Front End Clunk (another post)
10-29-2018 | 12:58 AM
#11
Platinum Member
Joined: 04-09-2006
Posts: 7,039
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
hwmonkey - what you don't understand is that the forum here has seen member after member just throw their money at trying to fix a problem (and yeah, I have done that to), and still not resolve the issue. All we are trying to do is steer you towards actually diagnosing the problem, and then addressing the "fix", rather than throwing $ after $ at it, and still not resolve it.
Would you rebuild your whole motor because it is using oil, when all it needs is the valve cover gasket replaced? Yeah rebuilding it will resolve the problem, but only because the gasket is replaced as part of the rebuild.
Diagnosing some of the sources of noises in the front suspension takes a whole lot more than just rocking the car back and forth, feeling the parts to see if they move. Check out those links Donbrew provides - they are very helpful.
Would you rebuild your whole motor because it is using oil, when all it needs is the valve cover gasket replaced? Yeah rebuilding it will resolve the problem, but only because the gasket is replaced as part of the rebuild.
Diagnosing some of the sources of noises in the front suspension takes a whole lot more than just rocking the car back and forth, feeling the parts to see if they move. Check out those links Donbrew provides - they are very helpful.
11-03-2018 | 11:13 AM
#13
New Member
Joined: 11-03-2018
Posts: 25
From: Rancho Cucamonga
New Member - Long Time HHR Ownet
Good day - I have never been a fan of throwing the checkbook at any problem without a reason. My car has nearly 170k - love the car - I have had most of the problems everyone else has. Pretty simple - OEM standard brakes tend to warp the rotors with hard use - turn them once then replace - this solves most vibration issues on braking - If the steering wheel jerks on brake application even at low speed it’s the lower control bushings / very hard to see looking at them until they are removed - buy a pair of new arms with bushings and ball joints - easy 2 hr job - clunk / banging over bumps - entering / leaving driveways is usually sway bar bushings - if you have a high mile car replacing LCA’s / Sway bar bushings and end links in one shot is a quick economical fix for most front end issues. Struts just don’t seem to be an issue - my car still has the originals and they damp fine - wheel bearings are another noise issue - sometimes very hard to nail down Rt / Lt noise - I always replace as a pair - easy / quick and cheap - no need to over complicate front noises in these cars - they are simple and for the most part very good cars - its great that there are forums like this to help owners - thanks
11-03-2018 | 12:20 PM
#14
Moderator
Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 25,345
From: Fredericksburg,VA
Yes, except for the brakes. Usually IF they actually are warped it is caused by the rear brakes out of adjustment. Secondly, they don't really warp it is usually something else like LCA, struts etc. Even if the rear brakes look good it will make a huge difference replacing them. These days it is not really economic to turn rotors, unless you get a good deal somewhere; last time I did it it would have cost just as much to replace if I didn't have a coupon. Others will say don't do it because they are mighty thin already. Best to use a micrometer for runout and thickness.
At 170 K you may think your struts and shocks damp fine. The thing is there is only about 2 inches of travel so you can't tell. You will be amazed at the difference in handling, braking and tire wear.
Oh, and there is a link in my sig to the official GM TSB on diagnosing front end noises.
At 170 K you may think your struts and shocks damp fine. The thing is there is only about 2 inches of travel so you can't tell. You will be amazed at the difference in handling, braking and tire wear.
Oh, and there is a link in my sig to the official GM TSB on diagnosing front end noises.
11-03-2018 | 07:06 PM
#15
Administrator
Joined: 10-13-2011
Posts: 37,841
From: Welland,Ont Canada
Welcome to the site, X2 in the rear drum brakes, adjust every 3 months or 5,000 miles.
I upgraded my front brakes to the larger diameter SS non Brembo 11.6 inch rotors, best improvement I’ve made.
and the best add on was the Turbo Tech Racing rear sway bar, smiths out the corners!
