Should I be Looking at Re-Gearing to 5:13's?

[amrg]

Look for the threads we have on here with IFS diffs. We have tried to fit several custom housings in at our shop and non have worked out. The 8.5/8.6 ten bolt was not even close to fitting as the pinion was too close to the motor.

But in another forum one guy was able to put a dana 44 diff in there and was planning on selling them (even sold the prototype) then somehow it all fell apart. Ive even posted a link about it earlier in a different thread. Google hummer h3 diff upgrade and u'll find it. There isn't alot of info but more knowledgable people than me can tell what was done there.

 

[06 H3]

a rancho lift will give you more luck with fitting pumpkins in there.

CJ is right IMO on another thread he started. Get an IFS diff that an 8.8 IRS or H1 IFS a diff that already is done and ready to roll. Keep it simple and cheap, its already got stub shafts, already has seals etc all you have to worry about then is halfshafts.

 

[06 H3]

But in another forum one guy was able to put a dana 44 diff in there and was planning on selling them (even sold the prototype) then somehow it all fell apart. Ive even posted a link about it earlier in a different thread. Google hummer h3 diff upgrade and u'll find it. There isn't alot of info but more knowledgable people than me can tell what was done there.
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Yep, props to that guy! I remember him. He had to slide over the diff to avoid hitting stuff IIRC. Then ran a shorter halfshaft on the one side.

 

[atvspeed4]

But in another forum one guy was able to put a dana 44 diff in there and was planning on selling them (even sold the prototype) then somehow it all fell apart. Ive even posted a link about it earlier in a different thread. Google hummer h3 diff upgrade and u'll find it. There isn't alot of info but more knowledgable people than me can tell what was done there.
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Yes, I was around back then when that was going on (really cool stuff I love prototyping). In my option that is not an option. To get the diff to fit and the pinion to clear he shifted the housing over towards the passengerside. In doing this he needed to have a custom CV shaft made (which is fine we have done them before) BUT... by shifting the housing over the passenger cv gets much shorter and the axle angle increases ( I think in one of the threads I created a picture of this). It also no longer follows the geometry of the suspension and creates alot of plunge. This = no good

 

[amrg]

Again Im not very knowledgable as many others on this forum, but as many people here, I want to run 37s and be able to wheel it and be happy with my performance, and not worry about breaking stuff (alot of thinga I know but us H3 drivers don't have alot of other things to look for)
Im planning on running 37s once my tires wear down, and regearing to 4.56 is my only concellation for performance. But why not 4.88 or 5.13s (if a better bigger option was available)?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

But in another forum one guy was able to put a dana 44 diff in there and was planning on selling them (even sold the prototype) then somehow it all fell apart. Ive even posted a link about it earlier in a different thread. Google hummer h3 diff upgrade and u'll find it. There isn't alot of info but more knowledgable people than me can tell what was done there.
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exactly that.... the 9" would actually be a bit easier because you can buy them with sheet metal cases. As for clearance - I plan on moving the mounts down and the differential down as well to relieve the CV angles - but - I'm also considering custom, high-angle CVs like they use on desert trucks... spendy, yes, but that would end the issue with them being a weak-link.... with that said, it only takes money and time either of which I don't have....

 

[06 H3]

I know this is comical but how about the toyota IFS? Its a 7.5 or 7.6 just like our H3s but they can regear lower then we can.

 

[06 H3]

I like crawling the yards and I dont like spending a lot of money on a project that may not work.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/1207or-noteworthy-independent-front-suspension-ifs-differentials/

I would look in the yards for the expedition IRS, H1 diff, 8.8, toyota 8in IFS, I want stub shafts. The day I helped JRWid with changing a halfshaft on John Bull was the day I realized stub shafts kick ass! You can change a shaft so quick, and you dont even have to remove the wheel. Assuming you break a shaft on a tough obstacle you can have it changed by the time the rest of the people get through the tough obstacle. It can be changed quicker then a solid axle shaft too.

If you have factory stub shafts you can go into a store and order one if your on a wheeling trip. If you run an H3 outer and an Inner from something else all you need is a custom shaft. Order 4 of them, they dont break 99.99999% of the time. I always see the CVs break and then you can order outers or inners from whatever they are and then slap em on the shaft and your good to go. You can travel the country without fear of being stranded due to waiting on custom made parts.

 

[atvspeed4]

Again Im not very knowledgable as many others on this forum, but as many people here, I want to run 37s and be able to wheel it and be happy with my performance, and not worry about breaking stuff (alot of thinga I know but us H3 drivers don't have alot of other things to look for)
Im planning on running 37s once my tires wear down, and regearing to 4.56 is my only concellation for performance. But why not 4.88 or 5.13s (if a better bigger option was available)?

