GOT IT!!! 08 H3 Alpha Off Road Pkg!!!

[lfootmatt]

I've been lurking here for a bit while shopping for an H3 for oldest son to have at college. Locally I looked at a couple of 06 5 speeds but ultimately fell in love with the ever elusive ALPHA.



08, 110K miles, off road/adventure pkg, from central Texas (AKA no rust whatsoever!!!), 305/55r20 Nitto Trail Grapplers (need replaced before snow), Rancho 4" lift, Rancho RS9000 series shocks, light bar, aftermarket exhaust (sounds nice), new battery and charging system, front end rebuilt recently, new O2 sensors and new CV half shaft on the drivers side and new CV boots on passenger side.

I'm in AZ and bought it sight unseen off Craigslist:no:, stoopid, right! Then drove it to Lawrence, Kansas to our slightly red neck 6'9" basketball player son. His 7' teammate was amazed at the amount of leg room. Clean carfax then had it inspected by a highly regarded local inspection service who was very professional and thorough. He was very pleasantly surprised about the condition and drivability. Female driven and never off road. Only thing it currently needs is a bank 1 catalytic converter. Intermittently throwing a code for an overheating cat.

New tires are the first priority. Then a couple of durability mods, and a complete maintenance biltz then some sort of undercoating. Its killing me to send a rust free truck to the rustbelt!!!!

Chime in with any recommendations.

Thanks in advance!!!

Matt

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I just finished (almost) replacing cats. My theory is the 2nd cats are useless as they're not monitored so they went away -

 

[Acer4LO]

When you go to replace the tires I would get smaller wheels, something around 16 to 18 inches. Avoid rockstars and motometals because that is a newbie thing. Just a personal preference but I would get rid of that aftermarket grille and get an oem one because it kind of looses the Hummer identity. If you plan to do some more offroad related mods, read some other builds on H4O. Plenty of really good ideas and parts to add. Really nice find by the way!!

 

[lfootmatt]

On the CATS, eventually it will return to AZ for our youngest boy to drive so it will require all cats to be present due to AZ emissions. So He'll have to get it replaced.

Hopefully it isn't too expensive. He's got to save $$$s for tires too.

Later,

Matt

 

[lfootmatt]

When you go to replace the tires I would get smaller wheels, something around 16 to 18 inches. Avoid rockstars and motometals because that is a newbie thing. Just a personal preference but I would get rid of that aftermarket grille and get an oem one because it kind of looses the Hummer identity. If you plan to do some more offroad related mods, read some other builds on H4O. Plenty of really good ideas and parts to add. Really nice find by the way!!

He really likes the look of the big tires and wheels. And the reality is that I'm making him pay for the new tires. So wheels are out of the question financially. Honestly, had the previous owner not mentioned the grill mod he did I wouldn't have even ever noticed. We're concentrating our funds on functional mods at this point.

Mods, I'd like to level it out a bit. May go with Schwartzy's rear spring shackles to start with. 1.5 inches in the rear should level it out bit. Then the PS rack mounts to toughen that up a bit. He won't have time to wheel it until spring when basketball is over so i'm not in a huge hurry.

Later,

Matt

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

On the CATS, eventually it will return to AZ for our youngest boy to drive so it will require all cats to be present due to AZ emissions. So He'll have to get it replaced.

Hopefully it isn't too expensive. He's got to save $$$s for tires too.

Later,

Matt

~$450 each - if you need both sides it's about $800 (one side is cheaper). Labor would be expensive because it's a flat out pain to get them out. While I do build pretty cool rigs from the ground up, there was more then just 'I can do it' in the decision-making process to build my own. With that said, if I had to keep that second cat, I'd simply replace the monitored cat by welding in a new one.... still a lot in labor, but $100 in parts rather then the other.

There are other reasons why you can get that code - so be sure the cat is the problem first.... there's also a potential service bulletin. 5.3s in every other vehicle could suck oil into the PCV system. Oil and cats do not mix. Mine didn't have that problem, but the check is whether or not it's losing oil and whether the oil is burned on the spark plugs. GM has a 'clever' cap (the part is in the oil pan) to resolve the issue. Unfortunately, at 101k miles you are beyond the warranty period....

 

[3Hummers]

Congrats. Looks like a Waco, Tx truck

 

[4Lo-Tank]

Very nice rig

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Schwarttzy]

Awesome vehicle, just wish it didn't have those stupid rims

 

[Mb30sdl]

Don't listen to this guys, different rims make it unique. OEM looks like crap on any vehicle.

 

[JPaul]

Don't listen to this guys, different rims make it unique. OEM looks like crap on any vehicle.

Until you put the same rims on it that half a million other people put on theirs. And look exactly the same as wheels on several other makes and models of SUV's and trucks. Our standard OEM wheels are more unique than Rockstars or most any other "custom" rims since they were only made for the H3. Frankly I feel that once you put on so called "custom" wheels on a H3 it starts looking like every other mid size SUV out there, especially since so many of them end up with the same exact style wheels on them. Plus a lot of the aftermarket wheels aren't as strong as OEM, I've seen so many of the aftermarket wheels shatter to pieces when hitting a curb at low speed, usually because people think they need a 20" rim to "look cool". Doesn't look very cool to have your rig on a flatbed because you hit a curb at 10mph.

But hey, if you personally like the rims, go for it. It's your rig, not Schwarttzy's, nor Mb30sdl's, nor anyone else's.

