58Bisc's 2006 H3

[58Bisc]

Pictures of the completed rack. I take delivery tomorrow afternoon and install to follow. I am pumped about it. I have been thinking about and planing this mod for quite some time. It's not a GOBI, but it's mine (or will be tomorrow).

I also got my OEM light switch and think I am going to order the matching roof light switch. I won't be able to use it till I add rack lights, but I like the idea of no extra switches in the dash or console (for now).

 

[cgalpha08]

Rack looks amazing!!

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

 

[Nacho]

Thats a nice looking rack. Looking forward to seeing it on the 3.

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

:corn:

 

[08SolarFlareH3]

Rack looks great, can't wait to see it on!

 

[jakesz28]

What's up with all these guys checking out your rack?
Sorry had to. Lol.

 

[58Bisc]

Thought I'd post a couple rack install pictures.


From the back:

Front without the deflector:

Front complete:

My standard shot:

Full rear:

Reading back through the thread on the roof rack I never did mention that per my request the builder used welded tube and not sch40 pipe. There was no change in price. It is the same spec as what GOBI uses. Shopping for lights now. I know the PIAA 2100's will fit, but I'll be looking around. I ordered the stock roof light switch to match the one I bought for the bull bar lights. That one is the down arrow switch, this one is the up arrow switch.


Overall very happy with the rack. It was worth the money he charged. There were a couple of things like the deflector brackets I would change. I'm not a fan of the brackets he made. I feel they make it sit to high. I going to try moving them, but if that does not work, I'll be making new brackets. For a finish, he just used a thin coat of Kevlar bed liner. I went back and sanded it and put a heavy, textured coating of Dupi-color bed liner on there. I replaced some of the hardware he included and I think I will be going back and use acorn nuts on the rack mounting brackets for a more finished look. The rubber mounting pads he made were blue. Not that you can see a lot of it, but I would have used black. I still may go back and change them also. These are minor finish issues, but the build is solid.


I've never seen an install or installed a rack like this. It took three men to get it up there and it would have been easier with four. The roof has a slight arch and the rack was stright. I don't know if the GOBI is pre arched or not, but the outside ends had to be pushed down to start the nuts. The middle was no issue. Again minor issue, but I'm trying to be real as I know others are looking into this type of home builder clone racks.

 

[08SolarFlareH3]

Rack looks great 58Bisc.

 

[58Bisc]

I'm waiting on the delivery of my Hi-Lift jack. I started playing around with a prototype of a home made rack mount for the jack. Here's what I have come up with. Everything on my second try is heavier duty then the proto type. Clamp is steel (I went with 3/4 inch for a tight fit) and it is rated at 180 lbs. vertical hang. I'll be using two of them for a 29.8lbs. jack. I will be hanging them from the vertical posts with the jack facing in over the rack. I plan on bed lining them to match the rack. I made rubber gaskets for where they clamp to the rack. The threaded rod is 3/8. I used locking nuts to lock the threaded rod to the clamp. I put nuts on the tightening screws of the clamp. I added rubber washers in front of the fender washers to stop rattles. I added a piece of rubber hose over the threaded rod. I'm still under $20 if I use wing nuts, but I had two 3/8 handles laying around that cost me nothing, so I'm going to use them.

Completed jack mounting bracket, still needs bed lining to match the rack:

Prototype vs. new model:

New model and supplies to make it:

Jack does not get here for a couple days to test them out. Of course I will ake pictures and post them when done.

 

[58Bisc]

Here's my final effort:

New jack and the mounting brackets (handle isolator did not show up yet):

I removed the jack base and wrapped friction tape around the shaft, reinstalled the base and wrapped the joint and around the base to cut down on rattles:

Backet mounted on the rack:

Jack mounted:

Up close of the mounted jack on the home made bracket:

View from the ground:

Different view:

Just the base is resting on the rack:

Shot of the rack:

I took it for a couple of bumpy rides and there was no rattles and everything stayed tight. Of course I'll be checking it over the next couple of weeks to be sure there are no issues. The reason I picked that location was the size of the jack and I figured I already had the weight of the dual batteries and the driver on other side.

 

[alrock]

Looks good!

 

[58Bisc]

The jack sticking up bothered me, so I tried the brackets the way it was designed To fit:

Because it is a Stealth design it still stuck up a little higher then I wanted, so I built a floor mount system instead:

Now it fits below the light bar:

Been working on the XJ getting it ready for paint. Need to find time to modify the H3 rock sliders so I can get them mounted. Also still have to install the BA shock skids.

