Lowering with GM parts
12-21-2008, 09:35 PM
#71
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-01-2008
Location: arlington texas
Posts: 2,762
if you go threw with it. i wanna see pictures..
im honestly not sure what advice to give you
i think it would be to much of a difference in stance height
might handle kinda weird as well..
X 2
12-22-2008, 01:20 AM
#73
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-13-2008
Location: Washington State, where it rains
Posts: 4,708
If you must...use the SS springs in the rear as the stock ones will be way to high compared to the rear..you'll look like some sort of 70's wannabe with the stock rears..The SS springs are about 3/4 " higher the the GL's..get rid of most thewheel well space but as much as the front..also you'll keep somethng of a decent spring rate on the rear...though it will probably handle funny...that is, funny as in WTF! Uh,,best bet..leave it like it is..or else the rest of us would have already done it......nuf said.
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12-25-2008, 01:15 AM
#75
Join Date: 12-21-2008
Location: NW
Posts: 9
Thanks for the advice thus far. Really appreciate it! Funny you should mention 70's wanna be cuz I was about 10yrs old in the mid 70's and that's where my inspiration for this "profile" comes from. I loved (and still do) the ol' Nova, TansAm, Camero, look with a wider fat rear tire profile and a slightly lower front end. Always thought they looked bad ass as a kid. Yes, to some extent I do "wanna be" back in that magical era when cars not only looked bad ass but were! Anyway, some validation... our HHR is for advertising our Tattoo business. I'm not trying to do anything "high performance" with it but want to make intelligent choices if I do "F" with it. I'd love any more advice that anyone has to share and again appreciate the advice given thus far! Cheers!
12-25-2008, 02:07 AM
#76
Senior Member
Join Date: 07-12-2006
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 1,703
Mark, go for it! We all have different needs, if you're not trying to pull high-G turns with it, things will probably be OK. Member Fontana Motorsports used airbags in the rear to boost load carrying capacity on his lowered panel...they fit inside the stock coil spring:
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...t=13137&page=3
This may work for you, or use lowering springs in the front & stockers in the rear...experiment! I too grew up in the seventies, I know just the look you're after! Good luck and BTW...
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...t=13137&page=3
This may work for you, or use lowering springs in the front & stockers in the rear...experiment! I too grew up in the seventies, I know just the look you're after! Good luck and BTW...
01-14-2009, 03:52 PM
#78
Senior Member
Join Date: 08-04-2008
Location: houston (katy)
Posts: 167
I just installed some cobalt ss springs from a 06.. and the install went perfect. I just looked at the how to guide and it showed every step. Took about 15 minutes for the rears and 30 to 45 minutes for the fronts. Dropped it about 1 inch all the way around. Looks good compared to the original but now I'm leaning on dropping it alittle more... That wheel gap sure looks big...lol
01-14-2009, 06:50 PM
#79
Senior Member
Join Date: 12-20-2008
Location: durham north carolina
Posts: 835
144 pounds
Something everybody seems to overlook when changing springs..while most people wouldn't notice unless they've been this route before (and those worrying about "blowing" out the stock shocks) "lowering springs" for the most part come with an increased spring rate..thats why when cross breeding springs the rates are important,just because they are shorter doesn't make them stronger..1/32 dia difference doesn't seem like much..but it does make a difference.Just look at sway bars that increase in 1/8" increments(of course the # is greater because the bar has to cover "both" sides of the front, compared to springs that only cover one corner).Back to shocks..when increasing the spring rate a corresponding increase and sometimes even greater rate is needed from the shocks.You can almost guarantee the stock shocks are on the "low" end of the "needed" rebound compression range, so how are these going to respond to the increased spring rates?They will feel soft and mushy as they will not be able to keep up with the spring ocilations( and will eventually overheat in extreme cases )thus , yes, they will wear out,even though most shock people swear shocks don't wear,but thats another story. The average driver may not feel this,but a "tuned experienced driver" will. Just ask anybody who has ever set up a vehicle for racing.The smallest amount of change can make the greatest amount of handling.So,In short(yeah right) if you go with ANy spring changes,one should also change shocks/struts to "match" the set.Granted right now there are not alot of aftermarket parts so your stuck with the factory pieces(Koni's are really stiff if you want to bring them up and most people wouldn't like them for everyday use,but damn do they handle).Hope that settles some questions around the forums..feel free to link to other threads if needed. As an added note, as with any improvements made,,its all in "how" you drive that dictates how they react,so yes,stock shocks will work for awhile,but they will go "away" sooner.
01-15-2009, 02:12 AM
#80
Senior Member
Join Date: 01-13-2008
Location: Washington State, where it rains
Posts: 4,708
In short..a stiffer spring will overpower the stock shock causing it to work more and thus wear,fade away sooner.And, the shock may not be able to keep up with the beefier spring, such as in the back will cause that ever so weird feeling of bounce after going over say a speed bump.Remember, a shock controls how fast the spring reacts,if the spring reacts too fast then you wind up with occillations.Too slow and it feels like a brick.
Heres a thought....how long does a stock shock usually last with stock springs?20K average?How long would that same shock last with a better spring?
Heres a thought....how long does a stock shock usually last with stock springs?20K average?How long would that same shock last with a better spring?