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Year in Review

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
Well Ladies and Gentleman,

Its time to bump this thread again! 2017....where the hell do I even start?!?

It all started off with plenty of hammer trips and being there for KOH, then going to moab for a week, then getting picked for Ultimate Adventure! Getting ready for Ultimate adventure was quite a task. 4 weeks to do a roll cage, Dana 70 front axle build FROM SCRATCH. from cutting and lengthen sides to putting axle C's on, making my own H3 caliper brackets, axle seals, etc. half doors, and all the other stuff to get ready for the trip. Surviving UA and driving through a total of 4 states in a week (CA, AZ,UT, NV and back to so cal) it was then time to head to nor-cal to hit the rubicon, then why don't we do the rubicon a 2nd time for fun! Then fit 2 hammer trips in there before the end of the year.

So all in all it was an AMAZING year. I achieved a lot of personal goals with the H3 and really makes me look back to 8 years ago. When I said I want a rig that can do it all. Be comfy with the doors on, kill it on tough trails and cruise down the highway. Well I did just that and this really proved it. So where does 2018 bring me? Honestly, I am not sure...I have changes ahead. 2018 is about change. I got a promotion at work and will be moving up to northern CA early 2018. I do not think moab is in the cards this coming year because of that and I want to save up some vacation in case I get picked to go back on UA 2018 as a returning reader. I think 2018 is all about making the H3 as streetworthy as possible since it will now live a life cruising down the 5 freeway back and forth from so cal trails to norcal trails. I also want to finish up some things. Its about exploring new trails, making new friends, keeping in touch with the old and continuing the lifestyle of wheeling to and from the trail.

Lastly, this year I learned that things I used to think were "beef" aren't as beefy as they once were...
-1/4in steel. For years it was beef and couldn't be bent. Well I bent the hell out of it with tougher trails.
-1.5 .25wall DOM tubing. This tie rod is probably 5 times as thick as a stock H3 tie rod but I bent it to hell. It never left me stranded but it left me with the alignment off.
-I bent 2 johnny joints at the threaded portions of the lower control arm.

So what did I run trails wise?
-Resolution (hammers) 4 or more times
-Jackhammer (hammers) 1x
-Chocolate Thunder (hammers) 4 or more times
-Sledgehammer (hammers) 2x
-Clawhammer (hammers) 1x
- Upper big Johnson (hammers) 1x
-Lower big Johnson (hammers) 1x
-Boulderdash (hammers) 1x
-Spooners canyon (hammers) 1x
-Turkey Claw (hammers) 1x
-Wrecking Ball (hammers) 1x
-Rubicon Trail (nor cal) 2x
-Moab Rim (Moab) 1x
-Top of the World (Moab) 1x
-Steelbender (Moab) 1x
-Hells Revenge (Moab) 1x with Hells gate
-Fins N things (Moab) 1x
-Potato Salad Hill (Moab) 1x
-Table Mesa area including Terminator (UA 2017 Phx, AZ)
-Payette Draw (UA 2017 Payson, AZ)
-Trails to Crown King (UA 2017, Crown King, AZ)
-a ton of dirt roads to the grand canyon and dirt roads to UT (UA 2017)
-Cinders OHV park (Flagstaff, AZ)
-Sand Hollow OHV park running Joint Effort and Triple 7's (UA 2017 Hurricane, UT)

Damn, I don't know if I could ever top that LOL

Modifications
-Dana 70 rear axle turned into a front axle, running off the shelf axle seals, Dana 60 outers, factory length chevy inner and outer shafts, 35 spline stubs, Yukon Hardcore locking hubs and factory H3 calipers with 2003 chevy 2500 rear rotors
-Took H3 full doors and made them into half doors
-Hybrid roll cage with internal and external tie in's
-Battleborn bead locks because I was tired of ripping my tires off the bead running less then 13 psi.
-new gas tank skid (5/16th thick)
-New tcase skid (3/8 thick)
-Rugged radio mobile unit for UA 2017
That's all I can think of for now.

