Canadian h3t Alpha build

[Portager]

Here is what Trail Worthy Fab says about Hutchinson's AKA Rock Monster wheels "Street Legal and DOT compliant, Rock Monster Wheels are built to take you safely through the most rugged terrain with assured traction, reliability, and confidence."

I didn't know you were only interested in looks, to me function is 10x more important than looks. Hutchinson's do what beadlock are supposed to do, they keep the tire from coming off the wheel at the worst possible time. They are also legal to use on the road. To me beauty follows function.

 

[06 H3]

A beadlock is a beadlock. TWF beadlocks will do the same as hutchinsons but cheaper seeing they aren't "street legal"

 

[RamRod]

A beadlock is a beadlock. TWF beadlocks will do the same as hutchinsons but cheaper seeing they aren't "street legal"

This is my understanding, they are both a double beadlock set up, so the main differences are the rim size, the Rock Monsters overall look better & they are DOT approved (not a governing body/ recognized designation up here in Canada so not being taken into my consideration), but start at $400 per rim vs. $400 for a rim & tire from Trailworthy.

So for doubling the price all I get better looks....and realistically the rock rings on the Trailworthy units make for one bad ass looking setup.

 

[06 H3]

Seeing DOT approved rims in canada aren't mandatory you would be spending more on hutchinsons for looks?

 

[RamRod]

What I mean to say is that the only remaining factors between the two are looks and cost.

The Hutchinsons looks better and cost more then the TWF setup.... so I am choosing to go with the more economical option that gets the same job done because looks are not a factor in my end decision.

I prob made it more confusing but I am going to stick with TWF 16.5" double beadlocks with the 37x12.5 MT/R.

 

[06 H3]

For looks and cost it isnt worth 450 a rim. Even for me DOT approved rims or not I would still run them. People do drive on freeways and DD duties everyday with non DOT beadlocks without issue.

How much is the setup going to weigh?

 

[RamRod]

Andy at TWF said that the setup I was looking at getting weighs in around 135 pounds per tire and rim.

My current setup weighs in at 105lb for rim & tire.

So a 30lb jump from now to the TWF setup isn't too bad

If I were to go the hutchinson direction i would only go up by 15lbs so that is one more pro for the rock monsters

 

[06 H3]

wow, thats pretty heavy but Im on a small 35in tire (not an MT either) that is worn and OEM rims. 82 lb per rim and tire.

 

[RamRod]

wow, thats pretty heavy but Im on a small 35in tire (not an MT either) that is worn and OEM rims. 82 lb per rim and tire.

That's a big jump from OEM.... that has me a bit worried now

 

[06 H3]

honestly, there is only so much you can do. Aluminum rims are lighter but are 15lbs worth 200 bucks a piece?

Probably the tires dont help either. I know JK guys run 155lb tire rim combos all day.

 

[Portager]

ALthough the 16.5" Custom Hummer wheel are a double beadlock they are at best a Hutchinson wannabee. Even the salesmen that I talked to at TDF prefer Rock Monsters and use them on their own vehicles. Given the weight difference and Hutchinson's track record, I'd go with the Hutchinson's.

 

[RamRod]

So Hutchinsons with a Goodyear Wrangler MT/r (37x12.5r17) would weigh in at 110lbs ....
That's a good argument in its favor.

In doing so research about them I also found a local Toyota club that is trying to do a group buy with them, so if that turns into something then I guess it bring the rim back into the possible category...

 

[RamRod]

ALthough the 16.5" Custom Hummer wheel are a double beadlock they are at best a Hutchinson wannabee. Even the salesmen that I talked to at TDF prefer Rock Monsters and use them on their own vehicles. Given the weight difference and Hutchinson's track record, I'd go with the Hutchinson's.

Thanks Portager for getting me to take a closer look at the Hutchinson's.

Now that I have factored into the equation the cost of shipping the wheel and tire setup from TWF, the brokerage fee's and everything all in! There is now a price difference of only $440.... and that is only if all the customs and taxes go through as planned....and there are not any extra unexpected costs that incur along the way.

With that small of a price gap I must say that the Hutchinson's might now become the new leader in this race for the following reasons:

• Lighter total rolling weight- less stress on the running gear as a whole the better, lets face it 37's with a supercharger is already putting enough stress as it is, I could use a saving of 40lbs/rim & tire if I can get it.
• With the 17'' diameter rim there is going to be a lot more tire options to run on this rim when my new set wear out
• These wont rust like the TWF's will if the powder coat ever chips off

 

[Chocflip201]

I feel like I've read the build front-to-back and back-to-front several times now, and can't find my answer...

