firemangeorge

Maybe a small trailer for miniature horses or shetland ponies.

Yep. Guess it was good for some laughs.

Mrs. DLVRNIT

.....

j.allen1985

Well I've got some plans for the trailer cause there is a pretty big custom trailer manufacturer where I live and I was thinking about talking to them about it. And I don't really want to do really anything suspension wise but maybe some spacers. Just enough to increase the tire size a couple or maybe a few inches. I didn't really mean actual mud tires, like big bulky ones. Just ones like that grave digger model. But not really that big. And remember this is all going to have to have a lot of thinking and math to accommodate the power needed. I truly believe that there is a simpler way the accomplish this. I am like a magyver, when it comes to creating things and figuring it out as long as I can acquire the right materials needed. I have changed the rear shocks already and I have to say that it was the easiest change I have ever done. And the shocks don't really seem to take much to swap with some similar. I am about to have to replace the front brakes, so when I do I will be able to see more about the front suspension and see what I can think up. I can get some spacers for the rear and possibly for the front. I think I would be doing good. All I need is really at the most maybe 3-4" then 4-6" bigger wheels and tires combined. I just need the hight for field and pasture driving. So it's not like I wanna make a monster truck out of it.

07azhhr

You do realize that you are wanting to lift it a total of 5"-7" (this is only including half of the tire size increase) right? That is a very large amount. The most common lift kits for full size trucks is a 6" lift with 4" lifts and 8" lifts also being non extreme lifts. Then these guys throw 2"-5" taller tires on it. So that would give a range of 5"-10.5" total. Notice that your amount falls right in line with these numbers? So you are wanting full size truck lift amounts on a CAR.

I guess start talking to shops that specialize in putting 26"-36" rims on cars. Those tacky b-stards should have some tricks up their sleeves lol.


As for the ability to do it, it most certainly can be done, but it will cost you.

When you get under the front end and look at it you will see that the front strut mounts to the spindle/knuckle on the bottom of the strut and the body at the top of the strut. As the spring compresses the lower control arm, spindle and the lower portion of the strut moves up towards to upper strut to body mount. What this means is that the distance from the center of the hub (center of the wheel as well) to the bottom of the spring perch does not change regardless of the suspensions height whether lowered or raised. This means to clear taller then 26.1" tires you will need to increase this distance and that will require taller spindles or some kind of adapter that bolts in place of the strut on the spindle and lets the strut bolt to it. This would probably be easier to source/build. Just make sure it is super strong. Rancho GM full size lift kits use a taller spindle in this mannor so I know for a fact it is possible. But you will probably need to drop the front craddle/engine/tranny down the same amount to keep a decent angle for the axles and the steering rack. Pro comp GM lifts drop the front diff down several inches for this purpose. I only did two Rancho lifts so I am not remembering how they compensated for this but I know that they had to still. The Pro Comp lift had me cutting the lower control arm mounts off the frame and adding multiple brackets to relocate the lower control arm. We do not have just a diff to lower to keep the axles safe so that is why I said you will need to drop the whole front cradle down the same amount. But heck you will have more clearence above the engine lol.

The back should be pretty simple.

solman98

Sure it can be done. Just find a suitable compact SUV with a damaged body and similiar wheelbase. Remove that body and drop HHR body on top of it....

If they can do it with a Mustang, Camaro, or El Camino, you can do it with an HHR....

firemangeorge

You better have a good sawzall, cutting torch, and assorted body tools.
Why? You're gonna have to cut off the fenders!
There's no way you're gonna get those 4-6" bigger tires inside the stock wheelwells.
Measure the wheelwell side to side. See! Ain't gonna work.
The fronts are gonna be the worst. When you turn the wheel, it's gonna scrape on the inner body wheelwell.

As far as MacGyver. Even he would start out with a different vehicle for this project.

Mrs. DLVRNIT

I'm sure that MacGyver doesn't appreciate the use of his name on this project ..... All the while it's your family vehicle .....

Best-O-Luck to Ya ,

firemangeorge

My apologies to MacGyver. (also Richard Dean Anderson )

11BlueJ

You must mean MacGruber

And HHR weighs 3,155 lbs, and your still serious about pulling horses.

j.allen1985

Ok so maybe I'm not quite sure of what I am taking about when it comes to lifts or drops. Ok.!.! I will retract all my recent statements and say this. What would be the easiest way to raise it a total of 3-4" including tires lift and not have to really customize any engine mount replacement or repositioning. I just want to raise it enough that, say I went off a city curb straight on at a slow reasonable speed and not bounce and bottom out like my wife did last night, wasn't real bad but it was a solid thump. And I would like be able to go through, not deep deep ruts but decent craters in the pasture. I would just like someone to give me a logical and simi simple way to accomplish this. And by he way I still owe $4,000 on it