Stuff I broke
-Locking hub 2x (piece of **** G2 locking hubs)
-transfer case (poked a hole through it JB welded it shut, finished the rubicon trail and drove 400 miles home)
that's it. NO BROKEN AXLES, R&P's and best of all wheeling that much and that hard with ZERO TOW TRUCKS HOME!!!!!

2018 mods
-14in Fox shocks. Bilstein is a pain in the ass to get a hold of. I need to revalve my shocks again, I still think they are too soft so instead I bought Fox's used but never actually used for a great price with compression adjusters! I just need to modify the shock mounts a tad and install them but they are sitting in the garage.
-aluminum tie rod. These are awesome I can hit them hard on the rocks and they bend but go right back to normal shape unlike steel (already on order and may be done in 2017)
-Fix cruise control. This is a pain in the ass. I had cruise working since the V8 swap. One day it randomly stopped. I replaced a few things with no luck so I need to figure that out especially because I drive hours to and from the trails and sometimes to other states.
-finish roll cage ( need to finish the internal b and do some more a pillar leg renforcement.
-finish rear sway bar, I made mounts for the axle to put it back on since I don't run the stock rear axle anymore but need to shorten the end links (theme of more street cred)
-I would like to do rear half doors but not a huge priority
-Lights I gotta do some lights off the cage
-lastly, a doubler of some-sort. I have an NP 205 transfer case sitting in the garage. I could do a magnum 205 have 1:1, 2:1, 2.72:1 and 5.33:1 low range or a custom H3 doubler I have been thinking of 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, 8:1 low range. I would like to get a 2wd option and multiple low ranges.

Other then whats listed above 2017 was a GREAT year!!!
 
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LagunaH1

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,703
Location
Lake Forest, CA
Guess I’ll chime in....

2017 was a year with little to no wheeling. Work was busy and took up most of my few brain cells. Late in the year I bought a Jeep ZJ from a friend and will most likely tow it to Moab come April.

One of my New Years resolutions will be to get out and play in the dirt more often, be it in the Power Wagon or in the Jeep.

Another New Years resolution is to win the lottery so I can build my dream H1


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
Guess I’ll chime in....

2017 was a year with little to no wheeling. Work was busy and took up most of my few brain cells. Late in the year I bought a Jeep ZJ from a friend and will most likely tow it to Moab come April.

One of my New Years resolutions will be to get out and play in the dirt more often, be it in the Power Wagon or in the Jeep.

Another New Years resolution is to win the lottery so I can build my dream H1


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome! Thanks for chiming in. I think you will like the ZJ
 

cgalpha08

"Like Nothing Else"
Messages
3,584
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Well this year I totalled my 2008 alpha. And bought an 09 alpha. Current plans are to Rancho the front and SOA the rear. I also did no wheeling last year (was without a hummer for half of it). Here's to 2018!!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

RamRod

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,914
Location
AB, Canada
2017 has been an interesting year to say the least.

But to keep it truck related:
Put on a new Roof Top Tent, built a new bed rack & roof rack and wired it up for forward facing (50") and side lights(2x 6"). Imported 5 snorkels and installed one for my truck

Parts that still have not gone on, but are sitting on my shelf: poly bushings front and rear, Starr HID headlights, extended shackles, and high clearance leaf spring mounts...
I really need a garage for the winter time up in the PNW so I can get thee parts on!
 

Enter Hummer

Well-Known Member
Messages
244
Location
Southwest
I joined the best online forum 1 year ago today, and bought my H3 right before that. All I can say is I love it even more than when I brought it home!

I re-did most of the steering components (rack, pump, tie-rods), got a new transfer case installed at GM, built a custom tool box, did a ton of mild wheeling, did a tune up, replaced crossmember bushing with OD kit, and trashed the paint with scratches. I ordered parts to rebuild my front driveline also.

