Acer4LO's 2008 Alpha H3 Build Thread

[Acer4LO]

Beefy Tire Rods Installed

Lol first time I took the H3 to a shop. The outfitter design Tire rods that were in my Black 2006 H3 were swapped into the Alpha

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Links About Outfitter Design Tire Rods:
General Discussion: http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?9503-Outfitter-Design-Tie-Rod-upgrade
OEM Tire Rod Breaking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g6PKArJB0U
OEM Tire Rod Breaking 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghV12nBU1iY
H2 Snapping a Tire Rod: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxrdwXXat14
Tire Rods In Action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQCx78Pe3Mw
Buy Now: https://www.outfitterdesign.com/hummer-h3-tie-rod-kit.html

**If you have an H3 and like to do moderate offroading you need these! Absolute must!**

The H3's factory tire rods are very weak and cheaply made. Tire rods steer the wheels in the direction you want to go. If you break a tire rod, you loose you abilitly to steer, one wheel will move with the steering wheel and the wheel with the broken tire rod will not move. So you have the front two wheels facing the opposite direction Unless you brought a spare tire rod to replace or a welder to mend it, you are screwed. Getting your H3 off the trail and to a shop to fix it can be REALLY EXPENSIVE (In the thousands even). Generally, fellow 4x4 enthusiasts on the trail will help you get to the parking lot or make sure you are safe for free, but you still need to call a tow truck. If the 4x4 guys cannot get you off the trail, you need to find a tow truck company that will send a driver out there which will surely cost over $1000 because it is out of their comfort zone. Do yourself a favor and buy these tire rods, they will surely be a cheaper option than breaking on the trail.

I am not endorsed or sponsered by outfitter, these are my own opinions. I don't want to give the Jeep guys any ammo to make fun of us.

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[Acer4LO]

Replacing Side Marker Bulbs

Replaced the side marker lights after reading alrock's comment. Here are a few pics for reference. They require 194 bulbs like the oem roof marker lights and the rear license plate light

Looks really good!

Custom Flag Storage For Parks

Took the gobi roof rack off the Alpha because I had an idea for something I wanted to add on. So basically a lot of the places I go wheeling at (off-road parks) require a flag for safety or something like that. After a while I found it annoying to toss them in the back and have them take up space. So my solution to this is to put a PVC pipe under the rack. I ended up going with a 1.25in size pipe. The reason I had to take off the rack was because I wanted to mount the pipes using a PVC pipe mount and it looked the best by drilling them into the cross members of the rack this gives it a pretty subtle look and you can hardly even tell they are there. Made them the exact size of the flags that I have. In the future I think I want to put a fold-able table under the rack because I recently saw a Land Rover Defender roof rack with this feature and thought it was a brilliant idea. Having an extra table around that you can put tools/food/camera gear is always useful. If I do this however I probably have to put spacers in between the Gobi mounts and the actual roof rack to get more room. As you guys know the H3 has some kind of cool looking design indentations on the roof that stick up more which steals an inch or two of space.

Since the pipes are pretty small I am only able to fit two flags in each pipe. This is why I have two of them and also it looks good and symmetrical. Also nice to have extras if other people I go with don't have them.

 

[Acer4LO]

Installing High Clearance Leafspring Mounts

Installed Schwarttzy's shock mounts over the weekend. They look really good. Only thing that I did not know was that there was a lot of tension on the leafsprings. This could just be because I have the Rancho lift kit in these are different leaf springs, when I went to take off the first mount they shot down on me. Worked on other trucks before with leafs and they didn't do this so bit of a surprise. Anyway for the second one I made sure to put a jack on each side. I will will be doing the bushings and shackles later. Here are some pics:

 

[Schwarttzy]

Holy crap that's a cool photo!

If you ever have an issue please contact me so I can take care of it for you.

 

[jakesz28]

To be honest I have not addressed that issue yet. I would ask Rascole since he did this mod before I did. Also I still need to check the ABS and brake lines to make sure nothing stretches/breaks while articulating. Its gonna be a little awkward to do that since I have a four post lift instead of one that picks it up by the frame.

I don't have a lift, never thought I had room to do the front disconnect. But I have removed one side of the factory links several times. It makes a difference. Now I may need to order a set of these.

