COMPLETED(see below)OK, I was researching as usual, putting off the actual hands on repairs that I need to fix my "rattler".... Even as I have exhaustively related the progression of my HHR's suspension and braking deterioration, it's just gotten worse with mileage, and the causes have been made known to me on this website. Stubborn as I am, I'll now admit that I was reluctant to accept the collective judgement of the forum, and now accept that the sudden onset of my problems was NOT unique to my vehicle. AH HA. 1) brake judder- using new,really hard (ceramic) pads on an already heat-spotted, then turned rotor was asking for an accelerated failure rate (55k miles, then 12k later). Especially when I assumed, not having visually checked, the rear drums were adjusted enough for balanced braking (maybe an impossibilty when panic stops are the norm in rush-hour Dallas). 2-3 clicks of the handle to set brakes, and slight drag when spun, must not be enough for already failure-prone fronts that were in place.The wobble got worse with heat, and better as rotors cooled (points to heat spotting) and I've been hand-braking to smooth stops awhile now w/no wobble (points to front rotors only), so it's proven to me that new rotors run in with seasoned pads and manually adjusted rears is in order. 2) swaybar looseness just because I couldn't feel any looseness of the parts involved, doesn't mean there isn't any....I've read sufficient evidence from others' experiences to gather that, after 74k miles, my swaybar endlinks and bushings are worn enough to be a major contributing factor in the clunk and rattle syndrome, if not the primary cause. I'm going to replace all of the above this weekend (if no other major catastophe befalls my finances, a long and sad story...). My apologies to all that went out of their way to point me in the right direction, and may have felt that I wasn't listening to their sage advice. I just couldn't believe that everything would go bad at once! P.S. I have the #s for rotors (cheap, to be used once, no turning), and poly swaybar bushings (I've used them on all my previously repaired vehicles), but as for endlinks? I know the 9.8" are for FE5, and the 10.8" for FE1, but Autozone lists a 13". What's that one for? I will just measure mine and get the closest sized one, or pony up $48 for the Moog K80252 at O'Reillys. Just in: Replaced front discs...used new rotors and non-ceramic pads, turned old discs for emergency back-up use, adjusted drums (3clicks of handbrake now)...took apart stabilizer assembly (my FE1 has 9.86" end links, not as advertised on forum), perfectly good, as are the bushings-no discernable deterioration-. Kept looking and using prybar...we found the rear lower control arm bushings were bad, both sides, and we are going to press in new ones today. Even with the old ones still in, I enjoyed my drive home last night (late) because the was no judder at all. Even the clunking was only felt once, over some very bad washboard dirt roads. Will update after new control arm bushings are done. > results Removed lower control arms, replaced rear bushings with much more solid (no webbing) Moog pieces. Front bushings were still perfect, no replacement needed. Happy with 50 mile drive home tonight, over varying surfaces. No shake, rattle, or clunks. Steering response much tighter. Mission accomplished...finally.

 

So what info on part numbers can u share and cost? What year is your HHR. I have a 2006 LT1.

 

The 13 inch end links are the "if it works on a Cobalt, it must work on an HHR" part, They are usually really 12". Nobody has ever figured out the FE1 FE5 length differences, I believe that the "9.8 inch" are really standard to all, the length diffs have to do with the downward bend of the sway bar to avoid interference with the control arms.

 

I've been having some other problems lately, but not with the brakes. As I related long ago, the brakes pads/rotors were re-done at 55k, again at 67k, and finally at 73k (as my memory, sometimes faulty, so states). At 55k, new ceramic pads on resurfaced rotors. At 67k, new ceramics again, but new rotors. Same results-front end judder. At 73k, semi-metallic with new rotors AND re-adjusting rear drums AND Moog K80252 replacement bushings. Results of 36k very hard-driven miles, still no judder. Why didn't the problem re-appear? The only difference in the way I drove before and now is that I use the hand/parking brake frequently, to scrub off excess speed before using the footbrake; but I think the combination of a well-adjusted rear drum and semi-metallics makes a difference in the warping of the rotors, and the vastly stronger Moog bushing holds the suspension straighter, even in really hard stops. I still have the original struts; they still work fine, though a little looser now. I might replace the rear shocks though...the KYBs installed at 55-56K are a little weak, and I tend to overload the rear a bit.

 

By the way, you were sold the wrong links. Should have gotten the K75012 (10"). Look at the lower control arm, I bet there is a groove in it where the link has rubbed.

The semi-metallics seem to reduce the judder, but not because they don't warp the rotors. When I threw an old worn set on to get me through a budget crisis I had no judder suddenly, it returned soon after I put the new ceramics on. At least this is today's theory.

 

I didn't reread my original post closely enough...I never replaced the links, just the control arm bushings MOOG K6698 http://www.moogproblemsolver.com/_pd...K10_107_En.pdf Sorry about that. When I removed the link, and compared it to a new one, I really couldn't feel a difference...so I returned it to the store. The bushing was what I needed. As for the ceramics...I think that they eventually start to just skip over the glazed worn rotor surface, causing a judder, whereas the semi-metallic continually resurface the rotor due to the "metallic" bits digging in. IMHO

 

That's my theory for this week. But, if you just change ceramic pads the judder will go away for a while also. So maybe, I have been looking at the wrong area. Could also be the pad shims or the caliper slide pins.

 

Here again, with another update. After driving ever more quickly and thru worse traffic and over even more bad roads (every major highway in the DFW area is torn up for endless "tollway construction" issues) since I last reported, I have some good news and some bad news. GOOD: The brake judder has never returned, the semi-metallic brake pads still stop on a dime after 50k miles (I may not change them until it's metal to metal: I may have a freakish good set on mine!), and the HHR still gets over 28.8 mpg (@only a 31 avg. mph, though I often run at 80 or more, go figure). BAD: The ignition did lock up on me last Friday, though I never saw a warning letter from GM, and thought that mine was not going to be in danger of failure. However, a marvelous service advisor at a dealership across the street from my work (luckily the ignition stuck on while I took lunch, at 2pm, and not out in the boonies at night) had the Panel fixed within 24 hrs for me (and I got a free loaner, a 2014 Silverado with all the bells and whistles, to drive in the meantime). However, the mechanic who did the work (ignition, and checkup, and maybe the oil change too) noticed the struts leaking. Heck, they've been leaking since 95k miles. But, until the roads are fixed, and while my car still can corner on rails (loose struts or not), I don't want to jinx it with new parts. Yes, the struts are noisy, but not as bad as the suspension was before I changed those bad bushings 50k miles ago. Maybe this summer I'll have time for shocks and struts on both ends, but not really critical now.

 

As I last reported almost a year ago, I was going to run the "fixed" brakes and judder problem until something wore out or failure occurred; I installed the semi-metallic pads at 73k miles, then adjusted the rear drums, and have run them hard since then. I periodically inspect the pads (on tire rotation), and have re-adjusted the drums at 125k miles, but have made no changes. The front struts continue to function, though growing weaker, and the rear KYB shocks are still good with 90k miles on them. Still working fine...and the shudder/judder has never returned. I was toying with the idea of trading off the HHR for a 4WD, but it just keeps running as good as ever, so it will stay with me forever. (I had an S-10 for 250k miles, RIP when T-boned...) Actually, I think that either it's running better at 146000 miles, or I have grown so attuned to it that it is performing as an extension of my wishes....Well, anyway, that's my update on the brakes/judder that are now just a fading memory.

 

Which brand rotors and pad did you end up using, need to replace mine due to the same issue. Now wondering if i may have the same luck as you with the semi-metallic pads lol.