Next year my main focus will be on armor. I ordered Schwarttzy skids and can’t wait for them to arrive :) . I should have enough junk done next year to start a build thread!
 
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06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
WOW!! It's time again to start this thread. Amazing...2018 was a great year. The hummer got a bunch of use and abuse even though I had a crazy year personally outside of wheeling. I went on UA a 2nd time all the way on the east coast which was a dream come true. I got to winch on backdoor during the race at king of the hammers and then move from so cal to nor cal, get engaged and buy our first house!

I was hoping 2019 would be a bit mellower but work asked me to take on a new challenge so I will be moving to the Idaho, Montana or Eastern Washington area within the first 3 months of 2019. Now we need to decide if we try to keep the house in Sacramento and rent it or sell it and move on.

With all that said...
Trails/Events
-1x Sledgehammer
-1x Clawhammer
-Part of outer limits until my buddy broke and had to turn around
-Lots of wheeling locally doing recoveries down south before I moved. With plenty of rain out came the idiots.
-I didn't necessarily wheel but got to take the hummer up to mammoth where it dumped multiple feet of snow in one day and had fun in some snow drifts
Wheel trails in multiple states for UA
-Maine (rocky mtn terrain park) Frank n beans and greased marbles...Dragon's tail on day 2
-Vermont-drive through
-New Hampshire (jerhico mtn state park and mtn mud run park)
-New York (northeast off road adventure park)
-Pennsylvania (AAOA)
-New Jersey- drive through
-Connecticut (crazy 8's)
-Massachusetts-drive through
-Mormon Emigrant trail for snow wheeling!
-Sand Hollow (after Christmas)

While I didn't get as much hammer trip wheeling in UA, moving, and the rebuild after UA took up a ton of time

What I broke
-Trans
-Eaton HO72 driver side axle shaft
-add a leaf

Mods
Well I did a full rebuild after UA and was down for the longest period its ever been down
-New motor mounts and rereinforce frame side engine mounts
-80k take out OEM trans to replace my old one rebuilt by a dumbass
-rebuild/replace all suspension joints and bushings
-New 14in travel Fox shocks with compression adjusters
-Rebump front end for more uptravel (3.75-4 to 5in)
-Anti wrap bar
-Rear Truss
-Front sway from FJ80
-air bumps front and rear
-replaced hub seal
-fresh t case setup (New chain and output gear)
-New crossmember for flat belly and more clearance
-clock t case 20 degrees
-fresh leaf springs and rear bump rear suspension for more travel
-u bolt elim spring perch kit
-new rock lights
-new sliders by cutting the pinch seam and making a new one netting 2-3in of ground clearance
-rugged radio headsets
-metalcloak coil springs

If I remember more I will add more.

Plans for 2019 Mods
-205 doubler
-6l80e
-rewire accessories
-shock tuning
-suck down winch
-molle panels for storage solutions

2019 trips
-Moab
-Hammers
-explore new wheeling in the area I move to
-follow U4 west series to pit and help my buddy who is racing
-Depending on water levels Fordyce
 
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rascole

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,580
Location
Bellflower, CA
Quite the year you had. Great memories for sure. Now a whole new area to wheel in, sounds exciting. I have friends in Coeur d'Alene, been there a few times, beautiful and cheap but I hate snow so good luck. As you climb that corporate ladder make sure to make them a sponsor here.
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
Well 2019 was a crazy year, kind of a **** show year. We sold our Sacramento house and moved to Idaho and dealt with a LOT of behind the scenes BS that had nothing to do with the Hummer or moving personally! I don't think I would have ever imagined moving to Idaho but my fiancé and I absolutely LOVE it. Not much went on modification wise or wheeling wise for a decent chunk of 2019 due to the craziness but now we are settled and not going anywhere for a while.

Trails/Events
Wrecking ball (hammers)
Blueberry (Hammers) 2x
Preran the first 90 miles of the KOH course for my buddy who was racing, this was SUPER FUN!!!!
Sledgehammer (Hammers) 2x
Rubicon 2x (Once in the Hummer once in my brothers JK)
Then I messed around in Prairie city and Ridgecrest for my buddy racing.