 

[Acer4LO]

Photoshop Render For Ideas

Well haven’t worked on the Alpha in a few weeks but I have been putting some ideas and renders together on the mods that I have been wanting to do. Here is one I did this weekend:

List of Mods
- EXO Cage
- Custom Gullwing Door Idea
- Line-X Hood + Fenders
- Tubular Mirrors (Rod Hall Inspired)
- LEDs on rack

This isn’t the mods I plan to do next or anytime soon, but it really helps to see what the truck will look like. What do you guys think?

 

[Acer4LO]

Bought 38in Tires

Wow I haven't updated this a while, mostly because I haven't done anything new. However last weekend I went to go pick up a new set of tires.

Tires in question are 38x13.50Rx18 Toyo M/T Tires on 18in TrailReady Baja Style Aluminum Beadlocks, Slim Ring (18 X 9, 6x5.5 Lug) Full Set of 5. Tires Have less than 2k on them, so brand new. Main reason I got these was because of the killer deal, way too good to pass up. Also motivates me to start doing some larger projects. So this weekend I I wanted to make sure it fits the bolt pattern (which it did) and also see how they fit. I only had time to do the rear tire but it looks pretty good.

Please note in these pictures that I have jacked the truck up by the rear axle so when I mounted the tires they were almost hitting the rear bump stop and it is not their normal position.

 

[amrg]

Is it body lifted? That would help you get more clearance for those tires, esp at the back of the front fenders

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Acer4LO]

Is it body lifted? That would help you get more clearance for those tires, esp at the back of the front fenders

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

It is does not have a body lift. However, as I said above, I jacked up the truck by the rear axle and the the leaf springs were close to full compression (Almost hitting bumpstops) up in the the wheel well, so that dosne't accurately show it. Also I still need to add Schwarttzy's rear 2in shackles that I bought since the truck is sagging in the back anyway. After that I will be fulling articulating the suspension with my forklift to make sure the tires aren't rubbing on the wheel well too hard

 

[amrg]

When you add shackles expect to get the tires closer to the body at full compression. Don't forget to take into account the compression of the bump stops at a strong bump as that adds alittle more!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Acer4LO]

When you add shackles expect to get the tires closer to the body at full compression. Don't forget to take into account the compression of the bump stops at a strong bump as that adds alittle more!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Duly noted. I might want to add the Daystar body lift in the future. I will know when I go to test it with a forklift. Even though is tires only add on an extra inch compared to 37s I am kind of a guinea pig with this setup lol

 

[Acer4LO]

Adding Schwarttzy Extended Shackles

Checking in again with a lot of updates! Got to work on the truck over the weekend and got lot done and many questions I had answered so here we go. First thing I did was to add Schwarttzy's Extended Shackles that I bought months ago, but never installed. From intial impressions, these things are great! Elimates the sag in the rear if you have the rancho 4in lift kit!

I tried to take some pics to make a "How To Install" Guide. Please note this is not an official guide or anything just thought it would be helpful.

Pic of Shackles:

Step #1 Jack Up The Truck In The Rear By The Frame. (DO NOT USE AXLE)
I used the leaf spring mount to jack up the truck and put a jackstand on the frame next to the gas tank. **Try to jack up the rear of the truck only. If you jack the truck up from the middle of the frame you will lift of the whole right or left side. I am using wood blocks here becase my jack and jackstand is not tall enough.

Step #2 Take Off The The Tire
You can leave the other tire on for now.

Step #3 Unclip ABS
To be on the safe side it is a good idea to unclip the ABS so it doesn't get damaged. Just use a flat head to pop it open

Step #5 Remove OEM Shackle and Put in New Shackle
Didn't get many pictures of the step, but essentially what you need to do here is to remove the bolt holding the leaf spring and shackle together, then the bolt that connects the shackle to the frame. The shackle should come off pretty easily, but PLEASE BE CAREFUL! Even though the leaf springs should not have that much tension on them because of the angle they are at, know that there is always the possbility that they can shoot out at you when you take out the bolt. Make sure the springs are in a curved position and not flat.

Now put in the new extended shackle by running connecting the shackle to the frame with the bolt you removed. Next comes the tricky part, line up the shackle with the leaf spring. You have to get he holes to match up in order to slide in the bolt. I used a car jack to help me line it up.

Here it is when you are finished with the first (left) side:

Step #6 Do steps 1-5 On Other Side.
Now that you are done with one of the sides, do the same steps as listed to the other side.

