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Year in Review

3Hummers

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
10,398
Location
Central Texas
2022...a year of no wheeling for me. Daughter postponed her wedding a couple of times and screwed up the whole year, I took a flying road trip to Florida to beat the shit out of my daughter's fiancee for putting his hands on her. ( not to worry I took $15,000.00 cash to get bailed out with ), worked way too much, bought a new 2022 3500 diesel 4x4 dually, a 1966 Corvette coupe, a 2001 Z06 Corvette, put a deposit on a 2023/24 Z06 Corvette, finished out my Corvette shop, ordered some parts for my HMMWV that I have not had time to install, order parts for my 92 H1 that I have not had time to install, have tried to run down the air suspension leak in the Scorpion with no luck so far, bought a new living quarters horse trailer for JJ and except for tracking my 2020 C8 Corvette have not even really had time to have any fun. I am hoping that 2023 has a totally different complexion than 2022 did. It isn't looking like the first quarter is going to be much different.
 

cbetts

NERD!!!
Messages
3,182
Location
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
I spent most of the year taking care of my father. He has been in and out of the hospital and rehab facilities. He is home and stabilized for now but the dementia is creeping in.
1671036642501.png


I managed to finally take the Battlewagon out for some off road fun in Bishop. I will need a LOT more work done to get it to climb in the altitude. The Silver Canyon switchbacks won this round.
1671036207492.png


Mods this year were the WRX/STI control arms and roof rack. Not a whole lot. My plans for next year should be fun. I connected with an expert Subaru tuner in Australia who is going to work on some code and a new exhaust system that will give the Battlewagon the boxer growl like older STIs.
 

H3Hummer

Well-Known Member
Messages
505
Location
LUXEMBOURG in EU
Take care of your dad 👍 wish him all the best.

This year : took off the T case and changed that dumb plastic shift fork, refreshed my front and rear drive shafts with black Hammerite , put new Dana U Joints , new CVs. Got all new breaks, pads, calipers + rotors front and rear is all new, did another protection coat to my chassis and got 5 BFG's Km3 315/75R16.
Still have the rear bearings to do but....waiting for warmer days now 🥶🥶🥶

And....my Suzuki Samurai....well it's 30 years old on 03 of January 2023 and still fine 😎.
Glad to be a tiny part of this forum 🥳🥳🥳🥳
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
2022...a year of no wheeling for me. Daughter postponed her wedding a couple of times and screwed up the whole year, I took a flying road trip to Florida to beat the shit out of my daughter's fiancee for putting his hands on her. ( not to worry I took $15,000.00 cash to get bailed out with ), worked way too much, bought a new 2022 3500 diesel 4x4 dually, a 1966 Corvette coupe, a 2001 Z06 Corvette, put a deposit on a 2023/24 Z06 Corvette, finished out my Corvette shop, ordered some parts for my HMMWV that I have not had time to install, order parts for my 92 H1 that I have not had time to install, have tried to run down the air suspension leak in the Scorpion with no luck so far, bought a new living quarters horse trailer for JJ and except for tracking my 2020 C8 Corvette have not even really had time to have any fun. I am hoping that 2023 has a totally different complexion than 2022 did. It isn't looking like the first quarter is going to be much different.
Jesus, I’m not gonna lie, I’d be scared if I was the fiancé. Lol. Hope 2023 is better for you Dave.
 

08H3

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,314
Location
United States
2022 was a bit or a roller coaster on the Hummer front. It started with one H3 in the garage and ended with three. The whole saga began at end of 2021. After turning the 300,000th mile, our H3 lost compression on #3. Still honestly not sure what happened as I kind of got frustrated and lost interest. Continues to run great as a 4 cylinder and I take it out on the trails on the farm periodically just to keep it moving until I have a long term plan for it. Started shopping for another H3 to replace it. After looking at complete worn out garbage for two months, I gave up and ordered a new JLU Rubicon. After waiting several months and finding that no matter how much you want to complain about GM, Stellantis is worse. Far worse. I’ve never met a less customer centric corporation.

Ultimately cancelled the JLU order and found another 2008 H3 Adventure. It’s a Florida car, and it probably about the nicest H3 you could hope for. This is primarily my wife’s car so I made a vow not to go overboard and take it over like I had our first H3. Thought I might add some 35s, add a cast iron front, level it and call it a day. I just couldn’t fall in love with this one though. I missed the manual transmission and was just bored with the auto. Final straw was when my wife muttered “I kind of like the side steps.” I checked out at that point. I know I’ll offend some people here, but I can’t take a Hummer seriously that had steps.

Fast forward to November. Found another 2008 Adventure locally, this time with the 5 speed. It is also Boulder Gray, just like the first. Currently has a camo wrap which I am not a fan of and plan to remove next summer. Not even going to attempt it in a cold Midwest winter. I’ll transfer all the good stuff over from Hummer #1 and be a happy camper again for a while.
77270BC0-35D6-4A2B-9446-FC36761F8017.jpeg
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
Time to bump this again. The years just keep going by faster and faster.

Mods:
It was a big year in modifications for me. This was primarily driven by a baby being on the way. Parts that had sat in the garage waiting for install were finally made a priority.

-6L80E swap. This was a big swap that I have been wanting to do for a long time, I had the transmission sitting in the garage for 2 years, I think. As with any install, it never goes as easy as you think it will. I couldn't remember if I had a shallow or deep bearing input and ordered the wrong one, so I lost time on that, wiring in the tap shift took more time than expected but got it done! I also am glad that this got me to buy HPTuners so I can further advance my knowledge.