Mods
6.2L, what a random but welcomed upgrade due to an unexpected issue with the 5.3
14in 2.5in coilovers with DSC adjusters
Premier Power Welder
NP205 Doubler
Suck down winch
Re design the front 3 link
Redhead steering box
new 1410 driveshafts

What I broke
I broke a 5.3L
my front suspension was worn the hell out so it was all replaced and redone but I guess it didn't technically break and leave me stranded on the trail.
doubler issues

2020 Mod plans
I want to put a more modern transmission in it and have it programmed for MY CONTROL, I am tired of letting the computer decide what's best for me. Zero Gravity Performance can do a 6L80e swap that has auto mode and manual mode that truly allows me to decide what's going on, if I want to start in 4th gear, I will start in 4th gear unlike the OEM computer overriding it and starting in 1st.

I contemplate an 8HP70 but since its a dodge trans getting the integration to work is a challenge but its a badass trans. I may go the route of the 6l80e and pick up an 8HP to mess with in the future since they are cheap.

Trips for 2020
KOH 2020
I'd like to do Moab
High Sierra trip
Explore the rock crawling in Boise

Closing comments
I would say my final run of the year and decade was a roller coaster, probably a representation of what the decade and year entailed. I learned a lot over this decade. I graduated High School, College, got my first job, got my first job out of college, went from a stock H3 to a rancho kit, to a SAS, to a V8, to one ton's, 40s, roll cage, I wheeled in CA, AZ, UT, and the east coast, achieved my dream of UA. Got Engaged, bought a house, sold a house, bought another house. I was a newbie when I was posting in 2010. Now I have gone through the various ups and downs, the fun times of building a rock crawler and the times that make you want to throw a damn wrench through a window.

I want to continue to push the H3, the challenges will become bigger and harder as the room for improvement becomes slimmer but that is when good things happen, usually with trials and tribulations.


While we may not be on here as much as we used to I still appreciate all the fun times I have had with the people who started this forum and hope to continue to do so in 2020 and the decade to come!
 
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alrock

El Diablo
Staff member
Messages
10,442
Location
Scottsdale
Well Chris, we'd like you to do Moab! Hopefully you can keep up with us on the trails. :giggle: You're pretty much just around the corner up there in Idaho.

No changes to the H3 this year except for some minor upkeep. Clearcoat is starting to fail pretty badly in several places. Didn't move, didn't change jobs, but I did get to a few countries for the first time including Thailand, Singapore, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Egypt and Brazil.
 

JPaul

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,400
Location
Way up north, UT
2019 was a rough year for me as well. Broke the rear diff spider gears in Moab during Black Sheep week ( I swear one of these times I will be there for the whole week!), also broke the new front swaybar links on the same trail and popped a CV boot.

Had the rear diff rebuilt with 4.56 gears and an ARB locker, did the same to the front diff (which is only halfway in right now). Added a snorkel and got maybe halfway through installing the rear power system. I think that is pretty much it for mods this year.

I spent most of my time working and selling our house in West Valley and moving up to far northern Utah (spitting distance from Chris if I try real hard), and wishing I had time to work on the H3.

For next year I want to get the front drivetrain and steering all back together and get her back on the road. I also want to finish my rear power, install my ham and CB radios, and it will be time for new tires, hopefully before the next Black Sheep run. I'm not sure what else I will get to since the new property and house are going to probably keep me pretty busy, along with having to travel down to Salt Lake at least a couple days each week until we can finish getting our datacenter moved at work.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
Man, I am behind. I will make this quick since its almost new years. As we all know, 2020 was a ****show. COVID and govt bull**** had me 2nd guessing a lot of things. Work had me grounded at home for 75% of the year. With that said I feel like I "sorted out" the Hummer better then ever. Life was crazy the past few years, it was go go go and rushing to the next off road trip so I really got to get things dialed. I was plagued with 205 doubler t case issues at the beginning of the year but I did get that all sorted finally but it did require me to leave the Hummer in socal from January to mid Feb.