I completely understand. IMO 35s are too small for the H3. For the type of rocky wheeling/ exploring I do 37+ is a must. We are working on a HP dana 30 diff with custom flanges for S10s and blazers right now but after we plan on diving back into the H3. Honestly I might work on a HP 30 for the H3, the housing is much more rigid, the center section does not flex as much as the aam and with an arb air locker the carrier would be much stronger. It is high pinion vs the H3 low pinion which strengthens the gears and we can get off the shelf 4.88 gears. Sure it is not a dana 44 but it is a heck of alot stronger than the low pinion AAM 7.2 and is comparable in size. We already have the bearings/ flanges made for a driver side drop so it would not be hard / expensive to do the same thing for passenger side.

 

[06 H3]

I completely understand. IMO 35s are too small for the H3. For the type of rocky wheeling/ exploring I do 37+ is a must.

x2!!!!!!

A vehicle with a 112in wheelbase will struggle against any shorter wheelbase rig (TJs, XJs, ZJs, etc) on 35s, not because its inferior but clearance. There is a reason why the standard typical 4 door JK that plays in the rocks runs 37s. They have a 116in wheelbase, which is close to us. If I can turn the 37s I will buy them in a heartbeat. I might still do it anyways...

 

[4speedfunk]

That guy was "4digger" and he drove it around for quite some time. I wasn't real impressed with the over-all swap but, hey....he got it done and all of us are still jaw-jackin about it! I guess that's worth something. I spoke with him about several times, and got the lowdown on the details. It was simple, cheap, and it did work. But the mounting system was a little too back-yard-ish for me and I got scared-off the deal...I passed on it for $1200. The principal idea was solid but, I simply didn't think the mounting system would hold up under the wheeling I was planning to give it. The truck was stock height (no lift). Drivers-side half-shaft was a stock H3. Passenger-side shaft was a half-breed...Ford D44 CV on the inboard end, and H3 CV on the outboard end.

Last I heard he pulled it out, re-installed the stock AAM-7, and sold the H3. Whereabouts of the Dana upgrade?...unknown.

After cutting-up several Danas & 10-bolts...I have officially abandoned the idea. There are better donor diffs to start with for an IFS build.

 

[atvspeed4]

http://jeepinbyal.com/dana-30-steel-ifs.html

 

[RamRod]

http://jeepinbyal.com/dana-30-steel-ifs.html

Once locked, installed and w/ 4.88's we are at the $3,300 + shipping..... at that point I'd want to go SAS

but then again if that D30 could also come with a longtravel kit for another $3000 or so then we'd be talking!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

http://jeepinbyal.com/dana-30-steel-ifs.html

yes but a 9" ford fabricated center section is ~$550. then it's a matter of making plates and using a 28 spline carrier - which are really cheap and easy to find.

hmmm, and I even have a 28 spline center section... I'm going to have to see if it works with the spare intermediate shaft (they're 28 spline).

Price this out a bit - $150 for gears, $550 for a limited slip differential.

I think I should make the plates.... be so easy, you'd have to simply weld the plate to the differential - it'd simply register off the axle tube. then bolt a nose holder to the front of the 9"

Hmmmm... I think I need to be do the one check tonight to see if the splines really do match up.

And yes, I know there's not a lot of room there, but it'd be adequate, especially if you dropped the differential down just a bit with different mounts

then you would have any gear you want... The rear isn't the problem, it's simply an 8.5" GM differential; and there's great aftermarket support for those gear sets.

 

[atvspeed4]

Lol it won't fit! Trust me I've tried several housing, I've considered dropping the diff, I have actually pulled the stock diff out, spent the money/ time to have various housings machined down but still will not fit. You need a rancho lift for anything with a bigger ring gear than 8"

 

[4speedfunk]

I think it can be done...but it's one of those "no going back" type projects. If you cut the stock crossmember mounts and other minor bracketry off...there might be enough room to cram something in there. But you're committed at that point. Certainly a front lift would help but, I really think a total chop & re-do is the answer. If you want it bad enough, you can get it done. Forget a bolt-in. That's never going to happen.

Like several other guys on here...I have done extensive experimenting with cutting down some sort of solid axle to make an IFS from it. All of my tinkering has verified one clear path: You gotta use a diff that's already set up for IFS. It saves you a bunch of hassles (and $$$). When you look at the possible junkyard donors...IMO two stand out as "do-able". An 8.8 Ford IRS (from the rear of an explorer), or an AMC-20 IFS (from either end of an H1).

Both are dirt cheap.
Both are very common.
Both have a reasonable amount of aftermarket support (lockers, gears, & such).
Both are at least twice the strength of the AAM-7.
Both already have seals & flanged stub axles (much better design than "plug-in" CVs).
Both already have mounting points cast into them.

Neither are anything special. They aren't "bomb-proof" or "exotic" but, they're both far better units than the AAM-7. Best of all...they're pre-engineered to be IFS units. This will limit your custom fab work to the mounting system and making hybrid CV shafts. Both of these tasks seem minor compared to drilling, milling, welding, splining, etc.

