Upgrade Steering and Suspensions Parts

[H2ummer]

All good stuff. I did most of that last year.

Cognito steering support kit
Cognito upper control arm kit
Rare Parts Tie Rods
Bilstein front and rear shocks
Rancho steering stabilizer
Moog Pitman and Idler

But I also added Crown Stainless Steel brake lines. No failures with those puppies.

Good luck with the install.

[citiboy]

Originally Posted by pdxrealtor

No, but I will. I was just taking a quick peek for ya.

How do you tell if they're loose?

get a pry bar and pry it side to side....if the rubber bushings are separated from the housing then, you have a bad one. i've noticed that they we're bad when i replaced my tb keys. mine's 08 and they're needed to be replace .

[citiboy]

Originally Posted by H2ummer

All good stuff. I did most of that last year.

Cognito steering support kit
Cognito upper control arm kit
Rare Parts Tie Rods
Bilstein front and rear shocks
Rancho steering stabilizer
Moog Pitman and Idler

But I also added Crown Stainless Steel brake lines. No failures with those puppies.

Good luck with the install.

Thanks, how do you like the overall ride of the Bilstein? i can't tell yet the ride quality of mine 'coz i only installed the rear.

Crown brake lines are definitely on my to do list

[[__--MUD--__]]

Talking about tie rods...Here is something i'm working on-





My chromoly centerlink, idler and pitman should be showing up soon. Machine shop didn't follow my directions on the splines, had to redo it.

[SummitUp]

Originally Posted by citiboy

Summit, i went with the Moog tie-rods because of one thing....these will act as a fusible links on the steering. If i install a stronger tie-rods, something will give down the line. It's easier to replace the tie-rods especially on the trails.

As Tomp said, you can buy the strongest tie rods you can find and they still will be the first thing to give out, as there really is "nothing down the line" that will give way before even the strongest TR does. Sure it's easy to replace the TR's on the trail, but it's still no fun and you will be doing that more often than you like!

Here a video of our friend Alec losing a tie rod on a very easy trail here in Colorado, shows how easy it is to break an OEM style TR:

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

Originally Posted by citiboy

Recently, i busted my RF inner half-shaft....luckily a friend of mine had a spare and i replaced it on the trail....imagine if the half-shaft didn't give, the next in-line is the diffirential. I replaced it with Cardone Select and i never had any problem yet.

.
Oh yeah, I've been there, done that. Last time was in Moab, and guess what? The half shaft I grenaded was a Cardone Select! Nothing is bullet proof, and IMO the Cardones are no stronger than OEM's.

[citiboy]

Summit, i always thought about the weakest link in the system, easier and cheaper when it need replacements. You and tomp really changing how i viewed this especially with our trucks. I only install the Cardone Select because it's cheaper than oem and i read somewhere that it was a good choice for cranked tb keys to prevent vibrations above 70mph.

On the other hand, did you ever fix or are you still having issues on the cognito steering support bracket, i found your thread on the other forum. I hope that i won't have any rubbing issues after i've install mine.

I'm all open to suggestions especially from you guys that knows H2 more than me and more experienced off-roaders. I think this is we're a good forum shines. Hat's off to you both.

Keep 'em comin'

[tomp]

That was likely me that reported cardones have less vibration with cranked TBs above 70mph. It was very clear they are smoother when cranked.

[citiboy]

Originally Posted by tomp

That was likely me that reported cardones have less vibration with cranked TBs above 70mph. It was very clear they are smoother when cranked.

Maybe that's why i never have vibrations at highway speeds.

Did you ever have problems or replaced your torsion key support bracket bushings?

[tyler1bo]

Originally Posted by citiboy

LOL....btw, how do you like your rancho steering stabilizer? i'm tempting to get that but go with the bilstein instead, hopefully i made a good choice.

To be honest I'm really not noticing a great difference over stock. I don't think you'll be disappointed in the Bilstein at all, they make great shocks. I think the only way you could really tell a difference either way is if you got dual stabilizers.

[citiboy]

Originally Posted by tyler1bo

To be honest I'm really not noticing a great difference over stock. I don't think you'll be disappointed in the Bilstein at all, they make great shocks. I think the only way you could really tell a difference either way is if you got dual stabilizers.

Thanks for the update

[tomp]

Never had an issue with that bushing

Bilstein stabilizer will be fine. However, upgrading to an aftermarket one is still questionable on an H2 as most folks upgrade before ever experiencing a need to - over the stock stabilizer. Once you lose your steering while offroading, you will wonder if upgrading the stabilizer to a stiffer unit made matters worse.

