Ive been researching a bit since it seems there may be a little play in the front end ( I know for sure the Rt tie rod is loose/worn. Today I checked the LCA and there is movement in the bushing, rubber is good but the metal center tube slides inside ( don't know if that's good or bad ) but was looking up the MOOG LCA and it is coated cast iron and not aluminum.... any insight on the aluminum vs iron ? I was just going to replace the whole arm since it has the ball joint as well and seems super easy to change.
So I figured since Im breaking it down might as well do everything
LCA ( complete )
Outer tie rod ends
Brake pads
and get an alignment done.

anything that should be looked at? The link pins seem tight, no movement in those and good as far as I can tell.

 

HHR LCA is aluminum, not steel.

The steel ones are for Cobalt

 

Link pins ?

 

Cast iron? Never heard of such a thing; cast aluminum or stamped steel. cast aluminum is correct.

To check LCA bushings: car in park try real hard to roll a front tire, if the wheel moves and the car doesn't they are bad.

 

Stabilizer link pins (sway bar...ect..) the long crazy dogbone they use on these.

 

I just looked at the moog control arms. In general, there is stamped steel, forged steel, and forged aluminum. Cobalt uses stamped steel, SS turbocharged uses forged aluminum. HHR uses forged aluminum. Part numbers are in our common part number thread.

 

yes, Mine is aluminum but when I research parts such as MOOG they are steel ( says cobalt and HHR ) so that's where I wonder if these don't work since they aren't aluminum or just heavy duty?

 

I went to the actual MOOG site and its not showing the cast iron ones but show the stamped steel and aluminum ones... are the aluminum better and reason to stick with it? Because prices are like doubled for the steel which seem stronger?
https://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/moog-ck620302

 

Here's the thing. It's been discussed many, many times on this site over the years. There are 2 things that have been noted over those years.
Most parts catalogs are inaccurate or just downright wrong when it comes to Lower Control arms. All HHR's came from the factory with the aluminum arms. That is just what we have always recommended, that you replace them with what they were built with.
There have been some who replaced them with the steel arms with no problems but there were a few that found out they didn't fit correctly on the HHR.
Stick with the aluminum ones.

 

Ah. Stabilizer links or some call them end links.
Never heard the word "pin" used to describe them. That's what threw me off.