-3 link rear swap. This was a tough one. Sometimes I would go wheeling and say to myself the need to link the rear suspension is apparent and it has to happen immediately and other times I said holy shit, these leaf springs kick ass. They do kick ass but I think the past year or two I was limping along old, tired, worn out leafs, with off the shelf bilstein shocks and I was ready to bring it to the next level. In the end I did it and really hope to test it in 2024. I am sure I will have tweaks to do but I am hoping that this brings me to the next level. This also involved moving my evap crap and building a new bumper.

-Bigger radiator from ECP. My CSF was leaking. I don't think you can have too much cooling and fitting an ECP radiator with a regular fan clutch is hard so it was a good challenge and required lots of cutting but got it done.

-oil pan/trans skid. I cant believe I have dodged this bullet for 9 years since the SAS. I have hit the trans pan and oil pan but luckily never hurt it but I finally have them protected.

-trackbar/drag link redo. This was to get a bigger track bar because I bent my 1.5in diameter track bar. This required lots of work to make it fit, like notching the diff cover. In the end I have more steering angle capability for the drag link and a stronger track bar.

-Chromoly front shafts w/ Yukon Super Joints. I broke a couple spicer d60 u joints at this point and this needed to happen.

-Front sway bar redo. I redid my front sway bar setup so it is more viable long term.

-Installed car seat and fixed my AC that had a bad compressor.

Carnage:
-
Broken U joint (again)

-Rear Ring and Pinion. I don't think I posted about this one in the build thread but when starting my 3 link I took out my 3rd member to transfer to a new housing and I saw 2 chipped teeth, upon further inspection the R&P failed due to a failed carrier bearing. The carrier bearing was from the 1950s and it had a ton of play. Looking at the load bolt the carrier was able to deflect not away from the pinion but at an angle as well. I had spare 3rds and a R&P so I got a new (used) one in.

-Anti wrap bar. I am shocked it lasted as long as it did. I had a design flaw in this. I had it welded to the axle tube but also to 1/8in steel, way too small for an anti wrap bar. It broke, but had one hell of a life.

Wheeling:
It was a light year of wheeling for me due to all the modifications this year.
-Rubicon
-Sand Hollow
-Did a weekend rockcrawling locally in the owyhees
-Did a weekend snow wheeling/rock crawling in the owyhees
-snow wheeling at high elevation in Idaho

On top of all the wrenching I did on my own rig, I helped a friend in socal wrench on their willys and TJ, helped a friend do injectors on his duramax, and basically rebuilt the entire suspension and steering on my brother in laws Jeep JK so between that and my own projects I didn't wheel much.

2024 goals:

My goal for 2024 is to go wheeling. I have wheeled A TON the past 3 years. I put off a lot projects so I can just wheel as much as I could so 2023 was project overload. So my goal is to get back to wheeling, push the limits and make the hummer do shit it couldn't do before now that it is linked. I do need to add a rear sway bar, id like to get that done before year end but it may sit in a box for the rest of 2023 while I take care of a baby that should be here any day now. I want to figure out the 4low speedo issue on the 6l80e. I think I know how, I just need to do it, really other than that, that's about it.

Cheers to 2023 and new beginnings in 2024.
 

Teahead

Well-Known Member
Messages
102
Location
Tacoma
"-6L80E swap. This was a big swap that I have been wanting to do for a long time, I had the transmission sitting in the garage for 2 years, I think. As with any install, it never goes as easy as you think it will. I couldn't remember if I had a shallow or deep bearing input and ordered the wrong one, so I lost time on that, wiring in the tap shift took more time than expected but got it done! I also am glad that this got me to buy HPTuners so I can further advance my knowledge."


You should have a separate writeup for this as many wants to do this, but would like others to be guinea pigs or whatnot.
 

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
I would be open to that. This would only apply to people who have H3 alphas. I also had an easier time swapping it due to having a generic doubler transfer case but there are solutions for H3 tcases. I would explain more of the wiring front of things. I did put it in my build thread but it may not be detailed enough.
 

H3Hummer

Well-Known Member
Messages
505
Location
LUXEMBOURG in EU
Wheeling ... well just a few times
goodies to my rig: new rear axel bearings, 2 new front half shafts , new injectors, all new under body and to come, EVAP + canister purge valve......on the way
Carnage: his weekend .....passenger mirror ....some small trees didn't move 🤣

Painted my 30 years old Suzuki Samurai in Raptor 😊
 

Teahead

Well-Known Member
Messages
102
Location
Tacoma
I would be open to that. This would only apply to people who have H3 alphas. I also had an easier time swapping it due to having a generic doubler transfer case but there are solutions for H3 tcases. I would explain more of the wiring front of things. I did put it in my build thread but it may not be detailed enough.


Have you considered one of these things?


Or even better:

 
Last edited:

06 H3

a.k.a. "The Jackal"
Messages
9,350
Location
Meridian, ID
Have you considered one of these things?


Or even better:

I have the top link. Go to my build thread.

The bottom link doesn’t work with airbag steering wheels
 

rascole

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,580
Location
Bellflower, CA
Should have posted this last week. Picked up my LS swap transmission from the shop. One step closer to the swap out of the way. This was from a 08 Alpha, got the trans and computers at the same time. Trans has a lot of Sonex upgrades, @ $2500 worth of parts and labor. Computers are currently at 04Coly getting programed and wire harness getting finalized.
Tranny 1.jpg
Tranny 2.jpg
 
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