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New comer in Arkansas

Hogwild501

Member
Messages
10
Location
Hot springs Arkansas
Recently was looking for a SUV for my wife and stumbled upon an 06 h3. One test drive and new I had to get this one in my garage. Only problem is I don't get to drive it during the week. Looking to do some mods. Starting off small any suggestions? Is leveling the front worth doing to fit bigger tires?
 

Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
Welcome from Alexander Arkansas!
I got a sailboat at Crystal Springs, so I'm over that way often.

You will find lots of info on this forum about leveling and tires, sift thru a bunch of that to get ideas using the search feature.
Leveling just using the torsions is a mod lots of people like to do to get rid of the "door stop" stance they come with.
You can fit up to 35" tires without even doing that but it provides some more clearance, and it's free!
First we need to determine what model you have. Do you see a locker button on the dash on the strip of controls?
Second from the right?
DAH_3401.jpg

If so that is an adventure model and has certain features, ie rear locker and different transfer case ratio.
Does it already have 285 tires or 265? Since you ask about tires size I'm guessing you must have the smaller ones?
Those come on the base model.
You will find varying opinions on tires and sizes depending on what people use their H3 for.
I was a guide for several years at Superlift over there and it's a good place to see what your H3 can do but has gotten rougher so you need to pick the trails carefully.
Let me know if I can help.
 
Last edited:

TAPDH3T

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,510
Location
Texarkana, Texas
Welcome from Texas but I work in Texarkana Arkansas!!! I also have family up ur way.. So we will cross paths sooner or later!!!
 

Hogwild501

Member
Messages
10
Location
Hot springs Arkansas
No locker button. I'm guessing not that big of a deal if not it to rock crawling and such. Should have paid more attention though would be a nice feature to have. It has after market wheels and tires but street tread and are 265/70/16. Defiantly want to up grade tires. Stance of h3 is wide enough tires stick out 2 to 3 inches past fenders. But hate how it squats in the front.
 

Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
You can do a lot without a locker, just a nice touch for certain things as you mention.
Those wheels may be the cause of the tires sticking out. They may have a different offset than stock.
We have a saying on here you will probably find out, lol and we need pictures!! ha
We can fix the torsion crank in a few minutes if you don't have a way to do it.
 

H3DONIST

Well-Known Member
Messages
447
Location
Iowa
I don't believe you actually have a H3. How about you post up some pictures to prove it! :mock:

Oh, and welcome to the forums!
 

Hogwild501

Member
Messages
10
Location
Hot springs Arkansas
Haha. Once I figure out what tires to put on. Gonna need some advice about what trails to take out at super lift. Been way to long since I've been out there. If I do jack up torsion bars does that make ur front end wear faster?
 

Hunner

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,334
Location
Arkansas
Haha. Once I figure out what tires to put on. Gonna need some advice about what trails to take out at super lift. Been way to long since I've been out there. If I do jack up torsion bars does that make ur front end wear faster?

I have been doing that since 06 and then on my 08 for a combination of 100,000 miles. The safe thing to say would be yes, anything you change out of OEM specs will probably have an affect. I felt 24 inch between under fender lip to center of axle put way to much angle on the CV's and tie rods. Little changes make bigger changes out to the wheels. I came to the conclusion in 06 to stay around 23 1/2 after discussing it with some old time car enthusiasts I have been around for many years. I can't say I know of any negative affect specific to the increased angles in my case except the increased angle of the tie rods causes them to push up more on the steering rack rather than a more in and out lateral movement. That can increase the wear on the OEM mounts. I still say it is hard to tell how much of that was caused by the steeper angles or more hard wheeling. I compensated with different tie rods.
That is a long story I will direct you to later.
We will have to rediscover Superlift together sometime.
 

Portager

■ ☼▐▐▐▐▐▐▐ ☼■
Messages
1,506
Location
Silverado
Welcome to H4O from So Cal. Nice looking vehicle.

Yea, those tires look small! The reason they stick out so far is the after market wheels have lower backspace than stock (should be 5.84"). With the stock backspace the wheels will stuff into the wheel wells better.
 
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