mdocod
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 61
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
Greetings H4O!
My name is Eric and I've been lurking here for a long time while looking for a replacement SUV for my worn out old Isuzu Rodeo. My rodeo has been a project for most of my ownership of it, through many variations of lift and suspension and driveline modifications. One of the things I learned over all those years of trying to make the lift "work" correctly, is that I would have likely been much better off spending that time, effort, and money on skid plates, winch, lockers, and wheel-well mods to fit more rubber on the stock suspension setup. The suspension mods dramatically screwed up on-road handling, and, in some ways, even make the on-road characteristics downright dangerous for speeds of 55+MPH, especially when faced with slush/water on the road.
I became very interested in the H3 over the last couple years. After researching and test driving a few, I realized, this could be about everything I want from an SUV. I wanted something that drives on the highway like a modern, civilized vehicle: quiet interior, non fatiguing, tight predicable steering, no "lifted" truck bump steer or other tracking/wandering issues on uneven road surfaces. I also wanted something a bit off-the-beaten path. Wranglers and 4Runners are everywhere. Nothing wrong with either but not for me. (Wrangler road manners and noise are terrible anyway). I like less common vehicles for the sake of doing things differently. I also really just like the look of the H3 with its big fender flares and wide wheel stance jutting out over a relatively ordinary width SUV body. I think they have great unique style, and, being somewhat related to the chevy colorado, which is somewhat related to an isuzu D-Max, shares a heritage with the isuzu it is replacing, which gives me a bit of nostalgic vibe to the whole thing. In a lot of ways it reminds me of the way my isuzu was when it was younger, stock ride height, and in better shape.
Had my eye on a very specific sort of H3 for awhile, got serious about finding it about 6 months ago. Saw it turn up online 1700 miles from home so I did what anyone with an unhealthy obsession over a car would do...
View attachment 23462
Flew out and bought it, very nearly sight unseen aside from pictures/description and some phone conversations about it with the dealer. Took a risk but pretty happy I did. I'm sure the picture above reveals to anyone familiar with these things the specific configuration I was looking for, and why I was willing to take such a risk.
I'm very excited to have it and have been wanting to join a Hummer forum and share my excitement for awhile now. Historically I've been on/off active on many forums over the years, including planetisuzu, where I have some lengthy build/mod threads and some research/information threads. I like belonging to a forum to share ideas and learn new ones to solve the never ending battle that is vehicle ownership. I also frequent PCPartpicker (under name allan_m_systems), spent many years and even ran a business over at Candlepowerforums many years ago, similar to the way schwarttzy has established a sort of home-brew, forum-interaction business for hummer H3 enthusiasts. I stop by BITOG once and awhile for ideas from the guru's over there.
Let me introduce my new-to-me hummer to the H4O community!
It's in decent enough shape for a near-10 year old vehicle.
The Good:
The Bad... and some solutions/rationalizations:
The Plan:
I don't plan on a ton of hard wheeling, but want the option to go with the guys from work a couple times a summer on some of the moderate trails. This will also serve to deliver my Wife and I to difficult to drive-to trailheads for backpacking/camping/fishing in the fall, or take us to a mountain cabin vacation in mid January once and awhile.
Well... that's enough for now. See you all around the forums!
-Eric
My name is Eric and I've been lurking here for a long time while looking for a replacement SUV for my worn out old Isuzu Rodeo. My rodeo has been a project for most of my ownership of it, through many variations of lift and suspension and driveline modifications. One of the things I learned over all those years of trying to make the lift "work" correctly, is that I would have likely been much better off spending that time, effort, and money on skid plates, winch, lockers, and wheel-well mods to fit more rubber on the stock suspension setup. The suspension mods dramatically screwed up on-road handling, and, in some ways, even make the on-road characteristics downright dangerous for speeds of 55+MPH, especially when faced with slush/water on the road.
I became very interested in the H3 over the last couple years. After researching and test driving a few, I realized, this could be about everything I want from an SUV. I wanted something that drives on the highway like a modern, civilized vehicle: quiet interior, non fatiguing, tight predicable steering, no "lifted" truck bump steer or other tracking/wandering issues on uneven road surfaces. I also wanted something a bit off-the-beaten path. Wranglers and 4Runners are everywhere. Nothing wrong with either but not for me. (Wrangler road manners and noise are terrible anyway). I like less common vehicles for the sake of doing things differently. I also really just like the look of the H3 with its big fender flares and wide wheel stance jutting out over a relatively ordinary width SUV body. I think they have great unique style, and, being somewhat related to the chevy colorado, which is somewhat related to an isuzu D-Max, shares a heritage with the isuzu it is replacing, which gives me a bit of nostalgic vibe to the whole thing. In a lot of ways it reminds me of the way my isuzu was when it was younger, stock ride height, and in better shape.
Had my eye on a very specific sort of H3 for awhile, got serious about finding it about 6 months ago. Saw it turn up online 1700 miles from home so I did what anyone with an unhealthy obsession over a car would do...
View attachment 23462
Flew out and bought it, very nearly sight unseen aside from pictures/description and some phone conversations about it with the dealer. Took a risk but pretty happy I did. I'm sure the picture above reveals to anyone familiar with these things the specific configuration I was looking for, and why I was willing to take such a risk.
