Scarsman's "Big Blue"

[Scarsman]

Here is my truck. It is a 2005 H2 SUV, 6.0 V8. We got it in 2010, coming out of a 2006 GMC Envoy. Here it is the day after we got it:

Came with original tires on chrome wheels, chrome nerf bars, chrome tail light guards and fuel door, chrome hood handles and latches, chrome mirror caps. Yegghhh! Too much chrome!

First mod was ditching the nerf bars and painting the chrome side mirror caps and roof rails with black bedliner. I also found a truck at a dealer with black hood handles and latches, and talked them into letting me switch them out for mine:

Second was upgrading the flimsy OE tie rods for a set of Kryptonite tie rods from the DMax Store. “That’s not a tie rod! THIS is a tie rod!”

Next was picking up a set of OE wheels, sandblasting them and coating with black bedliner and mounting a set of 37x12.5 17 Cooper STTs:

 

[Scarsman]

Somewhere in there I made a CB antenna mount to go on the tire carrier:

Then I bit the bullet and took a saw to my front bumper:

Built a winch mounting plate:

To mount where the OE front receiver mounted:

For a Recon 10,500 lb winch:

My goal was to keep everything in as close and tight as possible to have as little intrusion on approach angle as possible. Didn’t do too bad:

 

[Scarsman]

We decided we needed a roof rack, but I didn’t like the idea of spending $2400 for a Gobi. Since I like welding and building I decided to try my hand at a rack. Decided to go with square tubing instead of round, and used angled instead of square corners. I thought it suited the lines of the truck much nicer than round tubing and lines. Came up with the idea to mount a couple ammo cans in the spaces beside the sunroof to keep recovery gear in:

Fresh from the powder coater!

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

This is one awesome build! Can't wait to see what you have in the future!:corn:

 

[Scarsman]

And done! Also along the way I found a guy in a parking lot who had black tail light guards, so we traded. I also had the fuel door powder coated black with the rack:

And a Sunday test drive/shake down.

 

[06 H3]

I love this truck all the homemade mods!

 

[Scarsman]

Now a few of the truck at work. Right after we got it we took a drive to Walker Valley.

At the gate keeper:

Nothing real crazy:

First trip to Evans Creek:
Base of the slick rock on 311

 

[Scarsman]

Boy you guys are quick! Thanks! I like that most everything I have done so far I did myself. Soon to come is an improved transmission skid plate and a transfer case plate as well. Should be in the next couple weeks, I am hoping.



The latest revision was to at long last dechrome the grill! I sprayed it with Plastidip. I also did the two cowls at the back of the hood in black Plastidip. I LOVE the look of the black cowls and grill! Time will tell how it holds up. It has been a few weeks so far, and so far so good. I also did the rear license plate holder. I'll add a picture of that later.

A non-visible mod was a Diablo tuner, which notacibly helped after adding the 37" tires. When I get around to it I will be getting a custom tune made for it.

Other things on the list for the future, not necessarily in the listed order, are:

Improve UCP and sliders
Build brush guard
Build front bumper
Build rear bumper
Cognito pitman/idler support kit
Cognito upper control arms
Front sway bar disconnects
Aluminum roof rack
Dual battery
On board air
Anything else I can think of to build :giggle:

 

[Hans3T]

You've got one of my favorite deuces for sure. Thanks for sharing a build thread with us!

Sent using Tapacrack

 

[Scarsman]

You've got one of my favorite deuces for sure. Thanks for sharing a build thread with us!

Sent using Tapacrack

Thank you, and I know, it is way long overdue!! I really have started one at least 5 times, and something has always come up and I had to run. Next thing is to set up a garage!

 

[06 H3]

I can't wait to see what you fab up later on down the road.

 

[HUMMER INVESTMENTS]

Can't wait to see what you will have later. Maybe sometime it will be time for an exocage, and rear steer:wink:

 

[H3slate]

Great build thread! It has been fun to see the different stages of your truck. Just remember, anything you build for your truck, we have to then build it for my truck. :wink:

I can't wait to see it with the black grill. I remember when I first saw it with the 37's, it just looked right. I think all H2's should be rolling on 37's, and that's tires not spinners!

 

[08SolarFlareH3]

Great build and great looking H2. Look forward to updates!

 

[Scarsman]

I have not been happy with the headlights since we bought the truck. We all know the H2 is renowned for it's poor lights. I have been wanting to go HID for a long time, but couldn't swallow the cost. Then in a thread on here someone mentioned DDM Tuning. Checked them out and decided to give them a try.

