H3 Long Travel Build

[Bebe]

Originally Posted by HummerNewbie

Really looks stable, how does it feel from the previous setup?

Hey Mark!

I'm getting used to it...I think the tube doors will get me right back in my groove - doing stuff I really shouldn't be doing

The visibility (height) is hard to get used to - the COG is higher...it's not going anywhere. It is stupid stable, but it feels really different, I just have to learn it's limits again. I think the 400 lbs lost in weight from removing the doors and having tube doors will really help build my confidence again.

Example:

I was up on Fordyce again at driveline. I walked - literally crawled Driveline hill:







It did not require any skinny pedal - it felt GREAT!

Turning radius is still good, not as good as stock, but hey, it's got 38's on it now



For the guys that were on the hill most of them said "It looks broken" when she really articulates. I totally love it!

[HummerNewbie]

Originally Posted by Bebe

I'm getting used to it...I think the tube doors will get me right back in my groove - doing stuff I really shouldn't be doing

Getting some tube doors done are we, very cool. Your the queen of doing stuff maybe we shouldn't just so you can show us we actually can

Originally Posted by Bebe

The visibility (height) is hard to get used to - the COG is higher...it's not going anywhere. It is stupid stable, but it feels really different, I just have to learn it's limits again. I think the 400 lbs lost in weight from removing the doors and having tube doors will really help build my confidence again.

Just the fact that you know you are up so much higher has got to give it a different feel even if it doesn't really. It looks stable and solid. I suspect getting the rack and ladders off the top makes a big difference too. Take your time and get a feel for it like you did in basic stock form and you will be able to continue to amaze others as well as yourself it what it can do.

Originally Posted by Bebe

I was up on Fordyce again at driveline. I walked - literally crawled Driveline hill:

It did not require any skinny pedal - it felt GREAT!

Never been on Driveline but seen pics and talk with others who have been on it and that's impressive.

Originally Posted by Bebe

Turning radius is still good, not as good as stock, but hey, it's got 38's on it now

Over six years of H3 ownership and I am still amazed at the turning radius in stock form. Losing a bit of that radius with the mods and 38s and you still have to have a pretty good radius.

Man I have got to get back out there. This damn economy is killing business paying for it

[Bebe]

She's naked -



Taking her in to get her half/tube doors done

I should probably get some seat covers to protect the Leather



Anyone have any suggestions?

[HummerNewbie]

She sure looks good and you even lined up the wheels for the pic

[06 H3]

looks awesome bebe! Cant wait to see the half doors.

I was so bummed I didnt get to see you in moab during BSHS. I NEED to see this H3 in person

[waynehartwig]

That looks good without the doors!

[BarrelRoll]

I have a cover on the front seat of my 2500HD from these guys http://www.precisionfit.com/?trans_i...8&LogID=179121 but it looks like they don't have hummer listed. It would be worth calling them up. They cover fit great and has been holding up to an 80 pound lab just fine. I think it took less than a week to get the cover and they were easy to deal with over the phone.

[pennsylvaniaboy]

I gotta give you props, this is one of the best built h3's I have ever seen. I was a critic at the beginning and of hummer in general but this trumps that opinion. AWESOME build!

[R290]

Originally Posted by Bebe

She's naked -



Taking her in to get her half/tube doors done

I should probably get some seat covers to protect the Leather



Anyone have any suggestions?

You might hate me, but put the doors back on! I've found there is only a few times a year being door less works. Either is still to wet and crap comes flying in off the tires, or its bone dry and the dust covers everything you own. That's was reason for me putting my top back on, I would get to where I was going and it was covered in 1/8" of trail dust.
But don't listen to me as I'm thinking of making some tube or cut down doors too.

[Bebe]

The good thing about leather is that is doesn't let the dust get trapped in it like fabric. But yeah - we'll see how fast the dust piles up. Rick used to take the leaf blower to his 4runner every time we came home from the trail

[R290]

Originally Posted by Bebe

The good thing about leather is that is doesn't let the dust get trapped in it like fabric. But yeah - we'll see how fast the dust piles up. Rick used to take the leaf blower to his 4runner every time we came home from the trail

I was going to mention the leaf blower clean up. Goggles like those for KOH work good for the drive home too. Once you hit the freeway the dusts really flys

[lurchseesu]

The rear fender flare/oversized plastic lego body cladding piece looks absolutely horrible with the door off. Though it doesn't look much better with it on. Not sure what GM was thinking when they designed that.