I'm very excited to have it and have been wanting to join a Hummer forum and share my excitement for awhile now. Historically I've been on/off active on many forums over the years, including planetisuzu, where I have some lengthy build/mod threads and some research/information threads. I like belonging to a forum to share ideas and learn new ones to solve the never ending battle that is vehicle ownership. I also frequent PCPartpicker (under name allan_m_systems), spent many years and even ran a business over at Candlepowerforums many years ago, similar to the way schwarttzy has established a sort of home-brew, forum-interaction business for hummer H3 enthusiasts. I stop by BITOG once and awhile for ideas from the guru's over there.
Let me introduce my new-to-me hummer to the H4O community!
It's in decent enough shape for a near-10 year old vehicle.
The Good:
- 2009
- Has only 65K on the spinner after driving it home.
- Minimal body/paint imperfections. (if we ignore the steps.... which have already been removed)
- No evidence of hard wheeling to the undercarriage (factory skids are still their original "shape," No big-bash or hard-hit evidence, just minor scrapes.)
- I don't believe the drive-line has been thrashed hard or wheeled hard as all the driveshafts/axles/diffs appear factory original and run smooth, no vibration.
- Drives straight/true/tight on highway. No unusual tire wear from long trip home. Had dealer perform alignment before purchase. I believe they may have replaced UCA's or UCA bushings as they looked new.
- Has good AT rubbers, 285/75-16 on factory rims in great shape.
- T-case lock, High/Low range, and front/rear diff lockers all work flawlessly.
- Engine runs fine.
- Transmission shifts fine.
- Clutch feels good.
- All the features/functions of the vehicle work.
The Bad... and some solutions/rationalizations:
- It had those chrome "steps" mounted to the frame, hanging low and bent / bashed up pretty good, though that wouldn't take much to bend as they only weigh maybe 10lbs each. Removed em as soon as I got home.
- Windshield was not properly installed. Not sure how long its been this way but the seal on windshield was done all wrong. Lots of water/air leak points around window. Heard windage all the way home and saw water spray in on dash while washing car. Replaced windshield today to solve issues. (WAY quiet in there now! the way I wanted it and the reason I wanted an H3 instead of something like a Wrangler or fixing up my old noisy zu).
- Smell of mildew/mold coming out of floor carpets from long term moisture issues, a hot dry Colorado summer and some various disinfecting cleaners/baking soda will clear this up.
- Most of the bracketry up under dash is rusty from moisture issues, but all electrical connections/contacts still look very clean/good so not too concerned. I believe the water damage is all related to the windshield. I haven't found evidence of it being a flood vehicle in any obvious places (inside doors or under carpets would expect to find silt/mud/water-line etc, all clean).
- Dealer replaced radiator (good), but not the cap (bad). Cap was leaking, had to be replaced. Typical cheap dealers.
- Radiator fan shroud can't be "rotated" into position without interfering with fan on bottom slightly. Either radiator is too high or engine is too low. Not sure what the issue is. Installed some missing clips, which reduced interference but is still slightly there.
- Dealer did an oil change, with a typically way-undersized filter. I replaced all fluids/filters already, including brake fluid, tranny oil, t-case oil, diff oils.
- Air filter box not properly closed when purchased, not sure how long it has been that way. Filter was nasty dirty. Fixed on the way home.
- Was a smokers car. Working on smell over time. I know it will eventually fade as I used to smoke, after quitting my cars did eventually "clear" up of the smell.
- Was likely parked in a heavily wooded (pine) area most of its life. In pulling up exterior trim pieces, lots of pine pollen and pine needle debris in all the places it likes to work into. (cowl, under those fake air intakes, sunroof assembly, etc). Working on cleaning it out.
- That stupidly expensive upper high mount brake light went out, (either was out when purchased, or went out within the first 16 hours of ownership, not sure). In removing that rear interior trim piece to replace it, almost all the tabs busted off rather than popping out like they are supposed to, so lots of epoxy to repair the tabs. $175 for the light from Amazon marketplace... yikes.
- Not solar flare orange?!??! Grey... hmmmm.... It's growing on me.
The Plan:
- 315/75-16 3+ season on/off road rubber. Eyeing Courser CXT, DuraTrac, Fun Country, or similar "commercial traction" halfway between an AT and MT option.
- Dedicated snow/ice rim/tire set and rubber. Wish someone would do a 255/85-16 studdable soft silica compound heavily siped tire with decent lug depth/spacing, like the Cooper Discoverer M+S, only bigger. Will probably settle on the Geolander I/T in 315 but have reservations about such a wide tire on such a light vehicle for ice. Have plenty of time to ponder till next season.
- Rock Sliders - Looking for OEM for cheap/used with no luck. Might spring for Swarttzy's but wish there were something less expensive.
- Skid plates - Likely Swarttzy's. I like the design.
- Winch - Likely a Smitty or similar B- off brand (non-warn) on Swarttzy's hidden mount system.
- Brush Guard, OEM type would be ideal (looking for shallow solution that doesn't change overall vehicle length significantly). Looking for some black to contrast the blingy chrome on the front of this thing.
- Compressor - already ordered an MV-90. Will probably keep it "loose" but might install a dedicated high current power outlet for it somewhere.
- After adding all that weight... a bit of torsion bar adjustment to get the front end up a bit. Seems to be sitting a bit low now, especially on driver side (21.5" fender to center of wheel). Then alignment.
I don't plan on a ton of hard wheeling, but want the option to go with the guys from work a couple times a summer on some of the moderate trails. This will also serve to deliver my Wife and I to difficult to drive-to trailheads for backpacking/camping/fishing in the fall, or take us to a mountain cabin vacation in mid January once and awhile.
Well... that's enough for now. See you all around the forums!
-Eric
Last edited: