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Hummer H3 is falling apart.

ArtHummer

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,220
Location
Gaithersburg/MD
Holly :swear:!!!

All of your rear end is hanging on only half of a leaf spring a shocks(which are dead by now). At first I thought that it was overloaded, but from looking at the pics, previos owner jumped it peaty high.
You are deam lucky that the whole rear didn't just came out on you wile you where driving.
 

twinmill28

Spilled Milk
Messages
1,545
Location
El Centro, Mehico (Way So Cal)
Wow, looks like somebodies been out playing "Dukes of Hazzard" with their H3, giving them Ford Raptors a good chase!!

Guh guh guh, we goin' get them Duke Boys!!

If it was an '08 model, I would have put money on it that you got a hold of Tim G's old H3. He had that damn truck into the dealer most of the time he owned it.
 
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Gunner_45

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
1,932
Location
Texas
If it was an '08 model, I would have put money on it that you got a hold of Tim G's old H3. He had that damn truck into the dealer most of the time he owned it.

But........Tim did suffer a bit from "Vehicular Hypochondria".

:wink::wink::wink:
 

MessiaH2

Well-Known Member
Messages
254
Location
Indian Mills, New Jersey
Joe, as I read from the beginning these guys are dead on. Trailer it some where before you do more damage.

This thread is a perfect example why this forum is AWESOME! great advice everyone.

Also you after you get it fixed you might want to call it the General3...LOL (clever like my trucks name with meaning) Does look like jump damage but who knows.. good luck dude
 

atvspeed4

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,214
Location
massachusetts
Honestly guys it probably was not jumped or abused at all. It is a serious problem with the heat treat and more importantly the rust. I looked into it very closely when mine snapped in the same place and had two spring shops also look at it.
 

Gunner_45

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
1,932
Location
Texas
It will be real interesting to see some pics of those spring(s) after they come off the truck.

Did you buy from a dealer or an individual?

If a dealer, what do they have to say about?

Any sort of warranty? (a long shot I know.....but)

Keep us posted and good luck.
 

joe315

Member
Messages
15
Location
us
H3 is at the dealer right now, and surprisingly they're the ones that gave me the best estimate and the earliest appointment. They had to order the parts so I will have it back (hopefully) Thursday night.

It will be real interesting to see some pics of those spring(s) after they come off the truck.

Did you buy from a dealer or an individual?

If a dealer, what do they have to say about?

Any sort of warranty? (a long shot I know.....but)

Keep us posted and good luck.

I bought it at a dealer and it only came with a 30 day warranty on inspection items. There was an extended powertrain warranty for $1,300, but I decided against it for several reasons.

I did call the dealership and asked them if it was something they would fix on good faith and they said they wouldn't. The repairs cost me $700, but word of mouth will cost them 100x that.
 

f5moab

Mr. Beretta
Messages
2,000
Location
In hiding.....
With all due respect, I do not think H3's have airbags.

However, if someone did not know that, I can see where the photo above would "look like" an airbag instead of a bump stop.

That axle has shifted several inches and is not safe.

Although I agree that is a rear jounce bumper (aka bump stop to the masses), I have rear air bags on my H3.:wink:
 

Can007

Well-Known Member
Messages
374
Location
Palmdale, CA
So what was the dealers actual diagnosis of the problem??? What parts were ordered? Pretty crazy story... i am wondering if all the guys diagnosed your problem correctly, all based on a couple pics?
 

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,250
Location
Tardville
Cool. In the big picture, you should consider yourself lucky. Swapping-in new leaf springs is an easy fix. Driving around like that could have been disastrous. Hopefully the t-case is okay. It looks like the whole axle shifted rearward, and fortunately...the H3 has an extremely long slip yoke on the rear driveshaft. So I can't see the spring issue having much effect but, driving around for 2-months in 4HI-Lock can't be good for it. The fact that you cycled the buttons on the dash and it switched modes tells me that its probably okay.

Driving around on drive pavement in a locked 4WD mode is a huge NO-NO (on any vehicle). Even in the 70s...owners manuals caution against this. The reason is that both 4HI-lock and 4LO-lock put a tremendous load on the drivetrain, and there is a lot of binding that occurs...especially when turning. The idea is that a slippery surface (mud or snow) compensates for the all that binding. You sort of need a slippery surface so the tires can slip and release some of the stress that builds up in a "locked" mode. The problem I see isn't so much the t-case...its all the other parts that have been put through the ringer for two months. Your front CV joints, driveshafts, steering rack, and differentials have all been seeing much more than normal stresses for the past two months. You may have doubled or even tripled the wear on your tires for this this period. Definitely check and rotate them when you get your truck back from the dealer.