I will suggest you look into new struts and shocks , KYB is a very good brand, I’ve had mine since 2012, still rolling smooth!
I upgraded my front brakes to the larger diameter SS non Brembo 11.6 inch rotors, best improvement I’ve made.
and the best add on was the Turbo Tech Racing rear sway bar, smiths out the corners!
I will suggest you look into new struts and shocks , KYB is a very good brand, I’ve had mine since 2012, still rolling smooth!
11-12-2018 | 06:28 AM
#16
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 05-16-2015
Posts: 43
From: Flagler County, FL
Read the TSB and performed tests but still was unable to be certain of the root cause. Noise could not be created without road test and movement appeared normal. Suspected that driver side LCA bushing as mentioned. Replaced the sway bar links and bushings and LCAs. Problem solved
BTW, I did vented rotors, replaced the rear adjusters, and regularly (several times per week) hit the brakes hard when backing out of the driveway and this seems to keep the rear brakes adjusted and the front ones doing well. On occasion, I adjust the rear brakes by hand but I don’t think I need to any longer by practicing this method. When I bought the vehicle, it had ongoing brake issues until I found a hairline fracture in the passenger side caliper mount bracket—something neither the dealer or brake shop could identify.
BTW, I did vented rotors, replaced the rear adjusters, and regularly (several times per week) hit the brakes hard when backing out of the driveway and this seems to keep the rear brakes adjusted and the front ones doing well. On occasion, I adjust the rear brakes by hand but I don’t think I need to any longer by practicing this method. When I bought the vehicle, it had ongoing brake issues until I found a hairline fracture in the passenger side caliper mount bracket—something neither the dealer or brake shop could identify.
11-12-2018 | 09:34 AM
#17
New Member
Joined: 11-03-2018
Posts: 25
From: Rancho Cucamonga
Good Day - you are 100% correct about the rear brakes - they are self adjusting and a somewhat hard application in reverse will keep them adjusted - and there are absolutely several issues in the front end that create shake / shimmy and clunk noises. All are pretty much mileage and/or hard use issues. The LCA rear bushings are age / mileage wear items. If the steering wheel jerks a bit right / left on brake application it's usually indicative of a failing LCA rear bushing - hard to see just looking at them. If your car is higher mileage / 100k or so there is a very good chance this is at least part of a steering wheel oscillation / vibration issue. If the LCA bushings are soft and you brake hard or use the brakes constantly in heavy traffic there is a very good chance that you have warped rotors also - the combination of the 2 issues makes the car feel like it's falling apart. Adding the sway bar bushings and end kits to the equation makes for a very poor driving HHR / Cobalt / Ion or anything else using this platform. Fortunately the parts are cheap and easy to replace. You can usually machine the rotors at least once - have them measured. The LCA's are best replaced as complete assemblies - right and left together. No special tools required and doable in a couple hrs. The sway bar bushings and end kits seem to be most noticable on speed bumps and turns such as ingress and egress on driveways. None of this is rocket science or expensive. My car has 170k - replacing the LCA's and doing the front brakes made my car drive perfectly - replacing be sway bar pieces stopped the clunking. There are many of you that will argue about struts - as far as I am concerned there is no argument. If you keep your wheels balanced and drive sensibly they last a longtime. I have the originals on my car and they damp and ride just fine. I'd replace them in a minute if they didn't work correctly. If you go through dips and the car does not bounce but smoothly recovers from a suspension event there is nothing to be gained from replacement. On the other hand if you drive hard there are struts that can improve handling in more spirited situations. These are very good little cheap cars that last a long time and are cheap to repair. Best of luck to all of you.
11-12-2018 | 10:28 AM
#18
Administrator
Joined: 10-13-2011
Posts: 37,841
From: Welland,Ont Canada
Front end shake under braking can be attributed to the upper engine mount and transmission mounts
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/prob...problem-60373/
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/prob...problem-60373/
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