MODS
-Lap belts- great for wheeling and if your belt gets locked, I still use my factory belts most of the time and those offroad.
-Re wire the offroad accessories with "Trigger" panels that use wireless communication to the accessories, its pretty cool
-Made a super useful rear cargo storage rack and extended the factory storage cubby for more room (part of "sorting out" the Hummer)
-Lots of maintenance, repacking wheel bearings, kingpin spring delete, etc.
-Rear shackles, its amazing my factory ones made it this long! I went to ruffstuff shackles
-roll cage hi lift mount- Definitely needed to do this years ago after ditching the rack.
-Rear half doors
-205 doubler redux to finally fix it.
-43's!

Trails
-KOH for a full week in Feburary, drove the hummer the most in a single day, 850 miles on 40s!
This trip was a ****show but the Hummer put in work repairing, recovering and fixing rigs.
-Ran a few trails outside of Mountain Home, Idaho in March. Boulderdash, Gauntlet and 1 more I forgot.
-Ran Topripper, upper and lower gatekeeper, and meatgrinder in April
-Didnt wheel from April to July (busy with a dumb F550) but drove the Hummer to the Rubicon and back in early July
-End of July I ran Lone Pine, that trailed KICKED MY ASS but it showed me a tough rock trail local to me.
-September I participated in Idaho Tuff Truck Challenge in the Hummer, drove it to the event and home!
-October I did some dirt road therapy with a local H3 guy who was closer to stock
-Then I didn't wheel again till November as I was busy fitting up 43's but I did a test run on meatgrinder and lower/upper gatekeeper.
I wheeled but not enough, I spent a lot of time working on the F550 and and some plans were cancelled.

Carnage
-Bent a main leaf spring
-205 doubler issues in the beginning of the year
-bent the hell out of a driveshaft
-Lots of dents/scrapes, Idaho trails are tight!
-Brake caliper issues, I had a seized caliper then I kept breaking caliper bolts but I think I have that sorted. It was weird that it was flawless for 5 years and then gave me some issues...

All in all 2020 was a tough year mentally. I am glad I got the 205 doubler fixed, Bowman transmission really helped out of that and those issues are sorted. I feel the Hummer is rock solid and after a "break" or slowdown year I have the Hummer in a better place then before.

2021 Wheeling

I hope for 2021 to get to KOH, Moab, and Fordyce along with some local wheeling....

2021 Mods
I still hope to do a 6L80E one day.
Fix my currently malfunctioning fuel gauge.
Other then that, fix what I break and just enjoy it, I dont have much planned immediately because my money is going to the STUPID F550 tow rig that has been a disaster basket case of a truck so far. The previous owner sucked and did crap repairs but hey, for 5k on a 20 year old truck, its expected.

So really 2021 is enjoying the Hummer more then this year and keeping to my goal, wheel the hardest trails I can while maintaining a vehicle capable of driving 500+ miles at a shot. With 43's I might have to reel myself back a tad and remember the streetability part. I may pick up some fresh 40's and extra beadlocks, we will see.
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
It is crazy to think this is the 10 year anniversary of doing this thread. I have looked back at it many times and enjoyed reminisicing on the memories. 2021's goal was to wheel and wheel frequently and I believe I did that. There were some trails that really chewed me up and spit me out in 2020 and I went back with vegenance and had success. Honestly, this was a year that I didnt spend doing a lot of mods. It was more wheeling focused and that was a welcomed change.