[chriscon7]

Just spent like an hour going through this whole build, looks amazing! great job, its nice to see someone take the path less traveled and build up an ifs system.

[Bebe]

Thank you

[Bebe]

Update: Last weekend on the disabled sports run, we had a flawless run - no mechanical issues at all. We did have an ABS Fault that was intermittent from our last trip on the trail a few weeks ago.

When we arrived at the Tahoma staging area the ABS Fault, Stabilitrak Failure, Service 4Wheel Drive faults came on. It drove fine and shifted fine, so we ignored it thinking it was a pi$$ed off ABS sensor for do a lot of flexing out a couple weeks before on the Wentworth Springs Post Pile.

Anyhoo, when we came off the trail, I had tried to shift into 4 hi at the McKinney Rd. intersection, and it wouldn't shift. No biggie, I just finished the trail in Low range and had no issues getting it to the staging area.

So Rick tried a few tricks with the help of the WeBilt crew to try and get it to shift..no dice. So Jason and Andrea Berger offered up for us to get to their place in Trickee, and Rick caught a ride back to Auburn to go get the Tow rig and trailer, head back up to get me and the Hummer in Truckee.

Rick crawled under the truck and tried playing with the spare encoder motor, that wasn't it, but he was able to, with a pair of pliers and the encoder motor off, shift the t-case into 4hi.

The only thing else he could think of was that there was a bad ABS line or a Bad Unit bearing.

Luckily we had spare ABS lines on some spare unit bearings (we actually carry a spare and had it with us on the trail).

When Rick changed them out today - it shifted perfectly. Took it on a little test drive and all is well! The bearing was leaking - so for sure it was going bad - I'm kinda happy it lasted 130K miles. Most GM unit bearings don't last anywhere near that long!

Coming up Cadillac...and yes, I did drive it down the day before Rick just didn't take pics






And here it is a couple weeks before:







It really works great, and I'm getting much more comfortable with it, the Half doors made a really big difference!

[EricsGreen98Tj]

Looks really good. Suspension seems to work really well too.

On the half door build are you going to show us any pics? And graft in a peice of the rear fender flare?

[Bebe]

I have a dedicated thread for the doors a couple posts below, but as we speak I am putting the final paint on the inserts, so I'll have pics up in the next day or so.

[Sewie]

Beebs - I still have that hub I picked up in Moab. It should have the ABS sensor on it. Its yours if you want it (along with a bunch of other crap I need to clean out of the garage/shed). Just let me know and we can meet up next time you're down here.

[Bebe]

I will be down there on the 27th...gimme a call.

[Bebe]

Spent my B-Day on the Rubicon.

Broke my first ever - Half Shaft, since I've owned the Vehicle (June 2005). I admit, I fully deserved it... front axle locked up, wheels turned to full lock, steep BS stair steps, wrong line , Wayne Hartwig programmed torque Monster 3.5 Vortec - uh-huh

BIG BADA BOOM!!!







Had a spare - Rick changed this $80 part in 15 minutes, back on the trail...way cool, now I know what it takes to break a one-ton Chevy half Shaft

[waynehartwig]

Originally Posted by Bebe

Spent my B-Day on the Rubicon.

Broke my first ever - Half Shaft, since I've owned the Vehicle (June 2005). I admit, I fully deserved it... front axle locked up, wheels turned to full lock, steep BS stair steps, wrong line , Wayne Hartwig programmed torque Monster 3.5 Vortec - uh-huh

BIG BADA BOOM!!!

Had a spare - Rick changed this $80 part in 15 minutes, back on the trail...way cool, now I know what it takes to break a one-ton Chevy half Shaft

[Bebe]

Originally Posted by waynehartwig

Ok - I'll let you share in the blame

Here are some pics before the break:

[waynehartwig]

Nice pictures!

It's been 8 years this weekend since I've been on the Rubicon I'm way over due....
And I've never been to Fordyce....Or Slick Rock....

[Bebe]

Take a week next year late Summer - I'll take you to all three, and cook s'ghetti

[waynehartwig]

Originally Posted by Bebe

Take a week next year late Summer - I'll take you to all three, and cook s'ghetti

You had me at s'ghetti

What else were talking about?