High Pitched Pop or Ping

Last evening, I went to the grocery store to buy some cereal. That would have gotten me on the road quick this morning for a GPS project on the Road Fork and Whipple Sections - Buckeye/ North Country Trail.  Unfortunately, the turn on to my street is sharp immediately onto an incline.  When I made this bank turn, I heard a high pitched ping in my front left wheel well of my 2008 Chevy HHR LS. I knew that a part of my suspension was going bad, so I have to park the car until I can replace this part.

My family mechanic friend said that if I sent get this replaced soon, that I could find myself in a heep of trouble if those wheels fly off on the road. I've been wanting to do it when I can have a chance to change the rear brake shoes, drums and rotate the wheels anyways.

Motorhome Update 02/03/2018 - 01

Three of the 4 wheel's brakes are replaced.  We'll be replacing the left rear ones tomorrow.  The odometer remains at 70,954 miles.  Afterwards, I drove to O'Reilly Auto Parts and purchase new front struts and springs. My family mechanic did the work and I spent about an hour taking measurements of the compartment doors and windows.  I have a file that I keep on the motorhome and I just keep adding things to it.

Motorhome Update 01/26/2018

My family mechanic friend got the drive axle pinned up today.  And in order to put a fuel cleaner and octane booster in it, I had to drive it a couple miles to get 17 gallons of gasoline.  The ride was a little bouncy, but that's because the tires were inflated below 70psi.  But one of the rear brake shoes is ceasing to it's drum and I was smoking it's brakes.  The gasoline sending unit still isn't working.  It's believed that Ford isn't making the sender for this Econoline anymore and he and I are hoping that the fresh gasoline will break the one that's in there free at some point?

He installed the new Bluetooth stereo and got started on the new CB with weatherband radio.  Looks like I'm going to have a 19 gallon fuel cell, sending unit and rear in-tank pump to sell on ebay now that he got my 38 gallon stuff working.

I think that we're going to spend most of February doing the interior?  I've gone in and out of state parks in the past, so I'm wondering if I should mount some Wi-Fi antennas?  I've already got unlimited data on Verizon and it can hotspot to the laptop when needed.  But the Wi-Fi might have better reception?

I'd like tile to be put in instead of carpet in case I come back from the trail muddy.  Due to water damage, the seams will have to be resealed and the walls will have to be rebuilt.

Log 2014061601

Today, I broke through the second mounting bolt on the left side stabilizer bar link of my 2008 Chevy HHR LS.  The last time, I burned up a few Diablo blades on the Sawzall and so I was searching for alternatives today.  Yesterday, I mounted the new left side wheel bearing and in preparation to bleed the brakes, I re-mounted the left side caliper and pads.  So my angle to drill it from wasn't as open today as it was before.

I started using a butane torch today, but several minutes in, I remembed something about the stabilizer bar being made out of tempered steel and promptly quit.  Yesterday, I purchased a drill bit extension from Lowe's in Mentor of Lake County.  But to my chagrin, it only extends 3/8ths drill bits and I was very disappointed.  With the Diablo blades on the Sawzall, I was able cut most of the hex off of the bolt.  But because the blade was so wide, it left a sliver of the hex still on there.  So, I mounted a metal cutting blade of standard width and was able to slice it off without damaging the stabilizer bar.

Afterwards, I took off the right fender.  It was just a series of bolts.  But to my chagrin, the after market replacement fender came with it's own eye socket wielded to it.  Now, I have an extra.  But the replacement didn't come with any insulation.  I'm thinking that I might be able to reuse the one from the old fender.  As for installing, I've decided that I'm going to "sleep on it."  Considering the amount of bolts it and the under shielding has, I'm wondering if that is going to be a mistake?

I was about the bleed the left front caliper solo today, but didn't have a clear tube big enough to fit around the bleeding nut.  And I'm concerned about no doing it right, so either I need a vacuum bleeding kit, or I should just task it out to the mechanic?  I think I'm going to go with the latter. Because right now, I'm at a loss as to where the manual transaxle "check/fill" nut is.  I think its to the left of the fuse block and has a hex key that is identical to the drain plug.

With all that being said, there'a bald spot on the table where I layout all of my new auto parts now.