Lets ask a question..has anybody EVER experienced a spring popping out under normal driving conditions? Ever( and I'm sure there are thousands of accumulated miles already with all the lowered vehicles here)? And,just HOW often do you get on a lift??? And since you know it will seperate on a lift, just strap the axle up before going up! Its a pita to remove the aircleaner to change plugs too...don't hear anybody complaining about that..its accepted...as the springs on the lift are.You know its going to happen..so be ready for it.
Unless your driving like the Dukes of Hazard, a working shock will dampen the extension enough to prevent the spring to become unseated...besides,do you realise how much force it takes to lift the body that far to be above the spring seat?? You'd have to be airborn!
Another example..in dirt racing with a stock coil rear, we did not use restraints and never lost a spring UNLESS we had the rear completly lifted off the ground..and these springs were short,mounted on jackscrews.And it was anything but normal driving.

 

I used Cobalt SS rear springs to level my HHR.....I don't think they would fall out on a lift...I had to push down pretty hard on the rear axle to get them in.

Brian

 

When I installed my levelling springs, I had to press hard also. The well known fact is that all springs compress a little when they get broken in.

Second, while under normal driving, you will not loose your springs from going over a bump. But, it could happen if you are driving on the highway and hit a pothole or bump in the road. I speak from experience. I was driving an Opel GT in Brooklyn (lots of pot holes there) and hit a bump and tore both of my rear shocks out.

Regarding a lift, while we may not put our cars on a lift everyday, it still is an unnecessary hassle to have to get 3 people to lower the car (2 to hold the springs in place and the third to operate the lift).

All it takes to fix this is using a chain or strap to limit the axle travel, or getting a shorter shock absorber. While IgottaWoody may not consider it anything big, when I took my car to my Chevy dealer, the service manager brough it up that they did not want to put the car on their lift due to the spring problem. And when I had new tires installed, the shop that did it all remembered from the last time what a problem it was. Whether you use a lift every week or once a year, there is no reason to have to hassle with the springs.

As for removing the air cleaner to get to the spark plugs-what is the scheduled maintaince for replacing them? Once every 20,000 miles or more. I believe most of us change our oil much more frequently, like every 3,000 miles. So, it the springs are more of a concern. Plus, if you get a CGS intake, then the plugs are easily accessable.

 

Yeah it was harsh but, I don't know,seems to me the horse is dead.The shocks arn't avail.This is the perils of the modified world.And if you hit something hard enough to rip out both shocks,springs would be my least worry.Guess it depends on whose springs you use...when I installed the GL's on the 07 they appeared to be the same height as stock(within 1/2 in)..difference being the windings were not as tight and dia slightly thicker.Which in my case the shocks are just fine.
I also had to push down on the axle to get them in.About the only choice you have is to run a restraint thru the spring.You may get lucky and find a shock the lenght you want but your taking your chances on the damper/compression rates being correct.Custom shocks are out,too costly and replacements non existant unless you order multiples.One could also run some restraint clips on both ends of the spring.

 

The restraint straps for me are the way to go. I just have to crawl under and check to see where they can go, then raise the car and see how long they will have to be.

 

Would this work?

http://www.stu-offroad.com/suspensio...retainer-1.htm

 

Nice find, but I do not think it would solve our problem. My springs stay lodged into the bottom perch. It is the top part that comes out. And if I secured the top part with that setup, I am afraid that the weight of the rear would just pull the bottom part out. To be truly effective, both the top and the bottom would have to be secured. Then, the entire weight of the rear would be held in place by the screws holding the spring in place and would probably just pull out.

The best simple way to go would be a restraining strap or chain. The chain would need to be covered with rubber like a bicycle inner tube to keep it from banging around. The strap would have to be short enough to account for fabric stretch.

 

if you want really cheap shocks look up Aim industries or chassistech (same people) they have shocks in any length extended and compressed. they may not be the best but you can deff get the right length

 

Old thread I know, But what did you end up doing to Avoid the springs from coming out?

I am thinking on buying goldline rear leveling springs, used, and now am wondering if I should get them or not.

Thanks

 

I apologize for not completing this. HHRBoutique sells shorter rear shocks for the HHR. They are actually from a company in CA that modifies a shock from a different car to fit the HHR mounts. They were easy to install and work great. Car is a little firmer and the springs stay in place when the car is on a lift.

Problem solved.

Limiting straps would work, but could cause noise moving around as you drive.