I went with the Raptor 55W Hi/Lo 5000K. Took acouple weeks to get them, as they shipped direct from China. :gaah: :shame:

The kit appears to be pretty decent quality. They don't come with any instructions at all, but if you just look at all the plugs it is pretty self evident, as it will all only connect together one way.

Of course, the big thing with an HID kit is figuring out where and how to mount the ballasts. I found a spot right beside the headlight that they fit into just right. Thanks to my handy dandy CNC plasma table I was able to whip up some custom mounting brackets for them. The brackets just mount using existing studs and nuts for the headlight, so no modification to the truck at all.

Just cut on the table:

Bent into shape:

Test fit:

A coat of paint:

And installed:

I have not had a chance to drive it at night yet, but I have one small issue. The two lights are different colors. They are both quite bright, but one seems to be slightly yellow compared to the other. It says on their web site that if this happens they are "mismatched bulbs" and will be covered under warranty. I filled out a "ticket" as it says to do on their site. Haven't heard anything yet.

 

[alrock]

This picture reminds me of the tied up tiger in Scarface in the wedding scene

 

[06 H3]

the ballast bracket turned out amazing. If I had an H2 I would buy that setup in a heartbeat!

 

[Scarsman]

I can make just about any bracket you can imagine! It's the coolest tool I've ever had!

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk

 

[3Hummers]

Love the mods, especially the winch mount. Your spotter in the yellow shirt looked like he knew what he was doing already also.

 

[Humvee21]

I really dig your custom brackets very nice. If we end up keeping the H2 I may have to contact you about getting a set made.

Also, just curious what kind of bedliner product you used for the wheels?

 

[Scarsman]

This picture reminds me of the tied up tiger in Scarface in the wedding scene

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk

Lol! It's always been one of my favorites. I should try to recreate it with how it is now.

Love the mods, especially the winch mount. Your spotter in the yellow shirt looked like he knew what he was doing already also.

He just turned 13. He really does do very well.

I really dig your custom brackets very nice. If we end up keeping the H2 I may have to contact you about getting a set made.

Also, just curious what kind of bedliner product you used for the wheels?

You bet! I would just need the dimensions of the ballasts.

Nothing special on the wheels. I just used duplicolor bed liner. I think eventually I will probably powder coat them, once I get set up to do it myself. I wanted to do them with LineX, but the guys around here want insane prices to spray anything. Or maybe it's just that I hate spending money!

 

[autumn walker]

do you find that the 10.5k winch is enough to recover the H2?

 

[H3slate]

it had worked for him in every situation he has used it. including pulling a f350 from a ditch.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Scarsman]

Well, so far I haven't actually had to recover the H2 with it! Yet!

I did use it to recover a lifted 4 door long bed diesel Superduty truck that was sunk to the frame in snow and mud. He had spun his wheels until the suspension was at full hang and his wheels were doing nothing at all. I also pulled a Dodge diesel that went over a bank in the snow up the sloped bank and back onto the road. It was so slick out I had to back my truck off over the bank on the other side of the road to anchor it.

One of these days I'll dig it in deep somewhere on purpose to try it. When there's a couple extra rigs around to help if needed!

Of course the minimum rule of thumb is vehicle weight x 1.5. The H2 has a 6400# curb weight, so throw a bunch of trail gear in there and some people and you're hitting 7000# pretty easy. That would give you a minimum of 10,500, so I'm right there. I would have liked bigger, but it's all about money! Some day when I don't have to decide between my drream winch and feeding the kids, I will probably have like a 15,000#. But so far so good!

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk

 

[autumn walker]

Well, so far I haven't actually had to recover the H2 with it! Yet!

I did use it to recover a lifted 4 door long bed diesel Superduty truck that was sunk to the frame in snow and mud. He had spun his wheels until the suspension was at full hang and his wheels were doing nothing at all. I also pulled a Dodge diesel that went over a bank in the snow up the sloped bank and back onto the road. It was so slick out I had to back my truck off over the bank on the other side of the road to anchor it.

One of these days I'll dig it in deep somewhere on purpose to try it. When there's a couple extra rigs around to help if needed!

Of course the minimum rule of thumb is vehicle weight x 1.5. The H2 has a 6400# curb weight, so throw a bunch of trail gear in there and some people and you're hitting 7000# pretty easy. That would give you a minimum of 10,500, so I'm right there. I would have liked bigger, but it's all about money! Some day when I don't have to decide between my drream winch and feeding the kids, I will probably have like a 15,000#. But so far so good!

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk

Great feedback, thanks! I'm in the same situation - dream winch vs. feeding the family and really don't want to spend a few grand on an off road accessory (albeit an important one!).

There is an 11,000# one I am eying which I think will keep me going for now.