Yup it sounds like you got a wrong strut, spring or both. Looks like the struts run $100 each.

Notice some struts are wo/ss
http://www.gmpartsonline.net/parts/2...omponent=Strut

The LCA bushings are less than $9 each (ACDELCO) on ebay or less than $11 each for MOOG brand. If I remember correctly you can jack the car up remove the rear engine cradle bolt and you should be able to pull on the wheel and it will slide out of the engine cradle just enough you can replace the LCA bushing. No need in removing everything. This part is so cheap I would definitely do it since you are going to have to take it for an alignment again.

I would also pickup a couple camber cam bolts for $20 a pair of ebay. These allow you to adjust the camber, whereas the stock hhr has no adjustment.

I highly recommend you do the struts and LCA bushing yourself. You will have a much better understanding of how all this stuff works together.

Now here is the most important part. Find a really really good alignment shop. Even though you may have had the wrong struts on, the alignment shop should have seen that there was a problem as soon as he lined his lasers up.

As someone else mentioned, did you get a printout from the alignment shop? Always get a printout.

As far all you old guys beating him up about paragraphs, Here is a neat trick for the old guys that can't see ... windows 7 , hold the ctrl button down and roll the scroll wheel on your mouse, the text will increase or decrease in size depending on which direction you go.

 

FYI - the bushing is pressed in, meaning you need a mechanical press, or at least a big vice to push the old one out, and also to install the new one.

Meaning the LCA does need to be removed, unless one has some dang fancy tools.

 

Ooops scratch that about the LCA bushings JPJ9. I had my lower control arms off twice last week, no wonder those bushings never fell out. We have an autozone out here that we can take stuff to and they will press the parts out or in for a small fee. But whopper is probalby right the LCA will need to come out, still no biggy.

 

Cool bit of info about autozone - I didn't know that. I'll check with the one I deal with in case I need similar work. Handy bit of info. Thanks.

 

My guess on lowering and alignment is, with these cars and the design, when lowered the amount of adjustment is equally on all on both sides. Therefore t h e car "feels" normal because there is no pull to either side, and the only indication anything is amiss is when the insides of the tires wear. But, it's dependant on what type of roads driven on. Definitely the toe in/out has to be reset...camber depends o what condition the car was in before lowering. This front end geometry doesn't change drastically during travel like a car with a steer box and Idler arm.

 

All good stuff. I bought the struts physically from a Monro store. I have approached them that they sold me the wrong parts. They are looking into it, but digging their heals in. Their computer says they are okay, but their year older printed book says "except SS."

What I thing will put the negotiation to bed quicker is some printed proof that these struts are not intended for the SS. Hopefully something I can print from Monroe showing they are NOT the right ones. Right now all I have is an empty list when you search their site. The wife is nice enough to call them today and try to request something in print.

Any other suggestions? Any links to non-forum sites I can print showing specification differences? All help is much appreciated.

Wrong struts + tires = $1000 worth of junk equipment on my car which needs to get swapped out.

 

Out of curiosity. Did you take any ride height measurements like we discussed in some of the earlier posts? Just wondering, because I haven't seen you post up anything like that.
Having some of these measurements to show to the Monroe folks could be helpful in arguing your case with them.

 

Many parts books list items, i.e. suspension components, as a "fit" for specific vehicles but they are NOT an OEM compatible replacement. Remarkably, most of the better known names are notorious for this.

 

problem is..99% of all the parts will "fit" ALL models...but...they are not 'made' for ALL models. The SS has a few different parts in the suspension that will fit LS/LT and Vice Versa..So when they advertise that they will fit, they are correct. Its like clothes..there are plenty of wimmins clothes that will fit men...doesnt mean its correct to do so...unless of course ummm..well you know.

 

I never thought to measure the initial ride height, who would. AFter replacing the struts I noticed the front end sat high. In my naivety, I decided to change the rear shocks thinking they were ready at 60k. After replacing them with certified SS models (per that mfg anyway) the height was still high. And some time was given for the fronts to settle.

Again I didn't right the numbers but remember the difference front to back at about 5/8" which is probably more than the styling of the fenders.

Right now the difference is 1/4 inch, but when you lower the front of the car the camber can be seen to flare out. I think the geometry got screwed up driving it 10k miles now with the tires being plowed forward.

I have a current alignment state printout that shows the caster and camber out of spec with, as we know, no adjustments. Toe is fine when the car is at rest.

My best argument is that the Monroe website doesn't not list any part numbers for the SS currently, and I backed up their website with a phone call. I am simply going to have to put it that no re-seller can be in the right to say that something is suitable that the manufacturer doesn't back.

I'll post how it comes out, because this is at least a $1k in parts to rectify. If it doesn't go my way I may be asking if it makes any sense to keep the struts, replace the LCA bushing, and add camber bolts?