Handling mods

Ok,..so I'm not into rock crawling and stuff,...I use my yeallow station wagon for commuting to work and hauling stuff from Home Depot and Sams' Club.

Anyway,..I like sports cars (have one) and hate it when a car pushes terribly in a turn.  So I set about to make a few improvements in the H3s' street drivability.

First mod was to order the Ground Force lowering kit.  Mid $300 range,..and came with tapered 3" lowering blocks for the rear, longer "U" bolts,..better rear shocks (less compression dampening I believe), and better designed spring plates, so the shock doesn't ride below the bottom of the leaf spring.

Here's what the kit contained;



And a pic of the rear shock perches/spring plates;



After doing the 30 minute lowering job,.. here's pics of the result.

Stock height.


1" front drop,...3" rear drop.



Now,..this admitedly this looked a tad odd.  Even thoguh the wheel gaps were perfectly even,..there is an optical illusion that the rear is low.  So I bought some 2" spring spacers and used them last winter,..and this summer I reinstalled the 3" ones and lowered the front a 1/3" more than in the above "after" pic.  Looks very normal now,..and drives great.  Maybe in a day or so I'll replace the after pic with what it looks like currently. 

Next was to lessen the front push (where the front tires howl incessently in any turn).

I used a 2 pronged approach, employing the same stuff I use when I track my sports car.  One was to add some front negative camber.  I dialed in -1.34 degrees.  Stock is zero,...but not only does this result in lousy handling,...the front tires also showed excessive wear and cupping on the outside.  So some negative camber would not only impove handling,..it would also increase tire life.

Step 2 was to stiffen the rear swaybar.  I know that Hellwig (and maybe others) make a stiffer one,..and includes stiffer bushings for the front http://www.teakatoys.com/Hummer_H3_Sway_Bar_by_Hellwig_p/hw-7682.htm  for $264,..but this is a lease and I don't want to add too many aftermarket parts or spend too much money.  So I decided to modify the stock bar so as to make it adjustable.

The stock bar is solid and pinched at the end.  I added some weld to the top and bottom of each end an inch or two from the ends,..and then ground that part of the round bar flat.  All this to extend the flat and wide area where the endlinks attach.  Then I drilled a new set of holes an inch inboard of the origionals,..and hit them with some black spray paint.  The endlinks are actually closer to vertical than before.



If I'd though about it a year ago,..I might have ordered up a set of 18" rims from Tire Rack with some bridgestone Dueller LT  (Not the A/T that the H3x comes with).  But my lease is up in 10 months,..so this is probably all I'll do.

I'll sell the lowering package before then and put the rear endlinks back in their origional holes.

If I had it to do over,...I'd make the second set of rear endlink holes 1.4" inboard, and maybe run -1 degree of front camber.  It's great now,...but that might suit more H3 owners better.  No calculators,..just trial and error.


This pic added a month and a half after start of topic, so the coments below don't include

Sweet!!
 
I think Vader may be interested in this!!!

nice.there are quite a few out there that wouldnt mind a lowered look.......and that doesnt seem to be a bad price

You can lower it with just spring spacers and longer "U" bolts.  Total cost should be $30.

Stock "U" bolts are 3 5/8" ID and 7.25" long.  So you'd add your desired drop to the 7.25" length.

Here's some that are 3 5/8" x 10",  so they would be good for a 2.75" drop (probably for a 3" too).  You can just cut them down to the required length if you don't like having the extra threads hang down.  Note,..that after 2" you need to use tapered blocks to keep the pinon angle in check.  $12.50
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/u-bolt-58-x-3-58-x-10-p-215.html

Here's some lowering blocks  $14.76 a pair.
http://www.gcustoms.com/product_info/category_id/5/subcategory_id/139/subcategory2_id/4009/products_id/264/

So to do a 2" rear drop and a 1/2" front drop would run about $28.00  This would be a good option for those simply looking to level their cars.  A 1" drop in the back and a 1/2" lift in the front would work great also,...and be much better for the suspension and front axles / CV joints than simply trying to crank the front up 2".