 

[Pappibri]

Looking real good.. Really love that roof rack... If I had the money to spare, I would get one like that, but for now, the Rola is good enough..:sigh:

 

[08SolarFlareH3]

Looks good. Love all the little details.

 

[58Bisc]

Just ordered stainless steel braided brake lines, drilled & slotted rotors and ceramic pads. PA inspection is up in November... I went with clear lines to show the braid. I figured it would match the shocks, as I only have two items on the underside in red (decal on my spider cover and the H3 decal on the front skid plate). I went with stock length. I don't plan on doing a Ranchero type lift, as I am very happy with where I'm at. I may do quick disconnects on the sway bars and since they don't require any additional length, stock lenght should be fine. I did not take a chance with longer, as I was worried about having to loop and strap the extra line somewhere so it would not catch on anything. I guess I'll find out if it was the right thing to do.

 

[58Bisc]

Rotors and pads arrived, lines should be here next week. Spent the last couple of weeks getting the future son in laws Jeep XJ ready for paint. Couple more projects on his XJ and then it's back to my H3.

 

[58Bisc]

Brakes are in, but I'm still busy Jeeping...


Complete set up:

Just the braided lines:

 

[Schwarttzy]

How do you like the General Grabbers? Are they noise? Vibrate a Lot?

 

[SolidusJ]

Always love clinking on this link!!!! Great work on the 3 and damn I wish I was in PA To get with the guy who made your rack. I'm starting to worry on how the Ridge Industries are going to look in my light bars and really wish I had the rack first. Keep up making the H3 one sweet ride.:thumbs:

 

[58Bisc]

How do you like the General Grabbers? Are they noise? Vibrate a Lot?

I love them. Very little noise from my prospective. No vibration and I've taken quite a few long trips with them with no issues and people come up to me in parking lots and ask about them. I'd buy them again.

 

[58Bisc]

Thought I'd add this to my build thread... Ok, so I bought one of these off of eBay for $62 +S&H to give it a try. I intend to mount it on a spare air intake cover. I could not resist the look. Getting ready to go with the Sy-Klone pre cleaner. I may just go ahead and order it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/17756-07-BR...eep&hash=item2ec1b37191&vxp=mtr#ht_3977wt_754


Thinking I will bolt the snorkel to the air intake cover after I drill a hole in it for the tube/hose to fit through. Seal everything up tight. Already got it worked out in my head. Assuming I will need to reshape the piller mounting bracket to fit the H3. Thinking of using 2 1/2 rad hose and after I seal it to the intake & snorkel combo, I hope to squeezed it through the current hole in the fender, then mate it to the standard home made snorkel set up. I will either trim coat or bed line the entire setup (air intake & snorkel) to hopefully look like one unit. We will see how it turns out. For a little time and money I figure It is worth a shot. I'm sure it will not go as perfect as I plain, but I'm ok with that. It's half the fun!

 

[Ron46]

Looks good! :corn: cant wait to see how the snorkel turns out

 

[08SolarFlareH3]

Looking forward to the snorkel also.

 

[58Bisc]

I have the Hummer apart in the drive way. Started on a home made snorkel set up that requires little or no cutting. Made the duct with 1/4 inch thick wall by 3 inch round PVC conduit. I designed it to work and fit in the channels around the fender and fire wall. I heated the conduit and made them roughly 1x4 rectangular. I will measure everything for the build thread if all goes well. I did have to cut a strip of metal about 3/4 of an inch by 4 inches long. None of it was braces or structuarl in nature. I left all of the metal bends in place for support and streanth. At this point I have the complete working mock up to make the factory air intake vent fully functional. This was my original idea before I found the Jeep snorkel cheep. Not truely sure that with this small piece cut out that a rubber hose would not have worked fine, but input from others maded me worry about it. Figured rather safe then sorry. Someone else can try that after they see my build thread and pictures. Mine is definitely over engineered. Once I assemble everything in the truck, I'll start on mounting the Jeep snorkel to the air intake cover and window pillar. The snorkel follows the angle of the windshield nicely. I went ahead and ordered the Sy-Klone pre filter for it, it should be here this week. I've taken a ton of pictures along the way. Hope I don't run into any surprises tomorrow during final assemble and snorkel engineering, but of course I'll let all of you know if I do...

 

[Ron46]

:corn::corn::corn: