06 H3's Squeakin H3 Build

[06 H3]

I initially installed just the lower rear SS brake lines from crown performance but got all of em in now so I would like to document it.

I think the lower lines at the axle are perfect length. I ordered them 2in longer then stock

I think the fronts are perfect too. The rancho kit requires you to pull the stock brakelines out of the bracket so they dont snap when at full flex. These are 1 inch longer then stock and I think they are a great length, not too long not too short. I will flex it out and make sure, if there are too short I will order longer ones.

Here is where I goofed. Ordered the rear brake lines that are above the axle 6 inches longer then stock, I also have the rancho bracket that raises the hard line bracket 2 inches, so its like 8in longer then stock. Its pretty bad so I think I will pull the 2in rancho bracket out and go back to stock bracket placement and it will probably work well.

Those brakelines dont look happy!

I installed the two on the axle and the right rear kept on having the smallest leak. I couldnt get it to stop so I brought it to the dealer, seeing I was one for two on the install I let them install the fronts and top axle ones, they couldnt get it to stop leaking either so it probably wasnt my install error. They installed a new hardline and it still leaked so they tightened it up as much as possible and luckily it stopped. So they said to keep an eye on it and if it leaks again I will have to contact crown and get a new line, maybe its defective. If I get a new one I will do that install, its not that tough.

These brakelines will shine on the steep decents.

 

[06 H3]

back in october I bought a steelcraft brushguard with winch mount from kaleb (backcountryislife) and he gave me the Cast iron diff pumpkin. I stopped down at Daves storage unit to pick it up, talked for an hour or so, then it took me 2 1/2 hours to go 70 miles home. Gotta love LA traffic...Thanks again Dave for hauling this back to CA, I appreciate it!

I will get better pics in the AM.

 

[06 H3]

Update: Since I last updated my build thread squeaky now has a "homemade adventure package" I added the 4:1 transfer case recently and installed the locker a while back so I am not a luxury/adventure package H3. Woohoo!

Since last time

-4:1 transfer case
-New steering rack w/ new clamp and upgraded bushings
-New power steering line and upgraded to the PS line with the cooler.
-Delrin front diff brace bushings
-upgraded rancho diff bushing

I also regret not doing the steering "trio." I should have just done the pump while the lines and rack were being replaced but its starting to go.

Near future upgrades/projects:
-Smittybilt 10k winch
-Rigid lights on front brushguard
-Hope that the 10bolt front diff comes out

A summer project will be pulling the rear axle back out and grinding down the welds and rewelding them. I did them with gas mig welding using the polarity setting for flux. Luckily I have not had any issues with the spring perch and spring hanger welds but to give myself a piece of mind I will redo them. I also plan to do all the welding on the axle out from underneath the vehicle this time so I can really get better looking welds along with some better penetration.

I guess squeakys modifications are truly never ending.

 

[Expendable]

what rigid lights are you going to use?

 

[06 H3]

Still haven't decided but possibly some D2s and a 10in bar

 

[Expendable]

very nice. have you thought about flood versus spot?

my first Rigid purchase I plan on making are some duallys. to mount to my rear bumper for backing up in the dark. my LED tail lights are bright but more visibility is desired.

 

[06 H3]

havent thought about it...My brother is the light genius so he will tell me what to get lol.

I am home from moab and heres a little report and future mod list.

One of the most important things to me is reliability and Moab was a big reliability test. IMO, A performance gain with a loss of reliability is no gain at all. So with the spring over and 4:1 it was a good test as I still wasnt convinced in my mind but I was overly pleased with the performance.

I will start with the 4:1. Acquiring a used "broken case" was a worry for me as I didnt want to be stranded but I didnt have any issues the entire trip so I can say that I have 100% confidence when I push that button it will shift and work. The 4:1 itself allows so much more control then my old gearing especially downhill. I dont need to slam the brakes the entire time like I did in the past. Going uphill I had much less screeching of the tires and I didnt need to hold the brakes try and bump the rpm up to 3k to get a running start. Now I can easily crawl at 1800-2000rpm. I will say my shift points were pissing me off though as they were a bit out of whack but a tune can adjust that.

The spring over was kickass. the flex was insane and it has now been proven in my mind. I was initially concerned breaking stuff but everything held up well and I am not concerned about its reliability anymore. All I need to do is set up the bumpstops and order a longer driveline. Other then that I dont have much else to say. It just seems to work, tires are on the ground more and the clearance is much better. I believe sitting a little bit taller is worth the added clearance. the only time I really thought I would roll over any H3 would have been on the verge of going over too the line was really for an H1 due to the added width. Luckily Mykyl put me back on the right line. (that was on moab rim)

So whats next? Squeaky is never done! One of the recent additions was a pullpal. F5 sold it to me and it will be used only for mud and snow runs or when I am going solo. in the rocks I have no need for the added weight.

