06 H3's Squeakin H3 Build

[RamRod]

Or the junk between the ears!

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Hahaha!

When I use mine it on for 10 seconds and off as soon as I am over the obstacle


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[Portager]

I didn't intend that comment as an insult to Chris or anyone else. I'm just pointing out that IMHO most broken half shafts are a result of operator error. Too much skinny pedal, spinning your wheels or turning the steering wheel and applying power with the locker engaged are all good ways to break half shafts.

 

[06 H3]

I can take it Mike, I would of left here a long time ago if I couldn't. I have broke one shaft...it was when I first had the 3 and never went on a run. and I didn't know the dos and donts of wheeling. I did a don't. Bounce and spin.

I am not worried about breaking under normal use when locked. I have seen much more success in h3 front lockers compared to an h2.

I'm stoked on the hill climb capability front lockers do wonders on hill climbs. I've seen it now I wanna experience it lol

 

[chad]

how much did it cost you and how many hours to install??

 

[Pappibri]

Kinda curious on the front locker cost myself. Would be nice to have, but I have done very well without any lockers. But, could do even better with

 

[06 H3]

Locker itself ranges from 500-750 depending on where you get it. Install depends on where you live. I installed my rear on my own and the front I had installed by someone and the total was 450 iirc for cryo gears and install. I then had issues and reinstalled it myself. Install is cheaper if you take the front diff out. Empty it and give then parts and a bare housing to start with

 

[06 H3]

Squeaky is rapidly approaching 130k miles. As I am prepping for my SAS I dropped off squeaky at the dealer for brakes and an oil change and somehow my PCM shorted out. It was fine before I went in and it has been fine for 9 years of its life. Somehow it mysteriously had a transmission neutral safety switch short out which shorted out the PCM and they claimed a connector went bad. Not sure how a connector went bad other then them breaking it. Needless to say a new PCM is in and while they wont admit to it I know they screwed with something accidentally or on purpose something didnt line up with the stories I got. Either way I have her back and its great. I am finishing up a engine cooling mod which is probably the last mod before she hits the jackstands for a SAS.

I run hot. I would routinely hit 220+ on the engine temp gauge via the scanguage. I knew my fan clutch needed to be replaced and I also figured my thermostat is either not working or when it was replaced it had a 192 stat put in. Thanks to the heads up from Best4x4 I learned that due to emission standards future H3 thermostats will have 192 stats vs. the original 180 stats. I thought this was ridiculous. Also the H3 thermostat is in a horrific spot. You need to remove the inner fender liner have extensions with a wobbly socket while crushing your hands just to get the thermostat housing out. I try to think in the future and I can only imagine a change like that in the middle of a parking lot with an overheating H3 on a summer road trip. So what I did was copy MSC and RSC, I am not the originator but I have a few of my own twists to it.

First off you must pull the inner fender liner. The clips can be a PITA to get off with a flat head screwdriver but it can be done. I had 2 of them off by the time I had enough so I went to harbor freight and picked up these special screwdrivers that pull them off with ease. It took me 10 min to get 2 off with a flathead and about 5 min to get all the other ones out (about 5 or 6 IIRC)







Then it was time to get out a bucket and pull the lower radiator hose out and drain the rad. This can be done in a clean fashion if you take off the hose slowly but dont take it off all the way! It will then pour out at a slow but easier less messy place.

After that is done. Its time to pull the stat housing out, it is on the side of the engine block.



Once its out you press down on the thermostat (part with the spring) and you twist it. It will come off. Now you can put the housing back on with it being empty. This is so you will never ever have to replace a stat that is a PITA to get to in the future.

You can now put the inner fender liner back in. Hook up your lower radiator hose back up. At this time I ditched the OEM clamp for traditional hose clamps that tighten with a flathead.

Next you take your new housing that I got from jegs

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/53260/10002/-1?parentProductId=

and put the thermostat in. The part #s are 555-53220 for a 160 stat, 555-53221 for a 180 stat and a 555-53222 for a 195 stat.

The nice thing is that you dont need an H3 stat anymore. Jegs listed a long list on what fits this thermostat housing so you can ask for a stat for one of these vehicles and the chances of them having it has gone up drastically

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stor...iew?storeId=10001&langId=-1&productId=2678214

and if they still dont have it you can easily reach the stat housing because it is now located by the upper radiator hose and run no stat if its stuck closed if your on a road trip.