MODS
-I added a lap belt on the driver side in 2020 for wheeling and I ended up adding a lap belt to the passenger side in 2021. I think it has become a safety measure more then anything else. We all know that the H3 belts (and most newer 4x4s) lock up and will not unlock on steep climbs. If I or my passenger have to get out on a steep climb then we are seat belt-less until leveling back out. This solves that and still allows regular belts on road.
-suck down winch redo part 3? I got a new stronger suck down winch and redesigned it. That was a later mod in 2021 so I hope I get to test it in 2022.
-New winch, I feel like winches are consumable items. I have used Smittybilt 2-3 times, warn 2 times and now I am trying the badlands APEX winch. I never had a winch fail me when I need it but I usually end up cracking a housing or they start pulling slow and I swap em out. So now I am trying the Badlands APEX winch. I am just glad I never had a winch fail me when I needed it most, I am sure in 3-4 years it will be time for a new one lol.
-New Driveshaft, I needed a new driveshaft and I had a very specific set of requirements. I needed it to be strong, compact and pull a lot of angle. With a clocked t case and a near flat belly the driveshaft pulls a lot of angle and the crossmember doesnt allow room for a 1350 CV. I went with a toyota CV, it pulls a ton of angle, is rated to about a 1350 CV in terms of strength and it very small. This has a few runs on it and its been great so far.

Carnage
-1 front driveshaft u joint at KOH
-weak fuel pump at the end of KOH (replaced in April)
-Rear axle shaft in Moab
-Front driveshaft in Moab
-Broken front locker at the hammers
-Bent 3rd link bracket at Idaho Tuff Truck
-Broke another 3rd link bracket at the hammers in Oct. (installed at too much of an angle causing issues)
-Broke main leaf spring at the hammers
-Exploded Johnny Joint (no more rubber bushings and Johnny Joints. Heims only)

Trails
-New Year's snow wheeling
-1 week at the Hammers for KOH, didnt run too many trails. A lot of wrenching but ran Reso, chocolate, Spooners, part of outer limits, did some prerunning as well
-March I did a run in Mtn Home, ID. Last year those trails kicked my ass. This year I did much better.
-1 week in Moab, Ran Metal Masher (?), Hells Gate, Fins n Things, behind the rocks, Potato Salad Hill
-day trip snow wheeling in my brothers Jeep in April
-Beginning of May I took my sister rock crawling locally on some easier trails
-Mid May, ran some local rock trails for a day. Medium difficulty
-End of May, Ran Lone pine, this trail killed me last year, I kicked its ass this time! Did much better....
-June did a quick night run locally on the "gatekeepers"
-July my brother came out and wheeled for the first time in years and ran some local easier trails since he hasnt wheeled in forever.
-August I ran Machine Screw, its a tough trail!!! We didnt finish it because a buddy broke but the beginning was a blast!
-Sept. I did Idaho Tuff Truck Challenge, I improved my old times in every category
-Oct. I did another week at the hammers. Did Highway 19/20, Aftershock, Spooners, Outer limits, Resolution, Wrecking Ball, Part of Sledge, Clawhammer.
-Nov. I just went passenger at the hammers for thanksgiving for 2 days, ran claw, turkey, chocolate and sunbonnet. (doesnt count for squeaky wheeling but had fun with friends)

2022
I want to get to fordyce once and for all! Run the rubicon as well. I skipped sierra wheeling this year because of wild fires and timing. I also would like to get to sand hollow too.
I want to push the local trails this year too. I have run a ton of the local "well known" trails but theres a ton of tougher and gnarly trails that are all hush hush and I want to run those.
Get to the hammers as well.

I bought a 6L80E in 2021 and I would like to slap that in at some point in 2022.
I need to get my front suspension redux and locker rebuild done and dialed before the end of the year so I am dialed for 2022. I just wanna wheel.
I have some other knick nacks on the way like a new headunit and smaller things that will probably get installed in 2022.
I will probably see how the leafs do this year, it may be the last year on rear leafs. I may link it in the future.

It has been a fun fun journey this year with a lot of wheeling. Some frustrations towards the end of the year but thats part of it!
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
I plan to get to Moab [emoji16]

I should have listed it. I’m trying to get my wife to go. She’s gone to KOH a few years in a row and I told her Moab will be more fun for her. Less crappy weather, warmer place to sleep, a town with stores and restaurants, the list goes on.
 

