Justification Needed!!!!

[hockeymanam]

So don't know how many of you guys have been to URE in NC in the last months or ever? It has gone from two years ago to being able to 75% of the trails with a basic modded H3 with 35s mainly and sliders and UCP not needed but nice to have To now where that will get you around the service roads and to the head of the trail where u can watch other rigs go up it. I do not have a locker and that would make a difference, just can't see it happening though. There is one trail left that i can make it up and it is very difficult and don't see that lasting much longer. It really sucks watching a group of FJ's roll by with all there mods because of how endless there aftermarket is and watching jeeps bounce up them with little difficulty. I love my 3 and loving being different and showing people its not just a grocery getter and i have put a lot of time and money into it. How can i justify keeping it when if i need something it takes a lot of research or finding someone who would be willing to mod something up to fix it. I find it very frustrating that I own a 2006 vehicle and yet its treated as non existent to mechanics and shops... RANT OVER
:gaah::gaah::gaah:

 

[digglesworth]

theres many of us who feel your pain... I too have an 06 non-adv and I get a lot of crap from people just cause it carries the Hummer name. I just watched a video on youtube of an FJ, sequoia, and an H3... the fj was pretty decked out with big tires and a mild lift. the sequoia looked stock and the H3 looked stock with some aftermarket rims (looked kinda big like 18s)... the fj was leading and the h3 was trailing. probably to be able to help the sequoia from either end... the fj took everything with ease. hardly any wheelspin. the sequoia was getting hung up on everything. with open diffs, he had to use the old gun it and go method. the H3 just sat quietly in the back and cleared everything just as smooth as the fj. i guess it really comes down to what you want out of your truck. I haven't exhausted the capabilities of my truck yet but it seems as though many have. one of the things on my mod list is the 4:1 t case and rear locker... I plan on keeping this truck for quite a while, especially after doing so much to it. so when it comes to choosing a vehicle, you gotta pick one that suits as many of your needs as possible. from what I understand, h3 owners have come to except the fact that aftermarket parts aren't as abundant and the h3 needs lots of maintenance. just part of the game. its a game of pros and cons...

 

[spillKill]

I do also feel your pain but i have been to URE and I have to say that there are alot of trails that you can do in a stock h3. Recon was telling me a story about this one guy who did all the trails on a completely stock h3 but had one hell of a spotter.

 

[alrock]

The locker expense is significant and it's not always feasible to pull the trigger, but in my opinion it's a good investment. First and foremost - it reduces wear and tear on the truck when wheeling. Getting over many obstacles w/o a locker involves momentum, speed and wheelspin, which all contribute to accelerated wear and tear. Having a locker helps keep you at a steady crawl and less things will break.

Second, as you already know, you do have more options with a locker.

The locker itself isn't too much money but the install can be half the price if you use a full service shop. Keep an eye on local boards, talk to area people, and find a deal. It took me quite a while to find an acceptable deal. I have found good small shops on Craigslist and ended up using MaxPF's service for my locker install.

As for specialized service, parts, etc - heck, I think you already made the argument yourself: Hummers don't need much to be successful on the trail and on the road. You've got good sliders so do you really need a choice from ten vendors? What is it that you are seeking that you can't get? Working on the repairs doesn't take a specialist either. What do you need to have fabricated for your repairs - the standard repair isn't adequate?

Options are great but a the same time I don't think the Hummer market is overly constrained.

 

[hockeymanam]

Yes i agree i have once done all of URE on my basic modded unlocked 3.5l H3... the problem is now that is no longer possible ... in the last month it has become a whole different ball game! So now i don't even have the weekend trip I used to enjoy so much!

As for the aftermarket (using fj as an example) What $5000 dollars get us is half of what you can get with the same money and a Fj. My buddy has one and 6 options for sliders and got a set with kick outs for 230 shipped using DOM steel!!! this is not just for sliders this is every aftermarket part thats unreal and the reason is because there is so many options for the same part the companies have to compete which equals better deals for the costumer.... The few aftermarket parts offered to us each company has a monopoly on that product and really can charge what ever the hell they feel like... I like options and being able to shop for deals and it has become annoying.

Despite how it sounds I LOVE my h3, but watching my friends rigs (jeeps, tacoma, fj, land cruisers...) grow and become better with little money invested has become aggravating!! Im getting left behind and the only thing anyone can ever suggest is a rear locker and a 4:1 T-case... which is roughly over 2k (not sure) would it not make sense to take that money with a trade and get a vehicle that comes with more capability out of the box?

It has become this back and forth argument with myself and I'm making no ground on the situation....

