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Greetings from Colorado! New Hummer H3 Owner!

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...
P3280054_DxO.jpg
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!

IMG_20180311_122022.jpg

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
 
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Acer4LO

Well-Known Member
Messages
750
Location
Illinois
Welcome to H4O! Seems like you already know the community pretty well! Really nice find by the way! I know how hard it is to find a nice vehicle like that. It took me nearly 6 months too in order to find a rig that I liked. I really like the color by the way. Pretty sure that color was only available for 2008 and 2009 model years so it is pretty unique.

In terms of accessories OEM sliders are almost impossible to find. I usually search the entire US Craigslist every few days to see if there are parts out there that I am looking for and I have only seen these sliders bolted on to about 7 trucks out of thousands (Note I have seen these on trucks for sale, the owner/dealer isn't selling them separate).

If the Swarttzy sliders don't fit your budget you can check out Rock Road Outfitters Sliders: http://www.rocky-road.com/h3-rock-sliders.html As of right now they are $750. However the price changes depending on how expensive the material costs (It goes up and down like oil). I got mine a year ago for around $530 so keep a look out. The Swarttzy skid plates are a great choice. I have had them for 2 years and they can take a beating! Lol I would love to build a custom PC one day, but I can’t seem to stop spending money on more hummer parts!
 

Schwarttzy

Sponsor
Messages
1,348
Location
Rockford IL
Welcome to the Forums!

ren-and-stimpy-excited.gif



I wish could sell the rock sliders cheaper too :( I'm ashamed that they cost that much to produce.

Let me know if I can help with anything.
 

mdocod

Well-Known Member
Messages
61
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Thanks for the warm welcome guys!

-------------------

Schwarttzy,

I'll probably just wind up going for your sliders. They look phenomenal. I'm also anxiously anticipating your updated bluetooth mod. Don't worry about the price there. I've been in your shoes. I learned that if you try to price yourself to fit everyone's budget, you'll work yourself to death and not make much money. A ~50% rejection rate of interested parties based on price should be a rough goal for a "small" business venture like that. Remember you're making specialty, top of the line stuff for enthusiasts. No shame!

At work, we routinely pay thousands or tens of thousands of dollars for what seems like insignificant little components that make up our testing capabilities. These are low volume, specialty devices, that are often relatively simply, but because they are top quality and often made in small batches, they can charge huge bucks and do. Cost of doing business. Standard practice.

-Eric
 

deserth3

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,069
Location
Conroe, TX
Welcome.
I don't see anywhere you mention having a sunroof. With you interior moisture I'd suspect you do. Look up how to clean your sunroof drains.
 

mdocod

Well-Known Member
Messages
61
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Hey there deserth3,

It does have a sunroof, and I will be checking into that as no doubt, those drains are probably plugged with pine tree debris, however, the windshield was no doubt a large portion of any water problem in that car. There were many leaks all around the perimeter. It explains the location of the water damage more than anything else could.

Thanks,
-Eric
 

Portager

■ ☼▐▐▐▐▐▐▐ ☼■
Messages
1,506
Location
Silverado
Welcome to H4O.

You didn't mention if your H3 is an I5 or an Alpha. I think I5 because I think the Alpha only came with an automatic.

Make your mods carefully. One thing I've proven is it is far easier to make it worse than it is to make it better.

BTW I like your color too.
 

Mr_Rich

Well-Known Member
Messages
636
Location
High Desert & Santa Maria
Welcome! I noticed that M5 first thing along with the Adventure package clued by the buttons on dash. I'm glad I have the AX15 manual on my 3T as well and it's worked great for the last 113K miles. This is a great forum to get info about your truck.
 

mdocod

Well-Known Member
Messages
61
Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Hello Hello Hello and Hello Neighbor!

-----------

Portager,

It's the i5, and yes, there were never any alphas sold with the manual.

Absolutely spot on about careful modding.

Most "mods" done to a vehicle introduce a tradeoff in reliability, or road worthiness.

------------

Mr Rich,

Curious... You mention having an AX15 in yours? Is that a modification? Manual Swap?

I believe these normally come with an Aison AR-5, though for all I know, might be about the same transmission with a different bell housing and input shaft...

I'm hoping for a long life out of this one as well. Though to be honest, I'm not as happy with this manual as I was with the one in my isuzu... the isuzu MUA5 had a synchronized, helical cut reverse, and better syncros all around IMO. It would pop from gear to gear faster with less effort, and let ya slip into reverse while rolling one way or another without bumping on the dogs.
 
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