When putting the stat into the housing look for the tiny diagram on the housing on which way it should go in. The stat needs to face the rad and engine side correctly or else the stat wont open.

The toughest part which I still havent done is put the stat housing inline between the upper rad inlet and the engine outlet. It is very tight in there. I saw RSC use this method.

The stat will have to fit in between here and the housing must sit below the top of the rad inlet.



THIS IS RSC's pic NOT MINE here is his setup





I may do this setup but I also have considered making a long aluminum piece with bends in them so all I have is 2 rubber hose parts.

My main thing I want to finish up with is that I want to be able to quick replace a blown hose in a parking lot at an auto store so if I can keep the amount of crazy bends in the hoses that would be nice. That way I can buy a straight piece and cut it to length and put it in. I may also carry my old stock hose in the trunk with my trail spares so if I ever blow a hose I can throw that in and run with no stat which isnt a big deal for a short period of time.

Another benefit and dont quote me on this but I believe the H3 is a standard flow cooling system compared to reverse flow. Any vehicles hottest point is before it goes into the rad so if the H3 is standard flow it will be before it hits the top of the radiator inlet by the upper hose. If thats the case then it will be reading temps at its hottest point where stock the stat is reading the temps at a cool point (right after it comes out of the radiator.) This will start allowing coolant to flow through sooner then it would even if you were using the same thermostat due to the better location.

I still need to change a fan clutch and still need to figure out how I will route the new thermostat so for now I am running no stat at all. Seeing its 100+ and I havent had a chance to change the fan clutch (I have a new one sitting on my table for 6 months!!!) I figure I will still run fine without any CEL's for overcooling. I plan to figure out the stat housing and change the fan clutch over the next few days.

 

[06 H3]

I also found out why my Air intake temps are hotter then normal when doing this project....

bad picture and the other side is worse but my intake box cracked allowing hot air to come in. :gaah: I havent heard of these cracking before, damn it.

 

[amrg]

Squeaky is rapidly approaching 130k miles. As I am prepping for my SAS I dropped off squeaky at the dealer for brakes and an oil change and somehow my PCM shorted out. It was fine before I went in and it has been fine for 9 years of its life. Somehow it mysteriously had a transmission neutral safety switch short out which shorted out the PCM and they claimed a connector went bad. Not sure how a connector went bad other then them breaking it. Needless to say a new PCM is in and while they wont admit to it I know they screwed with something accidentally or on purpose something didnt line up with the stories I got. Either way I have her back and its great. I am finishing up a engine cooling mod which is probably the last mod before she hits the jackstands for a SAS.

I run hot. I would routinely hit 220+ on the engine temp gauge via the scanguage. I knew my fan clutch needed to be replaced and I also figured my thermostat is either not working or when it was replaced it had a 192 stat put in. Thanks to the heads up from Best4x4 I learned that due to emission standards future H3 thermostats will have 192 stats vs. the original 180 stats. I thought this was ridiculous. Also the H3 thermostat is in a horrific spot. You need to remove the inner fender liner have extensions with a wobbly socket while crushing your hands just to get the thermostat housing out. I try to think in the future and I can only imagine a change like that in the middle of a parking lot with an overheating H3 on a summer road trip. So what I did was copy MSC and RSC, I am not the originator but I have a few of my own twists to it.

First off you must pull the inner fender liner. The clips can be a PITA to get off with a flat head screwdriver but it can be done. I had 2 of them off by the time I had enough so I went to harbor freight and picked up these special screwdrivers that pull them off with ease. It took me 10 min to get 2 off with a flathead and about 5 min to get all the other ones out (about 5 or 6 IIRC)







Then it was time to get out a bucket and pull the lower radiator hose out and drain the rad. This can be done in a clean fashion if you take off the hose slowly but dont take it off all the way! It will then pour out at a slow but easier less messy place.

After that is done. Its time to pull the stat housing out, it is on the side of the engine block.



Once its out you press down on the thermostat (part with the spring) and you twist it. It will come off. Now you can put the housing back on with it being empty. This is so you will never ever have to replace a stat that is a PITA to get to in the future.

You can now put the inner fender liner back in. Hook up your lower radiator hose back up. At this time I ditched the OEM clamp for traditional hose clamps that tighten with a flathead.