 

[06 H3]

Do you know what gen explorer has the stub shafts? I don't think earlier irs ones have them

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Lol it won't fit! Trust me I've tried several housing, I've considered dropping the diff, I have actually pulled the stock diff out, spent the money/ time to have various housings machined down but still will not fit. You need a rancho lift for anything with a bigger ring gear than 8"

somewhere back there I said I was lowering the differential anyway.... so this really does help. As for Rancho, there's a principle at work here - I'm not buying from them - they misled me about buying components. Their parts are not so inexpensive that I won't actually save money by either fully engineering or reengineering something to work. Added to my growing dislike of Rancho is the Rancho 9000 shocks that are on my H3.... I'm not impressed.

What do you think about using the 1/2 ton 2007 up GM truck stuff (then you get coil overs as well).... and don't start with wrong side... I know.

And a reverse cut 9".... if you lower the differential, how bad would it interfere with what's already there?

 

[backcountryislife]

I know this is comical but how about the toyota IFS? Its a 7.5 or 7.6 just like our H3s but they can regear lower then we can.

FYI, not sure which one is in the FJ, but I have friends with them, and they go through diffs worse than the 3's do. I have a friend with 35's on an FJ that is on F diff #4.

 

[4speedfunk]

SBG...

Yes. I agree about the Rancho. If you have fab skills, you might consider making your own custom drop bracketry (especially since it would not fit the new diff anyway). The kick in the teeth however, are the knuckles and the torsion bar extensions. These pieces are a big part of why the Rancho kit works so well. They are cast items and it would be nice to get them from Rancho, to save the hassle of engineering and building them from scratch. And Yes...Rancho shocks are awful.

I think a late-model GM 1/2-ton IFS is a great idea. But, like you say...its on the wrong side (yeah I started there). That in itself poses some huge problems, because the H3's t-case is so specialized. IMO...the 4494 t-case is what makes the H3. Without it...you might as well go buy a Jeep. I'm not sure you can "clock" the 4494 t-case like say...an NP205. It has a fluid pump, a sump, and some "juicey" stuff inside it that may prevent you from rotating it. So if you are going for a driver-side drop on the axle...you should probably swap in a different t-case as well. That means a host of dash-lights, electronic gremlins, and giving up the 4:1 low. The nice thing is that if you swapped in BOTH the full-size IFS and the matching t-case...you would be able to add a 2WD button to the dash. The full-size axle already comes with a CAD solenoid, and you would have to wire that up to function with the t-case. It would be a helluva project for sure...but I would love to see it done. I think you can get a 4:1 kit for late-model full-size transfer cases, to retain your trail-worthy-ness.

Or just go the easy route..bolt your H3 body onto a 2012 salvage full-size chassis. This way you could get a Duramax, a 6.0L gas, a stick-shift, an Allison 6-speed, 3/4-ton axles, etc. I'm not joking...I seriously think it would be easier. And the final result would be twice the truck (Bully-dog).

Ford 9"? Nah. That stuff is for tubbed Camaros & 18" wide Mickeys.

BCIL...True on the FJ's. The front frame rails are prone to stress-cracking as well. I don't think any of the manufacturers (including Jeep) build their stuff for 35"s and extreme wheeling. All of these rigs are becoming dinosaurs, and soon we will be able to pick them up for very little money. Who wants a ten-year-old H3 with a broken front axle and a bunch of check engine lights? I-do! I-do! Plasma and welder standing by!

 

[backcountryislife]

BCIL...True on the FJ's. The front frame rails are prone to stress-cracking as well. I don't think any of the manufacturers (including Jeep) build their stuff for 35"s and extreme wheeling. All of these rigs are becoming dinosaurs, and soon we will be able to pick them up for very little money. Who wants a ten-year-old H3 with a broken front axle and a bunch of check engine lights? I-do! I-do! Plasma and welder standing by!

I'd have to disagree a little, IMO the D44 is the entry point for a rig that can handle 35's, I very rarely see a 44 damaged on the trail around here. for "extreme"... yeah, suppose I'd have to give you that, but none of us are hitting things like we have a buggy!


My buddy Mike's rig... pretty sure none of us are taking lines the same way he is... pretty unreal what this thing does, turns obstacles into jumps. drool.

 

[RamRod]

:holymoly

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Or just go the easy route..bolt your H3 body onto a 2012 salvage full-size chassis. This way you could get a Duramax, a 6.0L gas, a stick-shift, an Allison 6-speed, 3/4-ton axles, etc. I'm not joking...I seriously think it would be easier. And the final result would be twice the truck (Bully-dog).

Ford 9"? Nah. That stuff is for tubbed Camaros & 18" wide Mickeys.

I'll neither admit nor deny being in a bidding war over just that truck. But if I were in said bidding war, it'd be over a 2009

Tubed Buicks too?
There's this weird guy on this other forum... he likes Buicks

http://www.bangshift.com/forum/foru...e/32299-sbg-s-special-buick-sledanette/page20

check out post 383