I also will be doing a 2nd tow hook but welding it to the frame and doing a high clearance hitch. I dont have an oem one and the aftermarket ones sit low, the oem ones are expensive. This one will sit higher then oem and I already have the harness set up but took the aftermarket hitch off.

I also will look into doing a higher spring rate torsion bar, the front torsion bars are too soft IMO. Bebe and I had a conversation about this and it makes sense after discussing the symptoms of body roll which happened in non lifted and lifted form. I will contact a company to do an order with Sway a way to order 10 so we can get some. If they wont do it then I will get some alphas.

I will also be doing a winch with synthetic winch line to keep the weight down.

This project will be the biggest one, putting together a CI front diff with the E locker. Again I spoke with bebe and speedy and they recommending cryo treating everything. After explaining the process and benefits it seems like a good idea. While I am polishing a turd I still want to push the OEM setup to the max first. The process of treating the ring and pinion and other components will help strengthen everything. I was even told guys who used to blow ring gears stopped breaking them after cryoing them. At the end of the day a 7.6in ring gear is still too small for a heavy vehicle like the 3 but doing the most I can to minimize possible breakage. So everything will be cryo treated. So far the steering rack problem has been solved and tie rods havent been an issue so for now they will stay the same.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with the performance of the H3 in moab especially compared to last year. I conquered hells gate and escalator with ease, took tougher lines and was able to tackle them and got up guardian hill at behind the rocks without a tug. I even ran down to pritchett canyon and did the first obstacle, I was told the first obstacle was much easier then the rest of the trail but I was glad to get up it. I tried potato salad hill but couldnt get it. I will try again next time as the hill was pretty beat up from ejs. I really think its doable as long as I can get to the last ledge. H3s can put their front tires over the top but get caught on the belly and with the added clearance I may be able to get up it.

I had a great time in moab with everyone and learned a bunch by asking questions and listening to Dwaine, bebe and speedy. Their knowledge is valuable and I am amazed at how much they know.

Cant wait for next time and the additional modifications I will make to improve my vehicle as a DD, offroad vehicle and everything else in between.

 

[06 H3]

Some videos....

A good video of the downtravel going to the bottom of hells gate.

[video=youtube;6T17vyrj0KY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T17vyrj0KY[/video]

Up hells gate

[video=youtube;xDLJ-VXsKXY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDLJ-VXsKXY[/video]

And escalator...Thanks alrock for the video!

[video=youtube;GzO532CdMtc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzO532CdMtc[/video]

 

[06 H3]

Another modification is done. After meeting up with one of the coolest jeepers around we decided to go offroading, (I say cool because he doesnt bash on squeaky lol) He showed me his homemade sway bar discos so I did the same.

I went to osh hardware and got the universal clevis pin (7/16x2.5) some hitch pins and some washers to make sure there isnt any slack for the swaybar endlink to move and came up with this.



The rear is one link and I push endlink up and it stays tucked away.





I need to pull the whole endlink off for the front





I kept the bolts in case something breaks but I will be testing these and keep everyone posted. It was under 20 bucks and a cheap easy mod, disconnecting really helps and I didnt wanna keep screwing and unscrewing them on and off, especially because its a daily driver.

 

[4speedfunk]

Ahh...you kept your Rancho links! I sold mine with the kit (damn). Looks like a good mod...can you tell a difference with/without it on the street? I'm still driving around with zero sway bars...finding something to work with my SA front looks to be quite a project.

P.S. You need to tighten up that leaf-spring clamp! Did Moab do that? I use some great big 36" channel-lock pliers on mine...they put the squeeze on em! Seems to hold for awhile.

 

[06 H3]

I honestly felt no difference with the rear off unless I have my camping crap and tools on top driving to Moab. I would lean, ask abearden lol he saw. It's scary to drive with the front off but it wouldn't be as scary with alpha t bars or swayaways because this suspension is so soft.

Moab didn't do that. My spring packs are shot. They were like that before the spring over lol I bent and broke many of them on rocks. I need to throw some new ones on and reclamp the ones still hanging on.

 

[jakesz28]

If the rear spring clamps are tight it will limit some extension. Its funny that some people say to tighten them up. I way to improve extension and flex is to loosen them.

 

[06 H3]

Hmmm...I may leave em. Lol

Trying to decide what's next winch or tube doors

 

[Kyle]

Hmmm...I may leave em. Lol

Trying to decide what's next winch or tube doors

tube doors, ill help cuz i want to build a pair too

 

[cbetts]

I'm thinking you need the winch. With all the other mods you have done, you are attempting to take harder tracks and will more likely need assistance.

