E-Locker in high range

[Phil H.]

As I understand it, they'll be selling from their website, too. I'm not a real big fan of dealers.

I don't work for those people, so pardon me, but I don't understand why we got the hate mail, nor did I like it. All I did was write what I saw and what I understood to be true. If people have a problem with AmStar, talk to them. If you have and are frustrated, that's understandable. How do you think I felt when the feature came out and we found out that nothing was in production yet?

Off-Road magazine isn't AmStar. I don't have any control over what they do and don't do. I do reserve the right to think that some people are real sphincters for getting pissed off at me for no reason.

[HummBebe]

I'm not pissed at you Phil

GM wanted to get into the accessory business. Period. No licensing was allowed. No one was given H3's to develop products for.

Perhaps, GM knew and helped foster the development of Amstar, a partnership between AM General and Starcraft.

The only thing we as H3 owners can do, is have everything custom built. We have seen a good deal of customization on this site already. Winches, roofracks etc.

To be honest, that's how the H3 will develop higher trail credit, through the innovation of it's owners.

[Phil H.]

I was talking about the people who sent hate mail to the magazine, not anyone here.

GM has been very hard to deal with regarding off-road issues and off-road equipping their vehicles. It's as if the people who are running GM think we're all Neanderthals that don't deserve any credit, when in fact, we're the image leaders who put the brand out in front of John and Jane Q. Public.

As I understand it, AmStar's problems with production is because of this very thing. That's also why they'll be selling from their website and not only through dealers. Once again, as I understand things, they want to be OE-spec because dealers MAY be selling these products. The dealers won't be the only outlet for these parts.

AmStar isn't GM. I think it is a joint-venture between AM General and Vistar.

I told ARB that they should be working on a winch bumper for the H3. They said they had two requests for that, while over 400 (!) FJ Cruiser owners are waiting for product. I think that shows why we don't have more aftermarket suppliers eagerly jumping into the H3 market.

[HummBebe]

From the AMSTAR website "About Us"

Amstar offers a full line of aftermarket accessories that enhance the performance, appearance and the rugged off-road experience of HUMMER? H2 and H3 vehicles.
Amstar is a 50-50 joint partnership with Tecstar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Starcraft Corporation of Goshen, Indiana, and AM General LLC of South Bend, Indiana. Starcraft is a leading supplier to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) automotive supply market and AM General is a world leader in design, engineering, production and parts support of military and special purpose vehicles, including the HUMMER.

[Phil H.]

See how much us stupid magazine guys know?

[Phil H.]

I don't know where I came up with Vistar. Here's what I wrote in my article:

"The big news is that AM General and Tecstar have joined together to form AMSTAR, a company dedicated to building wilderness ready H3s . . ."

It's time for dinner. I think my brain is energy-starved.

[HummBebe]

Originally Posted by Phil H.

See how much us stupid magazine guys know?

Now you have to come to the Rubicon wuth us "owners"

We will go more than once this year, we're local

[usetosellhummer]

If memory serves me, the locker on the Alpha H1 does not have a kick out. Your all in man, I sold Hummer for 3 yers. i sold 3 H1's 200+ H2's
listen close...
DEALERS do not know SHEEEET!

[rkcrawl]

Back on topic - The only way you'll get the Elocker in hi-range is to wire in a over-ride switch to keep it engaged, when YOU want it engaged. I'm not a fan of this disengage are 15-20mph stuff either and/or engaged in Lo-Range only.

[f5fstop]

Not hard to wire around the locker and keep it on up to 99 mph. I figured it out last year. Just a hint, the TCCM controls the e-locker and receives feedback that it is engaged. If a person bypassed the circuit to the e-locker, and the circuit for the feedback, the e-locker can be engaged at any time, and the TCCM will not set a code.

[Phil H.]

Thanks!

[Huck BB62]

Originally Posted by Phil H.

I told ARB that they should be working on a winch bumper for the H3. They said they had two requests for that, while over 400 (!) FJ Cruiser owners are waiting for product. I think that shows why we don't have more aftermarket suppliers eagerly jumping into the H3 market.

I appreciate the time you're taking on this thread Phil.

ARB has ninnies in charge of it. That's one of the most hilarioius things I've read, even more so that it's probably dead true! I'm serious, you identify the market, go after it, not the market comes begging to you. I think ARB has been very MUCH tied to the Toyota moniker, therefore, they'll probably NEVER see H3 owners knocking on their door. Now, if they offered all of the stuff previously mentioned, say a Hummer line of accessories, I'm betting the herd will stampede. Ask any H3 owners what they think of ARB, I'm betting H3 doesn't come to mind. It's up to ARB to change that. It's also up to Amstar to change their policy. The shock mount skid plates should be selling two months ago. The roof rack, same thing. The only thing, in fact, that I see engineering being involved with is the front e-locker. As Humbebe's said, slap a ZR2 case in there with the locker and call it a day and quit trying to re-invent the friggin' wheel!

[Phil H.]

I've returned from dinner.

I'll let you know how everything turns out. Also, I'll try to find out if parts are forthcoming from AmStar.

Huck BB62 - I like those snow photos in the other thread. I'm moving where it snows. A lot. While I went to college in snow country, that was 30 years ago. This desert guy is going to have to learn winter driving technique all over again.

[Huck BB62]

Originally Posted by Phil H.

I've returned from dinner.

I'll let you know how everything turns out. Also, I'll try to find out if parts are forthcoming from AmStar.

Huck BB62 - I like those snow photos in the other thread. I'm moving where it snows. A lot. While I went to college in snow country, that was 30 years ago. This desert guy is going to have to learn winter driving technique all over again.

Thanks, it was a beautiful day. A few words about snow driving, slow down (I hate people that don't do this and smash other people's cars up) and take a shovel. (good warm boots and gloves too) I love driving in the snow, I've done a ton of it up here. I don't know about where you're moving to but our snow is wet and heavy. When we were up in Alaska, that snow's entirely different, hell, you could drive through that powder hood deep and a wet southern Sierra snow will have you fighting hard at a foot deep. I bought chains for the H3, just for emergencies and icy conditions. If I lived in snow country though, I'd just get a separate set of studded tires like the natives do, seems like the right way to go.

[Sewie]

Phil - its a case of kill the messenger I guess. Not fair, but so it goes.

I remember reading not too long ago that the Marketing folks for Amstar jumped the gun on releasing info and the engineering folks have been playing catchup ever since.

I look forward to seeing what they do with your truck and hearing how it works for you.