3Hummers

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
10,398
Location
Central Texas
2021...went to Moab. That is the extent of my off-roading for the year. The construction business has been crazy for the last several years and is only getting busier and more complicated with labor shortages, crazy prices and supply chain issues. Got my new C8 Corvette in November of 2020 and have a grand total of 1770 miles on it so far. That is how busy I have been. Ordered a new 3500 Chevrolet dually diesel 4x4 in 2021. It has been built since November 2021 but still is sitting in a lot in Michigan for a reason no one can find out. Dealership has contacted everyone in the management chain and we have no answers. One quarter of my work force is out with Covid this week. No one is having a bad time with it. So far 2022 is looking a lot like 2021. I was hoping for better.
 

Zach

Mall Crawler
Messages
4,812
Location
So Cal
Got my low oil pressure issue fixed. Replaced the oil pump and the squared off o ring on the Jasper engine. Second Jasper engine. Converted the pig to coil springs, time , parts availability and expense. Drove to Wisconsin, turned around and drove back to California for Christmas, which was canceled due to Covid. Awesome!!!

Almost hit a guard rail head on in Minnesota. Pulled it out and only slapped the right rear bumper extension on the guard rail. Hard hit.

Smh! Few hours later, blew the right half shaft in a parking lot with two feet of snow. My bad. Drove 1600 miles in 4 hi lock.

Turned 303161 on mileage today. Pig is running amazing.

Moab, 2022, long drive, but planning on being there
 

H3Hummer

Well-Known Member
Messages
505
Location
LUXEMBOURG in EU
Not so excitement like you but for me:
new power lock/window switch, new optima yellow batterie installed with new batterie terminals (cuttet the old ones off)
This spring:
will do Raptor line on windshield plastics , backdoor and the rest on top.
will put another coat of black Hammerite (like Rustoléum ) on the entire chassis, under body, axles, upper and lower control arms.
It will give another 5 years of protection to my babe :horns:
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
The older I get the quicker I feel I come back to this thread. 2022 recap here we go!

Mods
-I swapped out a factory Eaton HO72 Detroit for a 14 bolt Detroit but that required some machine work.

-I replaced my bent 1.5in 1/4in thick tie rod (for like the 12th time) and went a new route with 1.5in solid “stressproof” material. Time will tell how it holds up. It required some machine work and I got to work on a lathe which was cool!

-I put it in my 2021 recap but really it started in 2021 and was finished in 2022. My front 3 link redo. It’s been PERFECT! The FK heims are still tight, everything is solid, I truly feel like my suspension is done with the 3 link redo…proper angles, proper separation, etc. to handle big tires, 400hp, and extremely low gearing…couple that with the air bumps and coilovers I did in 2019 and the sway bar this year I am stoked. After tinkering with it here and there since the SAS 8 years ago I feel like I am finally at 99.5% done. I have gone from just having a solid axle swap to maximizing every possible thing I can to make better. From notching the motor mounts for as much possible uptravel, excess amounts of bracing and gusseting, running bigger hardware then standard 9/16 hardware for suspension joints. I think/hope it’s bulletproof for years to come.

-anti rock sway bar up front. It makes a HUGE difference. I have some tweaking to do with it but it’s on and it works.

-I installed the air locker in 2022 as well (started in 2021) and that has been flawless! I was worried about airlines and issues but it’s been perfect.

-I’m not done yet but I’m doing my track bar and drag link redo right now. After this I think I’m going from 99.5% done to 99.8% on my front end.

