06 H3's build thread

06 h3

Observer
Hi lift and shovel mounts these were temporary...until my roof rack

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I can get the exact hardware list if any H3 guys wanna know...
 

alaskantinbender

Adventurer
Very nice truck and well thought out mods. I had a 2006 H3 and went 4 inch lift with 37 inch tires.
They where just too big for long term use on the truck. Wheeling it in Alaska with my jeep buddies I had trouble with the narrow trails and visibility. It did go everywhere the jeeps went and with my 12000lb winch did pull out a few jeeps....:)
But it sadly was just not a jeep. Sold it for a JK unlimited and it is a world of difference on the jeep trails. It however is not as good in more open country as the H3. The moral of the story is there is no perfect truck. What ever suits your need at the time is what you need.
My wife still has her H3 and loves it for farming duties of all things. She hauls 800 lbs of animal feed in it every few weeks. The prior owner leveled it and put 1 inch lift shackles in the rear with 33 inch tires. It suites her needs great and she loves the stock step/sliders to get in and out.
I kept the ARB bumper from mine and will put it on hers at some point.
Keep up the great work on your truck I enjoy reading about it.:smiley_drive:


Hear she is just before she went to the new owner.

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His and her Hummers

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06 h3

Observer
Thanks! Man that thing is a monster!!!

there were times I have thought about going to a 4dr JK but I know id miss the H3. The problem is there is no vehicle that does it all...I actually go everywhere the jeep guys go just with some more scrapes due to width.

I will get more of the build up tomorrow.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
 

06 h3

Observer
Then I decided it was time for some rock sliders...Rocky roads were the best available at the time. Looking back I would have made my own now but I didnt have a welder or skill to make them then.

I like how they stick out to slide around on rocks or when a civic throws there door open they get the damage :sombrero:

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06 h3

Observer
Next mod was put on and eventually taken out, I personally do not like this mod but will post it for future reference if someone had this idea. Diff Drop spacers. The goal was to put in these spacers to reduce the angles on the Halfshafts. I put em in and had them on for a while. I will talk about why I hate them on a future post...THESE SUCK IMHO avoid them...

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06 h3

Observer
Next trail I hit was in frazier park...This was kind of a rude awakening for me...Being a new wheeler I relied heavily on spotters and the first few big runs I had the hummer guys spot me who knew the good line for a hummer. This run was with my jeep buddies and I had little spotting but at the end of the day I became a better driver. I did get some damage but it was all worth it, especially when one of the jeepers walked back to grab his winch line and by the time he turns around I was up the obstacle :smiley_drive:

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First damage! :victory:

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06 h3

Observer
After the run my skid was beat up pretty bad. I had a custom made diff skid made. It is 3/16 instead of the stock skid.

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06 h3

Observer
Next was my gobi ranger roof rack with the spare tire mount from Tim @ expedition hardware...Hes a great guy to deal with, very informative.

I at first was very happy with my ranger rack but now as I get more and more into wheeling and push my rig I get concerned with the COG. Having a 2nd spare is a great idea and looks good but performace wise I feel if I was to do it again I would go make an aluminum rack for the lightweight factor.

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06 h3

Observer
This post has no pics....I went on a local trail after school and before work...BAD IDEA!! I went to drinkwater flats with someone I met in class who wheels an isuzu trooper. He led and all was fine. We went on an offshoot trail with a steep climb. He couldnt make it up so I tried, no luck. Then he took a running start and he failed. I took a running start hit a rock bounced and said goodbye to my halfshaft and front diff. First breakdown I ended up replacing it in my driveway. I learned alot doing my own work in the driveway. It was a good experience to get under the truck. Months later I realized something...I continued to research and pushed to learn more about the H3 and other 4x4s. I realized that the diff drop spacers had something to do with my failure. They wore out my diff mount bushings and put stress on my crossmember diff bushing. It put it at an angle and put stress on that POS. Was it my fault for the breakdown? YES of course, it was a dumb move but the diff spacers did contribute. As you push your 3 the diff spacers put stress and cant hold up to the punishment you put it through.
 

06 h3

Observer
Well it was a nice site to come home from class and see this sitting at the door! I stalled and didnt buy a new diff right away. If I didnt procrastinate I would of had it right away, I waited though and buy the time I ordered the diff was on a national backorder. FML. I waited for weeks and I found this diff off of a wrecked H3. This was thought to be the Cast Iron one (stronger one) but it wasnt. At this point I was just happy to install it and get back on the road. Looking back I should of threw it in 4Hi locked and drive around in 2WD...

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06 h3

Observer
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Some squeky3 plates and the emblems painted red...eventually the plate made it to the spare tire (temporarily with zip ties)

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06 h3

Observer
Then the low profile shock mounts...these helped so much on the trail! I got hung up much less on the trail

I cut off the extended U bolts...not shown in the pic.

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