 

[4speedfunk]

Trying to decide what's next winch or tube doors

06H3....I think I got what you need. :wink:

I know a guy about 10 minutes from my place that has a nice GM D44 for sale. Its totally rebuilt with an open diff, and 4.56 gears...all new & never ran. Its the HD (thick tube) version from a 3/4t chevy truck. It has 8-lug outers, new calipers, rotors, bearings, u-joints, lock-outs, etc. He wants $500 for it...based mostly on his brakes (which we don't need). I told him I already had my own brakes and 6-lug outers...and I'm trying to get him to come off the price if I let him keep the 8-lug stuff.

Anyway...I immediately thought of Squeaky because this axle comes ready to run with matching gears. Its a budget axle (open diff/stock shafts) that you could run as-is. I would simply un-bolt his 8-lug brakes & hubs and bolt-on my ABS 6-lug Hummer hubs....and BOOM! I can put it on a palette and send it out to you. I cold also slap on a flat-top knuckle and steering arm so it would be ready to go, as soon as it arrives in your driveway. You've already done the rear SOA, so you could leave all that alone. I figured you could drive it around...flex it out...get the bugs worked out...and then re-gear both front & rear axles (along with a locker) next year when funds arrive.

While its no secret that 4.56's are not enough....its somewhat rare to run across a 4.56 geared D44 front. The nice thing about this axle is that you can get it under your truck with very little expense and its already assembled. Normally, you would have to do the gear swap to the rear at the same time you installed your SA but, this one having matching gears sort of gives you some extra time to save up. Juss sayin.

 

[06 H3]

damn. All good points.

Craig, I know I need a winch due to tougher trails. I may do that first and put the tube doors on the back burner unless I get a cheap harbor freight tube bender and build my own. I was originally going ask bebe if binks fab could make me some. I wanna go all out on the tube doors with a removable top screen and a mount for speakers. Just have a setup that I can run the sluice box beat the **** out of it and throw on my regular doors for DD.

Winch is going to be smittybilt xrc10 and then get the steel line for now to save cost and add synthetic line later to save on weight.

For the axle thats a damn good deal I know I can get a D44 at the junkyard for $150. According to my jeep buddy all axles are 150 but it would need work. Just trying to decide if the jump is necessary now. Im kinda waiting for the front end to blow up. If he has no takers I may do it and throw it in the storage unit...

So with all the work that has been done to squeaky you can see I am not close to being done....I also have other mods I havent even mentioned yet.

 

[4speedfunk]

If he has no takers I may do it and throw it in the storage unit...

Exactly what I was thinking. Your buddy is right...$150 is the going rate for a tired Dana 44. You can rebuild & re-gear a stock one for $600. The real money is in shafts, lockers, and outers. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[Kyle]

chris what kind of pipe bender do you need? I have a manual one with different size heads for different size pipe.

 

[Medic_Morgan]

Chris if you ever jump the gun on this I'll buy your front end components to help you offset the cost



Sent from my secret lair bwaaahhahahahah

 

[Medic_Morgan]

I'm also looking for tube doors too



Sent from my secret lair bwaaahhahahahah

 

[4speedfunk]

Haha... a used Rancho front lift is better than Apple stock right now!

 

[Portager]

Always finish what you've started before starting some think new.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[06 H3]

Haha... a used Rancho front lift is better than Apple stock right now!

Seriously, lol if you go check in on the pirate4x4 hummer section I started a thread on the rancho lift spring over setup and some of the modifications I have done to the rancho lift and it was cool to see rancho chime in and say they loved the stuff I did with their kit. I was extremely happy especially because I checked the rest of their posts and it was mainly advertisement stuff, no real posts commenting on someone's modifications. We chatted for a bit and I asked him about the lift and its availability in the future and he said for now it's not going anywhere. They should be around for a while, which is great to hear that especially with tuff country kits gone. I also invited him down to wheel with me and bebe when do eventually do a Johnson valley trip and he said he would let the CA rancho guys know as he was in Colorado.

I did hint a question on the rear spring design to confirm my initial thoughts on why they did what they did but didn't say anything about it.

Either way I posted the thread as some H3 guys cross through there and I feel this setup is the ultimate setup for someone who DD their rig, it uses stock parts but bringing the max capability before leaping to the next step, chopping it all off for custom ifs or a solid axle and I wanted to share that and the few modifications done to the lift itself. As for me, it will probably get chopped off one day, it's a matter of time till it all blows up, especially because I can push myself to tougher trails now.

 

[4speedfunk]

Agreed. Its a damn shame their isn't something stronger that can be re-geared and just slip it up in there.