[citiboy]

Is it only me that having bad tb key support bracket bushings

I don't have any problems with the stock steering stabilizer. When i saw my stock steering stabilizer that rusted (not leaking yet), i thought, i'm upgrading the steering anyway, so it's time to replace it at the same time and have a spare for the trails .

[SummitUp]

Originally Posted by citiboy

Summit, i always thought about the weakest link in the system, easier and cheaper when it need replacements. You and tomp really changing how i viewed this especially with our trucks. I only install the Cardone Select because it's cheaper than oem and i read somewhere that it was a good choice for cranked tb keys to prevent vibrations above 70mph.

On the other hand, did you ever fix or are you still having issues on the cognito steering support bracket, i found your thread on the other forum. I hope that i won't have any rubbing issues after i've install mine.

I'm all open to suggestions especially from you guys that knows H2 more than me and more experienced off-roaders. I think this is we're a good forum shines. Hat's off to you both.

Keep 'em comin'

Citiboy, I assume the thread your referring to was on the H-u-m-m-e-r-X forum? <LINK>

I started the Same Thread here on Elcova as well (and I see the photos that I linked from the H-u-m-m-e-r-X site don't show anymore. Elcova has since instigated a policy of not allowing links to other Hummer sites, total BS if you ask me, but as you see from the link above there are ways around this!). The problem your referring to was not seen by everyone, and we finally concluded that the reason for it was that there were differences in the actual castings of the steering knuckles (and perhaps LCA's) due to different production runs from different subs who provided the parts to GM. This also explained why some had rubbing issues with 37" tires and some did not.

At any rate at that time I solved the problem (for myself at least) with the modification of adjustable turn limit bump stops. But this is all moot for me at this point as I have replaced all the OEM steering components with a custom Hydro-Assist steering upgrade.

[tomp]

Originally Posted by SummitUp

I have replaced all the OEM steering components with a custom Hydro-Assist steering upgrade.

...of which we are still awaiting pics

[SummitUp]

Originally Posted by tomp

...of which we are still awaiting pics

OK, asked and answered!

As shown in This Post from This Thread from way back in 2004. Can't take credit for the design, I purchased this from Hummie2 about a year ago when he sold his H2. Best upgrade ever for my Deuce!

OEM steering components shown at bottom of photo, replaced by Hydro-Assist components shown at the top:

[citiboy]

Wow, that's some serious steering upgrades...man, if i know these upgrades before i bought my steering parts...i'm gonna get this instead. Well, this goin' to be on my many upgrades to do list. Can you tell me some of your experience on this set-up.

[Hellz]

Originally Posted by [__--MUD--__]

Talking about tie rods...Here is something i'm working on-





My chromoly centerlink, idler and pitman should be showing up soon. Machine shop didn't follow my directions on the splines, had to redo it.

i had looked into creating or buyign TR's like that, but being in a a state with harsh winters (Minnesota) it is advisable to not go with something like that as the winter grime will chew through the poly bushings on destroy those TRs pretty quick.

instead i went with the Kyrptonight TRs, and havent looked back.
Hell, they sent me some upgraded ends before i deployed and i havent gotten them on yet. guess there was a recall on the ends awhile back.

i cant really comment on the Bilstien shocks. I have them installed for awhile now.
They are great, but i have my T bars cranked, so my ride is pretty stiff.
i do notice i dont get alot of bouncing when i hit potholes or bumps.
I think if i was to buy new ones, i would go with adjustable ones though without a doubt.


I liek that setup, and i remember the pics of that when it was floating around here. would love to throw that in my duece, but it (looks) is a total overhaul, relocation of the steering components.

[[__--MUD--__]]

Michigan here....more salt on the roads than snow. But I already thought of what you said. I have rubber boots to keep all the **** out and seal them full of grease. Problem solved.

[citiboy]

I just finished installing the Cognito steering support bracket and i when i tested it....they we're both touching the cross member at full lock....can anybody tell me if this is normal.

Cognito pitman arm bracket touching the cross member when full lock.


Here's the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcC9p...2&feature=plcp

Cognito idler arm bracket touching the cross member when full lock.


Here's the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qjob...ppNQMJNrdM6sUQ

[pdxrealtor]

Mine does the exact same thing, although it's hard to tell if it's to that extent.

One thing I did read from a guy who sells these kits on another forum, and it's hard to tell from your pics/video, is that the nut closest to the eyelet should be cinched up tight against the eyelet. At that point the last thing to tighten up would be the bolt on the other side of the bracket.

When I tightened this last nut it actually pulled the bracket in toward the eyelet.

If I remember, it was contradicting to the instructions but made sense when done.

The other part of importance was to make sure the eyelet was nice and centered on the ball, which it appears from your pics, you've done.