The Ground Force kit also gave a better ride with the better designed shocks.  Less comp dampening and possibly a tad more rebound makes it less bouncy.

I'd think everyone would like the car better with a 1.5" rear drop, but I haven't found 1.5" blocks.  So 1" rear drrop with 1/2" lift in front or 2" drop in back with a 1/2" drop in front seems the best options.

My brother shorty may have collapsed on the ground, unable to type after reading this thread...so I will do it for him....
 
 
 
 

i hit my head hard on the floor - now that you've done all that work, does it handle like a porsche? i can't see the point in all that just to make it more like a car - why not just buy a car? 

quote:

ORIGINAL: shortbus

i hit my head hard on the floor - now that you've done all that work, does it handle like a porsche? i can't see the point in all that just to make it more like a car - why not just buy a car? 

 
Well,...I have a car (a highly modified Subaru STI,..0-60 in 3.4 sec).  But for my business I need to haul stuff.  I can get as mush or more into the STI at Sams Club,..but if I need to haul big things like plywood, concrete or mini fridges,...I need a minivan or wagon.  Also I want something with remote start for winter.  I had a 2003 Windstar before,..but I couldn't bring myself to drive a minivan for another 3 years.
 
Yes it does handle dramatically better now.  Not like a Porsche,..but probably like an Impalla SS (which I humiliated on a freeway cloverleaf last night).

Wel now, this is interesting.  I would cut you all the slack in the world on whatever you want to do with your Hummer.  You paid for it, if you want to lower it, cool with me.  I have no problems with street Hummers for pounding pavement.  Not my style, but that doesn't matter.  There are more off roaders on this site than pavement pounders, but everybody is equally welcome.  

The Suburu thing, and from a Detroiter, I'm gonna try super hard to keep from sharing my opinions about jap crap.

Got rice?

 

Why did you get an H3 if you want a sports car?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Desert Dan

Why did you get an H3 if you want a sports car?

 
I have both.  I have a daily driven Subaru sports car that seats 5,..and on street tires turns the same lap times as the half dozen trailer'd '03 and '04 ZO6 Vettes on slicks that I see at the track days..
 
And I have the H3 is for when It's really cold out (remote start) and for when I need to haul concrete, mini-fridges, plywood (on roof) etc.  It's also my loaner car when a friend needs to borrow something.  A friend of mine turbo'd his Cobalt SS and used it for 3 weeks recently.
 
I really like the new Ford Edge too,  but the Flex will have more room for hauling junk.  I'll have to check it out when it hits showrooms.  I had pulled the rear seats out of the H3 to try to get more cargo room.  It's tiny inside,..but does have the required 32" rear opening height I need for mini-fridges (I own a small hotel).
 
I'd done these mods a year and a half ago.  I'd just thought I'd post them somewhere for others amusement / benefit before I turned the car in.  There's opnly about a 30% chance I'll get another one.  Some visitors to this site may want usable armrests,...rearward vision or descent handling.  For those rare people,..heres what I did.
 
True most people on this board probably go out of their way to drive off-road,..but 9 out of 10 H3 owners use them like a minivan.  Some of them may happen along this site one day.

Don't be a hater, I think it's pretty cool, very unique.

quote:

ORIGINAL: duckstu



True most people on this board probably go out of their way to drive off-road,..

Wow, I didn't know that!

I like the lowered look but I also like the stock "rack" effect at the same time. 

I'm from Ohio, and when I grew up you bought a truck or SUV (I REFUSE to call it a station wagon, I don't care what MI, (it's the same in OH by the way), puts on the registration) because it can go and do things that a car can't. Now my wife is from the lovely state (sarcasim) of CA and she doesn't think that anything is wrong with it. Everything out there is slammed, except for the occasional desert runner. I do have to agree with doc on the fact that you bought it, do what you want with it.
I personally can't stand it when people lower thier trucks but I think that it's great that you have figured out how to do your thing to it cheaply and are sharing. That's the whole point of this site, IMO.
Sorry, just had to vent on the topic a little.

i think we all need to step back.....drink a beer......look at some boobs....and rethink the situation.hahaha........im gonna do it dang it

not everything in CA is slammed and i DO think there's something wrong with it - but since i didn't pay for it, my opinion counts for exactly dik.
 
now, back to our regularly scheduled beer and boobs show . . . . . . 

