06 H3's Rancho build!

[08SolarFlareH3]

The rear, last I checked were around 24...isn't 24 1/2 stock???

Yea, pretty sure the last time I measured mine it was 24.5" in the rear.

 

[08SolarFlareH3]

btw, were all waiting for the prerunner/gasser pics :wink:

 

[06 H3]

 

[cgalpha08]

That first pic makes it look like you are ready to hit up the Baja 1000 lol

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[Timgco]

the other part we have just started talkinga bout is the frame mounted bushings. on Repear's truck, his were pretty much shot. We replaced those bushing and swapped the springs. problem solved. in looking at the pics Chris sent to me, it appears his stock bushings may be shot too. the Rnacho springs are sitting wayyyy too low and will be addressed. I know Rnacho will stand behind them. it comes down to replacing them with their springs that are corrected or replacing/ upgrading to haul around extra weight. i like the idea of adding the deaver springs. My only concern is how it will ride with the new springs. Obviously the Rancho kit was designed to have thier spring pack with their spring rates. So we know it will ride great once corrected. the addition of airbags is a great idea too, however adding the bags is also one more part to maint/ down the road and can fail down the road as well.

I just sent the pics into my contact for review.

 

[06 H3]

I am baja ready

 

[Hunner]

US Baja might be safer. Like maybe the Mojave.

 

[benlaud87]

I'll post up some side view pictures of mine and get some measurements when I get back home. Mine were sagging but I don't know if it was to the extent of being at 24" in the rear

 

[06 H3]

The 1.75in spacers, new leafs and bushings are in...I didnt have the time to install em this time as its been hectic so I dropped it off at a shop to get em installed. It isnt sagging for now but we shall see how they are holding up in about 2 weeks. Ride home was very smooth. The front end is so much smoother then when I had em cranked and the rear is smoother then in the past too. I will hope to hit some dirt and totally just romp on it, put it through its paces and see what it can do. I also wanna head up to gorman sometime soon, take the doors off to avoid damage and run the sluice box. The added height will definitely help but the track width may hurt a tad seeing its a tight squeeze. Time shall tell! I just wanna wheel. Hopefully these damn springs wont sag this time

 

[06 H3]

Here is a pic of it after new springs installed. The bumpstops are still on the a arm so it could come up a bit in the front and here is a pic with bumper height comparing to a JK with an AEV 4.5in lift with 35's...

 

[cgalpha08]

Its lookin good chris!

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[06 H3]

thanks! Hope it performs well...Still gotta go out and take the post measurements...have the stock ones on paper around here somewhere lol

 

[Timgco]

ahhh, that looks better! glad the new springs worked out. As for the bumpstops, you want those touching with that lift. not smashed, but just touching and slightly compressed. that will give you a better ride and will not nosedive when you nail the brakes hard. should help some in the corners as well.

 

[06 H3]

how do H3's corner with the rancho lift? I am on country roads a lot with lots of corners and like to take em at a decent speed...I know the H3 suspension is soft so I was wondering how it would do? I am not expecting this to be a ferrari but wanna know if it corners the same, better or worse then stock.

 

[SolidusJ]

I like the 4" lift but I'm going to try bilstein shocks and 1" body lift and the should be enough for me. Your H3 is looking damn good!!!!!

 

[06 H3]

Thanks guys, Will get some pics in the daylight tomorrow. I wanna wheel a bit tomorrow too.

 

[Hunner]

You know when you lift the rear it will transfer some weight forward and change the front some. So those springs probably are part of what put your bump stops down some as well.
Nothing like a bit of sibling rivalry.
Lookin good, now we gotta work on a camera with flash:shifty:

 

[06 H3]

lol phone camera...I gotta invest in a real one. I cant use my moms because my brother broke it and now no one is allowed to touch it except her...DAMN IT NICK! Btw idk why he never made his first post...


That was a huge tangent lol

 

[Hans3T]

Yeah, I'd love to see some daytime photos.

 

[benlaud87]

did you replace the leafs with rancho ones because yours were assumed to be defective or did you have some leaf springs made?

 

[06 H3]

These were rancho ones...they were defective so these were sent at no charge. Drove around last night after the pic i posted and there starting to sag a bit more...I can feel em bottom out again

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[benlaud87]

I wish I could trade my leaf springs in for new rancho ones. I have the first model from when the rancho lift first came out for the h3. I ordered air bags a few days ago and will post up pictures before and after.

 

[cgalpha08]

I think deaver spring are in your future
:shifty:

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[Sierra H3]

So, back to square one with the leaf springs? :huh: At least Rancho responded well to your initial request. I am left to wonder if there is a QC issue with the source of leaf springs that Rancho is using. Do they manufacture these in house or procure them from their lowest bidder? As Hunner indicated earlier on this post, making these things takes experience, almost an art. But, I don't want to be too hard on Rancho, after all they have shown an interest in supporting the H3 and from what I have heard, most of their products are good.

 

[06 H3]

Benlaud, how are yours riding? The front end is really smooth I love it! The rear on the way home was smooth and the first set were smooth for a day or two. Now it is back to bouncing and bottoming out. That was after a few hours! lol maybe the first set was better, that one lasted a few days.

Deaver has still been in contact with me. Jeff, the spring designer is a really nice guy. He has built springs for rod halls H3 and rancho contacted him to design the rancho springs but then they went out and went a cheaper route. I have been down to his shop and he has seen the rancho springs and he see flaws...idk what they are because they all look the same to me but seeing he looks at leaf springs all day he knows stuff I dont.

I will get more pics up of the shackle today. I even had it installed at a shop to eliminate the possibility of a bad install on my part and the same thing is happening so its safe to stay I installed em right the first go around.

Greg, I love that rancho is here for the H3, without them we would have little to no options. They make good stuff and I truly believe that, There is no doubt I would buy the front end of the lift kit again, I would even buy the rear end of the kit if I carried no weight. Lets face it though, what off roader carries NO weight?? I may have more weight then others up top but in overall weight I feel I am comprable to others. I weighed my stuff...its 208lbs. I dont even think thats excessive seeing that can be a persons weight. Those springs ride smooth when there not bottoming out so I feel rancho does make good stuff but I also feel these springs were designed with nothing in the back which is unrealistic for a wheeler. On a so cal run I can probably find atleast 100lbs in everyones trunk...wheelers must carry some stuff...