Comparision:

Finshed Product: (Truck is Articulating In This Pic)

 

[Acer4LO]

Test-Fitting The 38in Tires

As I have mentioned before, I bought 38 inch tires a few months ago in have been dying to try them out. So this weekend I was able to mount them on my rig, but as expected running a tire this big leads to some problems that will need to be resolved. To cut to the chase, the tires are rubbing in a few different places and I will need to make some modifications in order for them to fit.

Front Wheel Well Rub Check
The first thing I started off with was checking to see if the 38's would rub against the wheel well when the truck is articulating. I did this by lifting the truck up with a forlift. Note in these first tests I only hade the front tires on due to time constraints, but they should not effect the results. I found out that the tires do not rub against the wheel well at all because the front bumpstops are limiting upwards travel.

Steering Check
One Big problem I have right now though, is that the 38s hit the front fender flare when running 1.25in spacer. I need to run a spacer at the moment because the upper control arm rubs against the tire without a spacer. Tires just barley clear without spacer, but hit control arm. So I am kind of in a tough spot here that I will need to resolve. I am thinking of adding the Daystar body lift in order to lift up the truck more and also running a 1 inch spacer.

Here is another shot during the daytime (Tire is turning left)

No spacer, upper control arm rubs against tire.

Tire does clear without spacer. It does however rub against the upper control arm when turning the steering wheel all the way.

Close up shot: It's Close!

 

[Acer4LO]

Rear Wheel Well Rub Check
At this point I had put on the rear tires to check to see if they would fit. They do; however they do rub against the wheel well/rear quarter panel.

I am probably going to cut or try to bend the area highlighted in red (Below) so the tires will fit.
\

 

[Acer4LO]

Spare Tire Check/Size Up
Also needed to figure out how I was going to mount that new tire on the tailgate. So I picked up the tire with the forklift and placed it close to the rear tailgate.

I was able to mount the tire by using the top two wheel studs to get an idea. Not sure if I am gonna do the the tire carriar mod exactly how 4speed did his mount. I think I just need to add a stud up above by adding a metal plate.

The Tailgate is strong as heck! Holding up this tire with no problem!

 

[Acer4LO]

So that basically sums up my results from putting on the 38s. Definitely not an easy bolt-on solution, but with some additional work I will be able to run these tires!

Things To Do:
1.) Daystar Body lift
2.) 1in Spacers
3.) Cut/Bend Rear Quarter Panel
4.) Check for rubbing when front is articulating and turning steering wheel
5.) PCM tune
6.) Mayhem Metal Works Steering Clamp

Note:
Gear ratio will remain at 4.10 because going up to 4.56 is not worth the expense. Once I get rid of that silly front diff and go SAS I will upgrade to somthing higher. Maybe 5.13s.

Here are a few cool shots I grabbed too:

 

[amrg]

The daystar is a good kit but for added clearance you could do a 1.5" to 2" body lift but you will need to get the blocks and bolts seperately. Eitherway, It looks like the body lift will make all the tire/body contact issues go away.
A 1.5" body lift should let you clear the rear 38" spare tire too.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Acer4LO]

The daystar is a good kit but for added clearance you could do a 1.5" to 2" body lift but you will need to get the blocks and bolts seperately. Eitherway, It looks like the body lift will make all the tire/body contact issues go away.
A 1.5" body lift should let you clear the rear 38" spare tire too.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

A 2in body lift would probably help even more, but I think I am just gonna go with the daystar kit because I don't want the body panel gaps to be that wide lol. Also I do want to modify the rear tire carrier so it sets a little bit higher for a better depature angle and in case I ever move up to 40s. (This would be after I do a SAS of course)

 

[amrg]

At 1" the gaps are not noticable at all.
At 2" it will be but you have an aftermarket bumper so it shouldnt be a big deal relocating the mount upwards, the rear can be done too. It wilo improve your approach/departure angles even more!

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

 

[Acer4LO]

July Wheeling

Well to kick off July I went wheeling with WaySub at the Cliffs. Had to take off the 38s because they don't fit yet. Here are some pics!

Got Stuck A Few Times! Really need the 38s back on!!!