Next you take your new housing that I got from jegs

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/53260/10002/-1?parentProductId=

and put the thermostat in. The part #s are 555-53220 for a 160 stat, 555-53221 for a 180 stat and a 555-53222 for a 195 stat.

The nice thing is that you dont need an H3 stat anymore. Jegs listed a long list on what fits this thermostat housing so you can ask for a stat for one of these vehicles and the chances of them having it has gone up drastically

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stor...iew?storeId=10001&langId=-1&productId=2678214

and if they still dont have it you can easily reach the stat housing because it is now located by the upper radiator hose and run no stat if its stuck closed if your on a road trip.





When putting the stat into the housing look for the tiny diagram on the housing on which way it should go in. The stat needs to face the rad and engine side correctly or else the stat wont open.

The toughest part which I still havent done is put the stat housing inline between the upper rad inlet and the engine outlet. It is very tight in there. I saw RSC use this method.

The stat will have to fit in between here and the housing must sit below the top of the rad inlet.



THIS IS RSC's pic NOT MINE here is his setup





I may do this setup but I also have considered making a long aluminum piece with bends in them so all I have is 2 rubber hose parts.

My main thing I want to finish up with is that I want to be able to quick replace a blown hose in a parking lot at an auto store so if I can keep the amount of crazy bends in the hoses that would be nice. That way I can buy a straight piece and cut it to length and put it in. I may also carry my old stock hose in the trunk with my trail spares so if I ever blow a hose I can throw that in and run with no stat which isnt a big deal for a short period of time.

Another benefit and dont quote me on this but I believe the H3 is a standard flow cooling system compared to reverse flow. Any vehicles hottest point is before it goes into the rad so if the H3 is standard flow it will be before it hits the top of the radiator inlet by the upper hose. If thats the case then it will be reading temps at its hottest point where stock the stat is reading the temps at a cool point (right after it comes out of the radiator.) This will start allowing coolant to flow through sooner then it would even if you were using the same thermostat due to the better location.

I still need to change a fan clutch and still need to figure out how I will route the new thermostat so for now I am running no stat at all. Seeing its 100+ and I havent had a chance to change the fan clutch (I have a new one sitting on my table for 6 months!!!) I figure I will still run fine without any CEL's for overcooling. I plan to figure out the stat housing and change the fan clutch over the next few days.

Please let us know how the H3 runs with your new setup. Which stat are you planning to run? I've recently flushed my coolant and changed the thermos since, and I hate how my truck feels and it runs hotter.

 

[06 H3]

Hmm, I wonder if you have a higher stat now? Your overseas so I am not sure what you guys have in terms of access to parts.

 

[amrg]

Im not sure either, but what I got from the dealer ill check the next time I do a flush, plus a 160 stat would be better than the OEM 180 (we hit 110+ on a regular basis and the coldest winters nights are 50+)

 

[06 H3]

Yea for you a 160 is better

 

[JonBishop]

Chris u ever get around to doing this new thermostat setup?...


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[06 H3]

I have never finished it. I pulled the stat then thought I bought 50/50dex cool but it was 100% so I filled it and was overheating. I let some out then put water in and still no stat now it runs cool but I still need to fully drain put 50/50 in and do a stat. Il do it soon. Truck is just one big ass project right now

 

[06 H3]

Well, I have over 130k on the clock and I have realized I have not updated this in a bit. I also realized most of my build is all over the damn place. I sometimes wish I kept it all here but I listed all my major threads that have changed my vehicle in some dramatic ways...

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?1377-06-H3-s-Rancho-build!

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?3351-Squeakys-spring-over

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?2008-Rancho-lift-UCP

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?4190-Squeakys-transfer-case-tech

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/for...Rancho-Redux-Part-3!-Steering-rack-bolt-issue

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?7173-Rancho-Redux-Part-4-Shocks

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?8113-Squeaky-SAS-thread

Also is a before and after pic.

 

[RamRod]

Looking good!!!


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[poweraidon]

Where did you learn to be so mechanically incline?


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[Panzer07]

Who's been training your rig, those are some great results. Lol


Torres

 

[06 H3]

Where did you learn to be so mechanically incline?


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Myself and friends. Back when the hummer was my dad's in 05-06 I didn't know how to wash a car.

