mm.

DangerBoy

I'm looking for an eating crow smiley/emoticon to insert here but can't find one in the selection offered. I measured the ball joint spindles on both the right and left LCAs that I removed from the car and the right one measured about 19.6 mm and the left one measured 20.5 mm. The arms themselves look identical and have the same stampings. I know the original owner of that car had a minor accident in the front right corner but I was told by the shop he eventually sold it to (because he couldn't afford to get it fixed) and who sold it to me that the damage was minor and only required replacing the front faring/clip and the air bags. So either the damage was a little more severe than that and they replaced that LCA with the wrong one or the wrong ball joint was affixed to that LCA in the factory. I'm more inclined to believe the former explanation. I noticed the right LCA had a paint pencil marking on it indicating it may have come out of a Pick 'n Pull type wrecking yard.

It's possible that the Fix Auto franchise I bought the car from didn't even install that right LCA. They told me the kid who was the original owner kept it in his garage for a number of years after the accident hoping to be able to get it fixed. It's possible he bought the replacement LCA at a wreckers and put it in himself trying to fix what he could. After several years of keeping it in storage, he gave up and sold it to the Fix Auto place for whatever he could get because he was getting married and needed money for the wedding. That's why I got the car in 2015 with only 34,000 kim (~20,000 mi) on it. Very low mileage for a 7 year old car.

You guys were right about why that ball joint cinch bolt on the right side was so worn out and damaged. The one that came out of the left side looked nothing like it. Obviously, I was wrong in my belief about the originality of that right LCA.

At any rate, both LCAs are installed and the car has had an alignment done. It drives pretty nice and has a lot less rattles when I go over bumps. Hopefully, the front tires will wear more evenly as well. I measured the ball joint spindle on the left LCA before I installed it and it did measure 20.5 mm so I'm sure I got the right one there. I'm pretty sure I got the correct part on the right side too but I didn't measure it before installing it.

Thanks for all your help and good advice guys!

RJ_RS_SS_350

Oldblue

It’s all good, now it’s replaced with the correct ball joint and you have many more miles to enjoy that SS ! Keep it clean and drive it often!!
Would you be so kind as to post a picture of those two LCA’s side by side to illustrate the difference, to assist future readers?

Matthew122591

Good afternoon I bought wrong contr arms F3 I guess I followed the link to rock auto and purchased the Fe5 ones will these fix exactly??

Matthew122591

donbrew

FE3 is NOT the same as FE5. I don't know what you are asking. FE3 control arm will not work on a SS. A FE5 control arm will not work on a LT/LS.
Plus, the control arms for HHRs is cast aluminum not stamped and welded steel.
Here are the GM part numbers for LCAs on HHR SS.
- GM - P/N: 25930724 - Right
- GM - P/N: 25930725 - Left
As far as I know the ONLY source for SS LCAs is GM parts department.