Now that you've got it in 4HI-street mode...your drivetrain can finally "relax". You should immediately notice it will steer much better, and generally be smoother throughout your daily driving. Mileage should be better too. Time will tell if any of that stuff (including the t-case) got damaged.
 

joe315

Member
Messages
15
Location
us
Cool. In the big picture, you should consider yourself lucky. Swapping-in new leaf springs is an easy fix. Driving around like that could have been disastrous. Hopefully the t-case is okay. It looks like the whole axle shifted rearward, and fortunately...the H3 has an extremely long slip yoke on the rear driveshaft. So I can't see the spring issue having much effect but, driving around for 2-months in 4HI-Lock can't be good for it. The fact that you cycled the buttons on the dash and it switched modes tells me that its probably okay.

Driving around on drive pavement in a locked 4WD mode is a huge NO-NO (on any vehicle). Even in the 70s...owners manuals caution against this. The reason is that both 4HI-lock and 4LO-lock put a tremendous load on the drivetrain, and there is a lot of binding that occurs...especially when turning. The idea is that a slippery surface (mud or snow) compensates for the all that binding. You sort of need a slippery surface so the tires can slip and release some of the stress that builds up in a "locked" mode. The problem I see isn't so much the t-case...its all the other parts that have been put through the ringer for two months. Your front CV joints, driveshafts, steering rack, and differentials have all been seeing much more than normal stresses for the past two months. You may have doubled or even tripled the wear on your tires for this this period. Definitely check and rotate them when you get your truck back from the dealer.

Now that you've got it in 4HI-street mode...your drivetrain can finally "relax". You should immediately notice it will steer much better, and generally be smoother throughout your daily driving. Mileage should be better too. Time will tell if any of that stuff (including the t-case) got damaged.

I haven't tried cycling the buttons, but once I got it into 4 hi I just kept it there. As far as I can tell the truck is alright. No vibrations, weird noises, no excessive wear on the tires, etc. After picking it up today it drives MUCH better. The mechanic says he doesn't think both leaf springs broke at the same time, so maybe one was broken when I bought it and the other one snapped in my driveway when I was backing up? Who knows.

Time will tell if I trashed the drive train, but judging by the way it rides right now I think I'm alright. (knock on wood)
 

joe315

Member
Messages
15
Location
us
So I was at the drive through yesterday getting lunch and with the brake pressed, I heard a click and the truck lurched forward a couple of inches. After that, it drove like it was in 4 hi lock again. Looked at the button and it was stuck almost all of the way in (I had been messing with it trying to get it to shift a few days earlier). The light still says 4 hi, but could it actually be in hi lock again? I tried shifting it to 4 low lock while in neutral to see if it would shift, and the light just blinked for about 15 seconds and went out. Pushing the 4 hi lock button does nothing.

I took the housing for the transfer case buttons out and I'm going to open it up and clean the buttons on the inside so it stops sticking. At this point I believe the plastic shift fork is broken.

DSC01253.jpg

Edited to add that I got the housing apart and looked at the button and found the reason for the stickiness. The plastic buttons are warped which is causing them to press against the "rails" they ride in.

DSC01255.jpg


Is there a way to find out for sure if I'm stuck in 4 hi? If I cut the wheel all the way to the right or left, about half the time the car will idle forward, the other half it wont. This is only when the wheel is turned all the way. If I turn it 50-90% the car will idle forward. Needless to say this method isn't helping much. Had my girlfriend watch the wheels and I turned them all of the way and drove forward a little bit and she said she couldn't see the wheels skipping at all.
 
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f5moab

Mr. Beretta
Messages
2,000
Location
In hiding.....
http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?87-Serv-4wd&highlight=buttons

that button array is only about 30+ from GM parts direct. I have two that I can clean and switch out after about six months or dependent upon how much dirt road traveling I have done.

Until you get a new array, don't replace the button. You can just leave the button out for the standard 4x4 location (if I remember they are all the same size for the 4x4 locatins), and once installed you should be able to push your finger into the array and push the internal button.
 

n8rfastback

Well-Known Member
Messages
89
Location
Omaha, NE
You could pull your front drive shaft, if it's in 4hi locked you'll still be able to drive with just the rear tires, if it's not in 4hi locked your not going anywhere without the front driveshaft
 

n8rfastback

Well-Known Member
Messages
89
Location
Omaha, NE
Even easier than that, jack up one front tire off the ground, if you can rotate it independently from the other front tire your not locked in. If you're locked it won't rotate if the other tire is still on the ground
 

joe315

Member
Messages
15
Location
us
Even easier than that, jack up one front tire off the ground, if you can rotate it independently from the other front tire your not locked in. If you're locked it won't rotate if the other tire is still on the ground

Tried it and the tires wont rotate freely. It turns maybe 4 inches then stops. I guess it's locked.

Anyone ever have their shift fork replaced? If so, what was the cost?
 
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