Upgrades Coming In This Week:

[Best4x4]

I went ahead and ordered the Bilstein 5100's and new 1/2 longer front bumpstops from Trail Duty, and hopefully I'll have it by this weekend, the price was AWESOME vs anyone else that had the 5100's for sale. I'm pretty sure my OEM shocks are worn out and I know for a fact I need the new extended front bumpstops as my front end dives pretty good during a stop. Interior wise I also ordered a brand new Colorado Extreme white faced gauge cluster that should be here tomorrow.

Next on the list is to get the front diff support bushing replaced. It's barely got 12K on it according to the records I found in the glove box, and it's already tearing apart. I'll just order the one listed on this forum and then send mine back as a core ASAP. Should I keep my original design diff crossmember or save a little $$ and just go with the newer style?

Then after that I'm thinking about that electric fan from PCM, but I just looked online and they've changed their design to include "flaps" which I don't really care for vs the original design I first saw. Does anyone here have the PCM electric fan on an Alpha? Here in TX my Alpha will start to run hot in slow traffic, or if I'm going 75MPH to 80MPH the temp gauge will sit just above half. How does it perform vs the stock clutch fan? Not worried about noise I just want good cooling performance. The only thing I don't like about the PCM setup is how the fan isn't centered. I would think that would cause hot spots where the air isn't getting pulled thru the radiator evenly.

Other than that I may swap out the aftermarket rear shackles I have for some shorter ones. Even with the front raised the rear sits a good 1.5 taller and my brake lines, and shock travel are almost already maxed out. Does anyone what the OEM shackle length is bolt to bolt? I'd like to see exactly how much longer my shackles are. If they're 1.5 to 2.0inches longer I'll replace them with some OEM or 3/4 extended ones. I want my H3 to be able to flex without ripping my ABS, brake lines, or damaging a shock mount.

 

[3Hummers]

If you change to Dwaine's new crossmember/bushing you will not likely ever replace it again. I would send yours in for the core refund.

 

[Best4x4]

Yeah I plan on sending mine in for the core. I have the original style on my 08 Alpha. Should I stick with the original style or save 50.00 and go with the new style?

 

[Bigunit]

I traded in my first generation cross member to Scorpworks and I got the newer style one. No issues whatsoever after 24k+ miles. I might even venture my opinion and say that the newerr style CM is a little better made than the original style CM but I will let Preferred Chassis comment on that one, since I often have no idea what I'm talking about.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapataint

 

[RamRod]

Other than that I may swap out the aftermarket rear shackles I have for some shorter ones. Even with the front raised the rear sits a good 1.5 taller and my brake lines, and shock travel are almost already maxed out. Does anyone what the OEM shackle length is bolt to bolt? I'd like to see exactly how much longer my shackles are. If they're 1.5 to 2.0inches longer I'll replace them with some OEM or 3/4 extended ones. I want my H3 to be able to flex without ripping my ABS, brake lines, or damaging a shock mount.

If you decide to run shorter shackles PM me if you want to sell you existing setup, I am looking for some extended shackles!

 

[alrock]

Either cross member will serve you well, especially how PCF reconditions them before upgrading the bushing. Your truck's going to feel great with these upgrades

 

[Best4x4]

Okay I'll get the replacement ordered some time this week. I'll give the new style crossmember a chance and save $50.00. Thanks for the info guys and I'll let ya know about the shackles RamRod. What are some good 3/4 extended shackles? That's about as long as I want the new set. Rough Country and the Ebay one's look kinda weak.

 

[Best4x4]

Update:

New Colorado Extreme Gauge Cluster is installed and I'm very happy with it, and today I got my Bilstein 5100's and Trail Duty extended bumpstop's. The extended bumpstop's took me maybe a minute a side to install with the dish soap trick. I got the rear shocks installed, but I ran out of time to install the front shocks.

I had to run into town real quick and I noticed a huge difference when braking and cornering with the new bumpstop's. I also find the ride of the 5100's much nicer than my OEM shocks. I'll get the front ones installed tomorrow and then I'll just need the new diff cross member, and shorter rear shackles.

 

[Best4x4]

8-25-13 Update:

Well all the new shocks are installed, the shorter shackles are installed (went with Rough Country vs the Ebay ones). The shackles are better than the OEM, and since it was the entire lift kit for the H3 it came with the front spacers for the Torsion Bars. I haven't installed them as I adjusted them down to 23 1/4. However to get that measurement I had to do 5 turns down on the right side, but only 2 on the left side. I took it for a drive and flexed it pretty good. The measurements are still 23 1/4.

Is anyone here running the Rough Country front spacers on the torsion bars? If they make the adjustments exactly the same on each side 23 1/2 I may install them before I get my front end alignment done.

 

[4speedfunk]

You can keep your rear droop if you do a few simple mods....

1. Un-clip the e-locker wiring (if you have one) from the fuel tank pan. This will give you some extra slack.
2. Same for the ABS sensor wires...there are several inches of extra length after you un-clip them from the frame rails.
3. You can buy longer brake lines from Crown Perfromance....you only need the ones up by the pumpkin.

 

[Best4x4]

Yeah I was going to keep the extended shackles in the rear until I actually leveled the front properly. When I bought my H3 the previous owner had cranked the front torsion bars way up past 23.5, and the rear sat way up with the extended shackles. I could not steer left/right in a parking lot and my CV's were binding when I tried to park or turn around in tight places. I lowered the front to 23 1/4 and with the extended shackles the rear end sat up 3inches taller than the front. I wanted my H3 to be 23.5 in the front and even or a 1/2 taller in the rear.

I can actually turn in a parking lot now, my CV's aren't binding, and it sits almost level so I am extremely happy. The Bilsteins ride is excellent, the 1/2 extended bump stops stopped the severe nose diving, and I can actually take a corner without feeling like it was going to roll over.