Pulled Out A JK lol

While on the trail we came across a YJ that broke down. Guy said he was leaking trans fluid and that the Jeep caught fire. Lol WaySub Gave him a tug back to the office. It was funny the guy said "Well Now I Can't Buy a H3 Recovery Sticker"

Everything was going well until the end of the day... It was 4pm and the park closes at 5. The two of us agreed to head back, but we were in for a suprise. It had started raining and the trail became an absolute slushfest of mud. We were in gator alley which is a part of the trail filled with deep ruts and deep puddles. Normally you can get through the stuff if you give it enough throttle, but not when its wet. Basically the two of us were winching every ten feet during a downpoor. After that most of the trail was flat dirt, but that proved to be a challenge. The dirt had gotten so wet that it felt like driving on ice. By the time we got out it was 5:10PM. Not bad. But we were soaking wet and covered in mud which wasn't fun.

Pic of the interior when I got back:

 

[EndeavoredH3]

Talk about one hell of a dash cam in the last photo! Where did you get the seat covers?

 

[Acer4LO]

Talk about one hell of a dash cam in the last photo! Where did you get the seat covers?

They are Coverking Seat Covers! Really high quality and way better than a "Universial" Ebay ones. I think the reason why you don't see many people running them is because they are not advertised at all towards the Hummer Community. They are a custom made to order for any vehicle type of thing. The ones I went with are the "Cordura Ballistic" Seat covers. They are pretty much waterproof. I tested it by dumping a bottle of water on the seat an the water slid right off, no absorption. They are made from this awesome material called 1000 Denier Cordura ballistic fabric. I gotta buy a roll of this stuff and put it on my headliner. On the back of the seats they have a MOLLE system so you can store stuff in pouches. They sell them for the front and back. They go anywhere from $200 to $500 ish depending on options. I went all out and got the optional Logo that says "HUMMER" and even the special spary bottle to protect the material.

The Seat Covers I Went With:
https://www.coverking.com/seat-covers/custom-seat-covers/heavy-duty-ballistic.html

All Coverking Seat Covers:
https://www.coverking.com/seat-covers/custom-seat-covers.html

 

[Acer4LO]

Daystar 1" Body Lift Install

Last weekend I installed my daystar lift and figured I share some pics and how to do it. **THIS GUIDE DOES NOT INCLUDE HOW TO MOD THE FAN SHROUD BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE STOCK ENGINE FAN, I HAVE AN AFTERMARKET ELECTRIC FAN.***

First thing you need to do is locate all your body mount points. There are 6 total. **Note number 4 is hard to find because it is hidden by the wheel well. You need to do one side of the time. So either start by doing all 6 on the drivers side or on the passenger side. Do not try to do both at the same time.

They look like this:

Next break all of your mounts with a breaker bar. After that setup your floor jack with a 4x4 block on the body. Just put a little bit of force. Do not jack it up high. ***Make sure to put it on a strong part of the body.

Take an impact an unscrew all 6 bolts.

Up next you will need to spray them down with WD40. You need to take the OEM bolt out of the bushing and sleeve.

After that hit the bolt with a hammer. You need to remove this OEM bolt because it will be replace with a new bolt included in the lift kit. Most of them were easy to pound out. But two of them proved to be extermely hard. Ended up having to use a blow torch to get it out.

Once you have the new bolts ready to go you need go you need to jack up your truck from the body of course. Keep lifting the truck up until you can fit one of the Daystar pucks inbetween the top of the bushing and the body of the truck itself. Then put some lock tite on the bolt and screw it in! Besure to properly torque it a 83 ft/lbs as it says in the manual. Now do the other side and your done!

*****Note***** I did not did have to cut/modify the fan shroud becuse I don't have one. I have an electric fan in my H3 and do not have a stock fan.

Once you are done with the lift please make sure to check that the modification you just completed did not put strain on wires and engine components.

While inspecting my truck, I found that one of my hoses was now rubbing up against my belt and I needed to put some metal there to refrain it from touching.

 

[Acer4LO]

I will archive the Daystar Body lift instructions here incase anyone needs them.

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[Acer4LO]

Well it looks like the one inch body lift did not completely solve the problem. I am still rubbing when turn the wheels. Might need to do some trimming.

Already have discussed this problem in another thread if you are interested: http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?13310-Anyone-Running-1-quot-Wheel-Spacers

The wheels also get pretty close to this peice in the front that holds the wheel well in place. That will be easy to trim though.