 

[Acer4LO]

Until you put the same rims on it that half a million other people put on theirs. And look exactly the same as wheels on several other makes and models of SUV's and trucks. Our standard OEM wheels are more unique than Rockstars or most any other "custom" rims since they were only made for the H3. Frankly I feel that once you put on so called "custom" wheels on a H3 it starts looking like every other mid size SUV out there, especially since so many of them end up with the same exact style wheels on them. Plus a lot of the aftermarket wheels aren't as strong as OEM, I've seen so many of the aftermarket wheels shatter to pieces when hitting a curb at low speed, usually because people think they need a 20" rim to "look cool". Doesn't look very cool to have your rig on a flatbed because you hit a curb at 10mph.

But hey, if you personally like the rims, go for it. It's your rig, not Schwarttzy's, nor Mb30sdl's, nor anyone else's.

Well said. Most of the people who have anything from KMC, Moto Metal, American Forces, Fuel Offroad never leave the pavement. Lol they slap on som LED bars, Halos, Angry eyes and call it a day. lfootmatt you are free to do what you want, but anyone who takes wheeling seriously can instantly tell a pavement princess from a wheeler.

 

[K0PIR]

Your son is a lucky man! The rims look good to me and your son will probably love them.

Nice color too.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Until you put the same rims on it that half a million other people put on theirs. And look exactly the same as wheels on several other makes and models of SUV's and trucks. Our standard OEM wheels are more unique than Rockstars or most any other "custom" rims since they were only made for the H3. Frankly I feel that once you put on so called "custom" wheels on a H3 it starts looking like every other mid size SUV out there, especially since so many of them end up with the same exact style wheels on them. Plus a lot of the aftermarket wheels aren't as strong as OEM, I've seen so many of the aftermarket wheels shatter to pieces when hitting a curb at low speed, usually because people think they need a 20" rim to "look cool". Doesn't look very cool to have your rig on a flatbed because you hit a curb at 10mph.

But hey, if you personally like the rims, go for it. It's your rig, not Schwarttzy's, nor Mb30sdl's, nor anyone else's.

it's simply rude to call another person's car ugly. Sure, you may not like it, but remember the toes you step on today may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow.

 

[citiboy]

^^ this...

 

[Traxx]

He also happens to require different wheels with the Rancho lift since the stockers will not fit. The mentality of having aftermarket wheels means you can't/don't wheel is ridiculous. I've seen plenty of vehicles with Rockstars or Jesters go like hell off road. My only problem with KMC wheels is they are usually the heaviest wheel you can find outside of a comparable sized steelie.
I'd love to have the stock back on mine but not at the price of adding wheel spacers.

 

[lfootmatt]

The kid likes the wheels, and frankly, I'm not funding it so they're likely to stay no matter what. I'm super happy that its been a pavement queen its whole life. Barely even dirty underneath. Came out of San Antonio, Texas and has neither seen snow nor road salt in its lifetime.

The kid will wheel it pretty hard. He's a big old hunting and fishing loving country boy who likes to find him some mud! It will get off-roaded hard now. He's bigger than life so the bigger than life 20's fit him too.

The best thing is that I paid $3,500 under the retail value for it!!!!

Later, I'm sire I'll be back often looking for mod and maintenance tips!

Matt

 

[JPaul]

The kid likes the wheels, and frankly, I'm not funding it so they're likely to stay no matter what. I'm super happy that its been a pavement queen its whole life. Barely even dirty underneath. Came out of San Antonio, Texas and has neither seen snow nor road salt in its lifetime.

The kid will wheel it pretty hard. He's a big old hunting and fishing loving country boy who likes to find him some mud! It will get off-roaded hard now. He's bigger than life so the bigger than life 20's fit him too.

The best thing is that I paid $3,500 under the retail value for it!!!!

Later, I'm sire I'll be back often looking for mod and maintenance tips!

Matt

That's the thing with people that bought them and made them into pavement pounders, when they eventually sell them the rest of us that want to go off road can buy them for a good price and not have to worry about the tar having been beaten out of them already. Instead we get something that might have a lot of miles but was babied the whole time. That's a lot better than getting something that's already past its serviceable life and trying to make it nice.

Mine was a pavement queen in its prior life as well, though unfortunately it was still bone stock. Half the aftermarket mods and pretty much all of the OEM mods out there for the H3 you can't even buy anymore unless you get it second, third, or fourth hand. So it's nice to find a rig loaded out already.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

 

[Reloader]

What is the actual code that is current for the cat? Is it for an inefficient cat like a P0420 or P0430?
My 08 Alpha lost a cat at 75K and the other side at 79K. Both covered under emissions warranty by GM.
Both the replacements have failed again by 100K. No need to replace your cat. I can help you get it to pass emissions here in Phoenix for
$20 in components. I removed both my secondary cats as they are unmonitored. ECU does not care at all what goes on downstream from primary cat outlets. Emissions check here is not visual. The just plug in and check for codes and make sure monitors have run and test your fuel cap. Mine has passed twice with no problems. I got an XJ to pass with no cat on it and yes it was OBD 2.
I assume you are from Phoenix or Tucson if you gots to do emissions test. Parts needed are off the shelf at Oreillys or Autozone.

 

[lfootmatt]

What's it take to get that done? He's got it in Lawrence Kansas, but has a reliable mechanic.

Thanks, Matt