Sorry Shortbus, she's from Arcadia, right outside of LA. That's where I got that opinion from
 

quote:

ORIGINAL: shortbus

i hit my head hard on the floor - now that you've done all that work, does it handle like a porsche? i can't see the point in all that just to make it more like a car - why not just buy a car? 

 
I'm with you on this one, Shortbus! Why lower a full-time, four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicle? Oh well, to each their own. Like Doc stated, you paid for it, you can do whatever you like.

im still doin the boobs and beer thing.the heck with this lowering stuff

already started the beer, just waiting for the boobs . . . . .

Dear lord,
      Thank you for wonderful beer and boobs.
             
             AMEN

I know, I know,...it's sacrilige.  But after seeing the H3 Street prototype.............

The H3x started off as the H3 Street.  It featured the spare tire carrier, body colored grill, brush guard, 18" wheels of the current H3x, roof rack, chrome package with gas cap, roof marker lamps, DUAL sunroof, ...AND was slated to be fitted with the Ground Force kit.  Apparently GM loved what it did for the car.

Neither the Ground Force kit or the dual sunroof made it to production though, and the roof mrker lamps remained optional.  And most of the H3 Street pictures you'll find don't enen show the car with the kit installed.  Some of the designers that i chat with at the local cruize spots report having seen it that way though.  (and by the way,...they knew full well the inside armrests / window switches sucked.  There just wasn't enough money or time to fix them).

I think the H3 would look best with a 1.5" drop in the back,..and the front at factory height.  I had it at 2" drop for most of my ownership with the front down 1/2".  I just can't find any pics of it at that height.  It was only a week after taking those pics that I raised the rear up an inch.

Well now i kmow God must not be a big Hummer fan. If so he would have struck you done with a bolt of lightning before you got near it with a wrench. But, I will admit it looks very good.

quote:

ORIGINAL: duckstu

I know, I know,...it's sacrilige.  But after seeing the H3 Street prototype.............

The H3x started off as the H3 Street.  It featured the spare tire carrier, body colored grill, brush guard, 18" wheels of the current H3x, roof rack, chrome package with gas cap, roof marker lamps, DUAL sunroof, ...AND was slated to be fitted with the Ground Force kit.  Apparently GM loved what it did for the car.

Neither the Ground Force kit or the dual sunroof made it to production though, and the roof mrker lamps remained optional.  And most of the H3 Street pictures you'll find don't enen show the car with the kit installed.  Some of the designers that i chat with at the local cruize spots report having seen it that way though.  (and by the way,...they knew full well the inside armrests / window switches sucked.  There just wasn't enough money or time to fix them).

I think the H3 would look best with a 1.5" drop in the back,..and the front at factory height.  I had it at 2" drop for most of my ownership with the front down 1/2".  I just can't find any pics of it at that height.  It was only a week after taking those pics that I raised the rear up an inch.

 
Don't worry ducky!! I'm on board and that's ALL YA NEED!!!!

quote:

ORIGINAL: HummBob
Don't worry ducky!! I'm on board and that's ALL YA NEED!!!!

 
Thanks Bob.  Nice looking truck there.  Wheels a bit big for my taste (and these detroit roads),...but looks sharp. 
 
I keep looking at the 7 spoke 18" ones that are optional on the Hummer site.  But they are brutally expensive.  $2,200 for bare rims and nothing back for the stockers.
 
I find myself window shopping for wheels like these.  $150 each at Discount Tire Direct (plus tires).  But I can't rationalize it at this point.  If there had been more selection in late 2005 I would have done it,...and ebay'd them off when I was done with the car.  Now it's too late.  I'll only have the vehicle another 10 months.