Trails
-Went to KOH and ran jackhammer, clawhammer, blueberry and chocolate thunder.
-I ran a local trail that we “cut” and was named H3eater because it broke my front and rear axle shaft. Don’t worry, squeaky fought back and broke a big rock for revenge. All kidding aside, next year I will get revenge on this trail.
-went to Moab in the JK and ran a few trails but most notably we ran Pritchett!!
-ran the rubicon once
-finally knocked fordyce creek off the list and walked up the hardline at winch hill 3!
-then did Idaho tuff truck challenge again
-then ran some local trails and did a trail maintenance run
-lastly top tipper and teeter totter which mildly kicked my ass in 2020 but this time I kicked the trails ass.
-I’m hoping to finish the year off at the hammers for 3 days of wheeling.

Carnage
-broken front axle shaft, first time I broke a Dana 60 u joint/shaft and it took me 5 years to do it!
-broke another rear shaft (3rd time)
-made the hummer uglier with constant scraping on rocks

Misc.
Miscellaneous notes go here, after 3 redo’s on a suck down winch I finally have one that works!

I will continue to test my 14 bolt shafts vs the HO72 shafts, diameter is the same but material and spline count are different.

I will also say here I hope I didn’t forget anything because I usually go through my pictures for a reminder but I lost March-august pics because I dropped my phone in a damn river!

2023
So, while it sounds like I did a ton of modifications in 2022 I feel like they were all small, less time consuming things. Montana and I have a crazy first 5 months to the year. After that, it may be time for kids. (I know, about time!) So with that said, I gotta spend some time and money on the hummer before both of those dwindle down.

The last time the hummer received game changing modifications was in late 2019 to late 2020. In a one year span it got coilovers, a doubler t case and 43s. All 3 of those things have been game changing. Everything else has been to compliment or support those things. So 2021 and 2022 has been more about wheeling and I realize the hummer is at a point now where to make it 1% better it’s going to take double the money it took to make it 10% better 8 years ago.

So I’m an idiot, I want to chase that 1% here and there. I want to push hard to try and 3 link the rear this year. The leaf springs have had an amazing run. I have 2 sets of OE leafs (I don’t know which set is on now because I’ve switched back and forth when breaking stuff) but one set is literally the set that came on this exact H3 in 2005!!! They have been nothing but amazing in so many aspects but I think there is 10x more improvement to be had in desert high speed performance. I’m hoping and praying for a performance increase in steep ledge climbing ability.

It probably won’t happen this year but I still have a 6L80E trans in my garage that I want to swap in.

I have chromoly front shafts and Yukon super joints that will go in for a front shaft upgrade.

Other then those 2 big things, I wanna wheel and wrench.

My job in 2023 will have me traveling more. I’ll be all over the western US but when I’m in Northern CA I want to help my buddy with his 2004 4runner he is solid axle swapping. I’ve had 2 friends buy 4Runners now because they are starting a family and their single cab 1980s Toyotas won’t fit kids. So I wanna help him when I’m in his neck of the woods. Starting with a kid friendly H3 was a “wise investment” (LOL) now I don’t have to build a new rig while my friends and I enter a new chapter in life.

I also want to help a friend with his Willy’s Jeep. His dad took him across the rubicon in the early 90s in that Willy’s. He wanted to take him across the rubicon before he passed away (he was in his 80s I think) in 2020 he tried a test run on the rubicon with his 2 kids and broke 2 axles simultaneously. Upset, he went home and changed everything…axles, suspension, transfer case, etc. tried again 2022 and had catastrophic failure. He wasn’t fully prepared, the rig was untested, he got burned on some bad parts, etc. in 2023 I want to see that Willy’s cross the finish of the rubicon!!!! I have already been to his house twice when visiting in so cal and rebuilt the entire front axle and went through his t case. Next time I’m there we have a list to keep chippin away at and hopefully we can get it dialed before.

So, that was LONG WINDED!!! Sorry, don’t feel pressured to read it all, I kind of write these for myself to track my journey, my progress and to keep myself in line with long term goals. Cutting this hummer up into a buggy is not a long term goal and sometimes I need a reminder of that. If I wanted to do that I’d find another H3, this one is too special. Cheers to 2022 ending and to a healthy 2023.
 
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