Whatever happened with the snorkel? I agree it looks way better than what is offered as "direct fit" to the H3. But ever since your install pics I can't seem to find any more info on why you don't have the snorkel on anymore?

 

[Portager]

I got my Hutchinson's from an online store for US$399/each no sales tax and free shipping. Maybe you can find a Canadian distributor that will give you a good price and avoid the import hassles?

If you do go with double beadlocks, they will need to know the thickness of your bead to assure the necessary clamping pressure. I think Hutchinson has two standard insert widths which work for most tires.

Did you ever get the keys for your SlantBack?

 

[RamRod]

I feel like I've read the build front-to-back and back-to-front several times now, and can't find my answer...

Whatever happened with the snorkel? I agree it looks way better than what is offered as "direct fit" to the H3. But ever since your install pics I can't seem to find any more info on why you don't have the snorkel on anymore?

Haha well, I had it on for about a month and I was not satisfied with the setup so I took it off and took some time to think how I wanted to mount it up in a way that I would be happy and not touch it again.... In the mean time it started to focus on mods that will protect me on the trail..

It just so happen that I had a heated garage to work in this weekend so I decided to try and mount the snorkel again: here are the results, it is much more solid and I am way more happy with this setup even though it has some bolts exposed, I'll be painting them black shortly or maybe use those bolts to mount a small LED ditch light

Here are some pics:

 

[RamRod]

I got my Hutchinson's from an online store for US$399/each no sales tax and free shipping. Maybe you can find a Canadian distributor that will give you a good price and avoid the import hassles?

If you do go with double beadlocks, they will need to know the thickness of your bead to assure the necessary clamping pressure. I think Hutchinson has two standard insert widths which work for most tires.

Did you ever get the keys for your SlantBack?

There is a shop in a city near by that I visit frequently that carries the for $440/rim so I think I'll use them as I don't think I can get em for much less than that!

The keys did come, however the package was ripped right open, USPS put it into a second envelope and lastly the keys were right bent!

So I took it to a lock smith they made a copy and been using that ever since!

Forgot to send a thank you when I got them!

Thanks!

 

[Portager]

Glad you finally got the keys. Sorry they were bent. I guess I should have packed them better. Glad you got keys that work in the end!

The $440 each sounds pretty good since it is local and no customs hassles. You'll love the Hutchinson's. I know where you can get rock rings if you need them.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[RamRod]

Glad you finally got the keys. Sorry they were bent. I guess I should have packed them better. Glad you got keys that work in the end!

The $440 each sounds pretty good since it is local and no customs hassles. You'll love the Hutchinson's. I know where you can get rock rings if you need them.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Ha! its not your fault they bent... any other way of packaging them would have resulted in a bend based on the amount of force it must have taken to bend them... either way, its sorted now and I am happy!

Thanks again!

 

[RamRod]

So I wake up this morning to blowing snow.. I mean blizzard conditions... now with my new snorkel ram air head on there I am conserned about water/snow injestion.... I started looking into the available pre-cleaner snorkel solutions on the market. but found none that I liked..... mostly due to restrtion they cause on the air flow and well I want as much air flowing to provide the supercharger enough air to breath!!

Then I got to thinking about the kit I put on my snowmobile last winter... It's a product called Frogz Skin, it doesn't restrict airflow but does not allow dust, water or snow to get in:
"Frogzskin's manufacturing process utilizes the latest technology in Micro-Fiber materials. Frogzskin's special woven material vent covers are manufactured to specific quality standards allowing maximum air-flow, while employing hydrophobic characteristic that repel water intake."

I picked up one of their universal kits that will fit right over the head of the ram air intake, and I'll report back how well it works out... perhaps this is something that other people will be interested in as well!!

 

[Chocflip201]

Yeah frog skin is a lot like the K&N prefilters. I run Frogskinz on my sled.

 

[06 H3]

Are those hutchinsons stock ones or 17s?

 

[RamRod]

The Hutchinson's I am looking at are 17" with 4.5"BS and 108-110mm center bore... They say that they are made for a Tacoma, but all the specs look like they will work on the Rancho lifted T


Sent from handheld smoke signal device

 

[RamRod]

Progress on the low profile roof rack as of 10:30 last night:

Here is a pic showing how low to the roof line I plan on it sitting

Lastly it's thinkness before adding the leg mounts so far:

Sent from handheld smoke signal device

 

[RamRod]

Here are some shots of the rack before paint on my final test fit

Sent from handheld smoke signal device