I spent a lot of time online reading learning asking questions and trial and error. Also going into something with the attitude of if I **** up you keep going until I fix it myself

 

[RamRod]

Great source of info!

How did you wire your rear locker switch? The same as a you would an off road light?
http://www.rzrforums.net/general-rzr-discussion/128155-led-light-bar-relay-wire-up.html

 

[Ghostbuster]

Hey 06, are you planning on doing an engine swap later on? Like after 200k miles?

 

[06 H3]

Hey 06, are you planning on doing an engine swap later on? Like after 200k miles?

Honestly, I am not sure. I think I have about 3 years before I hit 200k. After that I will have to seriously think about it. I dont want to put out any unrealistic plans but between the 4bt, 5.3, 3.7 or rebuild the 3.5 and turbo it I think the 3.5 turbo is best. Now before I get flamed let me explain why.

I wanna get HPtuners, then I can tune and do whatever I want. Now being in CA its very tough to get by smog unless I do it illegally. To me a 5.3 is not worth it. if I do a 5.3 I might as well do a 6.2 and if I do a 6.2 I then need to upgrade the axles to a dana 60 and 14 bolt. Its a ton of work. a 4bt is also a ton of work but the benefits seem worth it. I currently do not have the knowledge to do it though and I am sticking to my build plan; DIY & build for everything. I like the turbo idea because A) its much cheaper then a supercharger B) Its much more DIY friendly C) Colorado guys do it often and will pull over 300hp at wheels easily. they run 10lb of boost with no issues. I would run like 6-7 for conservative reliable power. I choose the turbo so I can tune it for low end or high end. Overall a turbo is much easier IMO. I am not convinced the 3.5 would stay though. I like the 4bt but the computer is so intertwined, like Casey has no traction control so far. I want that. Also I would have to redo a ton of work I already did. For example regear again for a 4bt. mess with springs more with the new weight. Its in the works but I wont do an major engine mods until its necessary.

Same with the trans, when it blows I will probably build it with all the good stuff. Its nice 4l60e's are so common. They have all the aftermarket support I need.

RamRod, I wired mine directly to the battery via an eaton wiring harness with relays and fuses. I didnt have a locker stock so mine was easy to bypass.

 

[06 H3]

Just ordered a set of tires this morning. 37x12.5x16 Trxus Mt. Its Intercos version of a KM2 and MT/R. I hope these sidewalls last! These are a true 37. Most tires run a bit smaller then advertised like my brothers 37s are 36 and change. These are 37.2in tall and 13.1in wide. Im stoked!

I kept putting off tires but the last time I have bought a full set was in January of 2010! Almost 5 years ago...Since then I bought only 2 duratracs, took a few from my brother when he got 37s and either popped the rest or ran them down to slicks. Its time to get a real tire on there, take care of em and make them last. I cant afford to buy a new set of these for a while. On pirate there is a guy who has AMAZING deals. He couldnt even touch the price of anyone local. He was around 300 bucks cheaper then everywhere I looked and that includes him shipping them all the way from New Jersey. I dont know how he does it but he seems to be helping out the pirate crowd well.

 

[Big2dabank]

I had the trxus MTs for 2.5 years and they were really good for the money. I would not worry about the sidewalks, they are solid. Here is what's left of one, it has been decommissioned to swing duty.

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[derian06]

Just ordered a set of tires this morning. 37x12.5x16 Trxus Mt. Its Intercos version of a KM2 and MT/R. I hope these sidewalls last! These are a true 37. Most tires run a bit smaller then advertised like my brothers 37s are 36 and change. These are 37.2in tall and 13.1in wide. Im stoked!

I kept putting off tires but the last time I have bought a full set was in January of 2010! Almost 5 years ago...Since then I bought only 2 duratracs, took a few from my brother when he got 37s and either popped the rest or ran them down to slicks. Its time to get a real tire on there, take care of em and make them last. I cant afford to buy a new set of these for a while. On pirate there is a guy who has AMAZING deals. He couldnt even touch the price of anyone local. He was around 300 bucks cheaper then everywhere I looked and that includes him shipping them all the way from New Jersey. I dont know how he does it but he seems to be helping out the pirate crowd well.

Stock rims? And how much were they? If it's a good deal i'll jump on it as well.