The beginning of an EXPO Hummer H2 SUT

[93vg30e]

well i have been on this forum for well over a year and have never posted so here it is. i have enjoyed reading about everyones rigs and their adventures and learning about more of the expo lifestyle that we all love. maby someone can get some insperation from my rig who knows....

here she is a 2005 hummer h2 SUT full loaded.... pretty much the only way a h2 comes, it took a while to find one without the problematic rear air suspension but i did. this truck as had about $10,000 of warrenty work since i have had it, including rebuilding the trans, new cluster, exhaust mainfold studs, oil and trans cooler lines and the new style mirrors (i demanded they were to be replaced cause one of the old ones would not properly power fold with out being pushed HAHA... and they did it!)... and the list/stack of service orders continue (i have been very worried about taking this truck with its below average reliablility but it seems to be holding its own now)

First off FUEL MILEAGE i can average about 13.5 mpg when i drive nice so that and 130 liter tank (sorry to all the imperial folk) gives me close to a 500 km range, then ad 60 liters in the box and life is good!!!

Here she is the first week i bought here on a little adventure from home in Edmonton Alberta, to Drumheller put the 6 Hella 550's on the week prior, middle 4 are pencils and the 2 outer are floods.

and hood shot for those of you who have never driven one

I love the underbody protection from factory, the front plate is 4MM aluminum and the cage extends past the transmission, love it!!!

Gotta have a Glamor shot (3 hours from home, just south of Hinton Alberta)

Installed my scangauge II and the sirius radio

here is the rack i built, holds 1 pipefitters style Job box, 1 standerd size cooler and 3 Septor Canadian military style fuel cans, with tiedown loops and a lock cable for the fuel cans (have lunch on some logging road, vancover island BC)

A couple random pictures from my recent adventures

The tent is a Mountain hardware Viperine 3 for all you tenting lovers.

Hope you guys enjoyed them,

I am planning a trip for the end of July to explore some of Utahs back country, would love to meet up with you guys along the way.

Mods to be done before the utah trip
37" tires with 2" lift or 36" tires on stock suspension???
CB radio...
Roof rack for some extra storage

 

[gophere]

Hi and welcome, I am also pretty new but have learned a lot so far.\
I love Alberta, my sister lives just southwest of Cargary and i get up there quite a bit.
cant wait to see this truck transform!

 

[Jis4Jeep]

Very cool I enjoyed the pics, I would like to see some more pics of the carrier you built. Good for you forcing the warranty work.

 

[93vg30e]

Yea for sure,

The platform is a pressure treated 2-4 base with one cross brace. and then i covered it with 3/4 plywood and painted it with marine paint.

The job box i just got a beat up one from work bashed it back into shape and painted it, it is bolted to the plywood for security, its great for the storage of outdoor stuff...

As for the tie downs the have been mounted to fit my fuel cans and a stander colman style cooler, they are 3/8 (i think) eye bolts and just put some large washers on both sides so they would not tear the plywood

its so heavy i dont need to fasten it to the truck and its not interior mounted so in the event of a roll over i should be safe in the cabin.

 

[Jis4Jeep]

Cool dude, me being a jeep guy I am always jeolouse of those with full size suvs and I'm cramped in my lil ol TJ.

 

[Rot Box]

Nice rig! Its great to see your H2 offroad being used properly as so many never leave the pavement.

 

[redthies]

Nice tent shot at Porteau! I used to camp there all the time... It is the only ocean-front real estate I can afford!:sombrero:
We met a German guy there last fall with a copper colored H2 SUT with rtt etc who was also doing the right thing by his truck and taking it from Alaska to central america.

 

[jasonL_031]

nice looking h2 i love seeing those actually used for what they are built for.

 

[02TahoeMD]

Welcome aboard, and very, very nice to see an H2 that does not have 22's on it and is actually dirty. Bravo! :smiley_drive:

 

[Ron B]

...very nice to see an H2 that does not have 22's on it and is actually dirty.

it is refreshing! The h2 is far better than people give it credit.

 

[Jean-Seb]

Looking great, nice build so far. I'm with the others about the fact that you're using it the way it should be. :victory:

 

[Rot Box]

I forgot to mention you may want to look into some aftermarket tie-rods for the front steering. Don't get me wrong the H2's have a very stout drive train, but the tie rods have a very unusual and weak design. I have seen one break on the trail under little stress.

(edit) not my vid just an idea of what can happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxrdwXXat14

I would look into a Rare parts upgrade or something else for a little peace of mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRSjXnvas_8&feature=related

 

[evldave]

I forgot to mention you may want to look into some aftermarket tie-rods for the front steering. Don't get me wrong the H2's have a very stout drive train, but the tie rods have a very unusual and weak design. I have seen one break on the trail under little stress.

x2 and then buy 2 more as backup

Love the bed box, and that you are representing hummer's very well on here too many toyota's if you ask me ROFSheriffHL:

Any plans for a rtt or other upgrades in the near future? Love to see H2s built up for expo (and not just moab)

 

[93vg30e]

Hey guys, thanks for the words and glad you like the truck...

Belive it or not we sleep in the back of the truck (rear seats) when it raining! otherwise we tent, with the bottom of the seats removed the backs flold down and we sleep ontop of that, the truck is so wide it give us 5' 6" inchs door to door, we just slide the front seats up and its comfortable for the girlfriend and i to relax dry for the night.

currently i do care some spares, alternator, tierods - both sides, every exterior light on the truck, gm fuses and relays, fan belt and a few quarts of various fluids. I dont drive the truck to extremes offroad but i do plan to replace a few front end parts with upgrades but only when they need replacing.

REDTHIES - By far thats one of the most amazing camp sites i have ever been to, the train tracks are only about 15 feet away and it scared the absolute hell outa me in the middle of the night!!!! we ended up there as a fluke to, i didnt even know it existed. I had to swing by Dudek? hummer in Vancouver to have my trans codes scanned and just ended up finding that place on the way out sweet!

FUTURE UPGRADES
Tires - i need new rear tires bad (still factory rears) so i am looking at some Procomp extreme M/T's 37 - 12.5 on the factory wheels or maby some procomp extreme A/T's 37 - 12.5 on the factory wheels, i have had great luck with procomp tires and have had them on my past 3 vehicals!

Brush Gaurd - this is also badly needed, i peeled some of the plastic chrome crap off the front of the truck when it got wacked with a tree limb, i have been looking at the factory Hummer one but they just dont seem to cut it.... i have found ones made by predator and HMA which are alright, i dont really want a road armor one, too heavy/bulk and just not the look i want!!! i still want the vehical to look classy when i go out at night.

 

[LimaMikeMike]

I think I may have seen your truck this past winter, I comented to my self that It was one of the few that I've seen that was dirty:elkgrin:

I secretly lust after the H3T, but thats a secret.