 

[digglesworth]

That's a tough one. The question is do you love your hummer enough to deal with these things or trade up to something else...? You also have to take into consideration everything you've already done to your truck. Tires, armor, etc... You'd be starting from scratch again unless you buy something someone's already done stuff too...

 

[alrock]

Perhaps you could provide examples - what do you need to or want to do to your truck that you cannot do now?

I haven't done URE, but I've done a bit of wheeling in several different environments. My add-ons that have let me keep up over the past years: UCP, sliders, rear u-bolt sliders (and later the tomp mounts), 33" tires.

It took four years before I got a 4:1 case and nearly 5 years to get a rear locker. I was fine before that but since I put a rock through the t-case I was forced to upgrade. As for the locker, I got a great deal.

I know this video was recently posted, but check again what a base H3, on 33" A/Ts with sliders and UCP can do. No other performance upgrades. Ask others here about the stupid **** that I put my H3 through without spending big $ on upgrades.
[video=youtube_share;vKTTNTQMJWs]http://youtu.be/vKTTNTQMJWs[/video]

It was the fact that I didn't have lockers and the 4:1 that taught me to pick lines that I could manage.

 

[Best4x4]

I had an 05 Rubicon before I got my 08 Alpha and back behind my house (on my grandfathers property) is a pipeline with plenty of mud and deep ruts. I took my Jeep back there a few times and on the last trip back there it got stuck bad and I had to winch off of a tree in order to get free. I now have my H3 and after hearing all the OMG you bought an H3 crap... I took it back down the same trail. My Alpha doesn't have lockers, and I drove it down the exact same path/trail. I entered the same hole that got my Rubicon stuck, and I was able to get out of it without using a winch. The H3's front IFS doesn't flex like a solid axle, but I owned several Gen 1 Mitsubishi Montero's with IFS and I took them places my Rubicon never went. The rear flex of the H3 is awesome and I do miss having lockers like I had in the Rubicon, but if I get into serious wheeling (like I was before I got married and started a family) I'd either hunt down an OEM Eaton electric locker/diff, or install an ARB Locker. I do wheel my H3, but just not as much as I used to wheel my Jeep.

 

[3Hummers]

Remove your mods, sell your 3 and by an Adventure optioned H3. Ours has the Offroad package and it is an impressive Offroad vehicle.

 

[06 H3]

Dave is right, Buy an adv pack H3 or just add them yourself.

Anything you build will cost you money. I would say the TJ being the cheapest to build but with that you a good DD and room.

JKs are still somewhat expensive to build. I just wheeled my brothers and for the rocks we do I dont think 35s are enough for that long wheelbase.

I just searched FJ 4in+ lift kits and they are a bit cheaper but at the end of the day I feel you gotta pay to play. Running a stock height H3 against lifted locked jeeps FJs and yotas is not a fair comparsion and so is comparing a lifted built 3 to a stock height or budget boost (or t bar crank for us) lift on a jeep yota or FJ.

I was like you a non adv H3 and now it literally walks things that used to seem impossible, for $1100-1200 you can have a 4:1 with a 3 year warranty. For $600-700 you can get a rear locker for under 2k you can piece together a rancho kit for under $300 bucks you can get a spring over. The ultimate DD and off road rig IMO.

If you want cheap I would do what backcountryislife did. No locker no 4:1 just add some shocks, shackles for the rear, crank the t bar a tad and disconnect the sway bars and that will greatly improve capability.

Alrock did a **** ton without the adv package. Like he said pick your lines and you can do quite alot. Instead of watching get out there and see what you can do. Who cares if you cant make it, you might surprise yourself. Let traction control do its thing, our TC is better then any other TC system I have used.

Lastly, take advantage of local fabricators! They can build you sliders and skids for WAY cheaper and you can customize things the way you want.

 

[06 H3]

the only thing anyone can ever suggest is a rear locker and a 4:1 T-case... which is roughly over 2k (not sure) would it not make sense to take that money with a trade and get a vehicle that comes with more capability out of the box?

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/for...-can-t-run-disconnects-on-the-front-on-the-H3

heres a thread that gives other options for cheap. You need to read through all the talk but Im telling you shocks, shackles, t bar crank and disconnect will do alot! Thats all for under 300 bucks.

 

[hockeymanam]

Im just gonna keep it for now... I bought it to be different and don't want to give in just yet. Just have to be patient and soon enough will get the 4:1 and rear locker or possibly an alpha adventure...

 

[06 H3]

For cheap I would still start by doing shocks and disconnects. Huge gains small price

 

[hockeymanam]

I'm running 5100's all around and need to get armor... i have none and have gotten lucky so far by not messing anything up