Some brotherly help/advice....

[OrangeCrush]

As fellow H2 owners, you'll understand my dilemna. I've had some issues with my H2 when towing. As a daily driver, no issues whatsoever but as a tow vehicle, it ain't cutting it.

In order for me to salvage my love, I was going to install a set of 4.88 gears and aluminum radiator.

I had mentioned this vehicle before.



















There are a few things I don't like about it but I can fix.

The dealer will take my truck in on trade plus 12K for it. It has 112K on the truck and 60K on the engine. (I have no idea if it is a used engine or a new kit... I'm assuming used)

I can't touch a diesel conversion for under 25-30K doing most of the work myself. I want to send the truck to a GM dealership and have a diesel tech look at it. I'm interested to make sure no jerry rigging has gone on. (ie. lights blacked out, wires cut, etc, etc)

I definitely don't like the black on the back half to make it look like an SUV but obviously owning a bodyshop, I can fix that.

So what's your thoughts? I called up Predator and gave them the vin#, it IS NOT one of their kits.

At 25K miles per year, I will save roughly $4K in fuel per year alone... and as I mentioned earlier, in order to fix my vehicle so I can tow, it'll still cost me 2K out of pocket right now.... so my point is, it's more like 10K and my truck as far as expense.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Mark

[OrangeCrush]

My current ride....

[Cazador]

Thoughts?

Honestly? Keep the H2, get it fixed. Get a dedicated tow vehicle. I LOVE my H2 SUT(thumbs up for another white SUT!!)...and I use it as my daily driver unless it involves the ranch(other than getting there). I've towed with it before and frankly...I don't care what you do to it, it's just NOT going to be as good as a F250/F350 or F450 at towing. Comes down to choosing the right tool for the job, rather than trying to turn a great tool into a multi-purpose tool.

Good luck to you!

[Easy Ed]

That exhaust is going to affect the departure angle for sure

All kidding aside, I got to agree with Cazador, proper tool for the proper job, keep the H2 for a daily driver if ya like it and get something to tow with.

That truck you are looking at is most likely someones hack job, just a guess, and you'll be fu(kin with it next to keep it running and I think you have had enough troubles trying to keep the H2 running while towing and do not need any more headaches while on trips.

Only my opinion.

Ed

Plus, just a couple things that stood out in the one pic that don't look "professional"

Attachment 51929

[OrangeCrush]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the thoughts.

First, a few things.

I'm not looking for a tow vehicle. I just want to have a vehicle that if I did tow with it, I CAN.

The other thing is, after much checking, it seems that most of these conversions are getting in the low to mid 20 mpg.... a far cry from my 8 mpg average.

The dealer that has it bought it from an auction. He has been driving it for 5-6 months and says the only thing he feels it needs is a bully dog tuner for more ummph.

I have an appt Wed with a Hummer/truck dealership for them to check it out. I don't want a hack job, I don't mind a conversion but I want it right.

Ed, I did see the marks on the top of the radiator support, it pulls up with a clean carfax (not that guarantees anything) but I was going to check it out when I got down there)

I love my SUT, I'm sick of getting 8 mpg and can't tow.

I wish I could afford to have mine done.

Mark

One more thing.... I did talk to one of the guys are Predator. He says in his opinion that it would have to be pretty fukked up not to buy it for that price. He also said if I paid for his time and flight, they would fly from CA to Miami to check it out.... might be cheap insurance.

[Easy Ed]

Best of luck Mark. You are the one that ya got to make happy and if it looks like it will take the new truck to do that, go for it.

Ed

[timgco]

Sooooooo, how many miles on your SUT now? i'm not sure on the numbers with your trade + 10K for asking price of the Dmax H2?


What needs to be fixed on your truck? how much to do that?

trying to figure the numbers.

Aslo, try MASH MOTORS to see if they did the Dmax swap. They are in KS I believe.

[NJ H2]

I'd go with the Duramax TD if it's done right. The last thing you need is a hack job.

[twr]

Hi first off Mark you have a white truck? With the name OrangeCrush i thought your truck was orange. Any way fix your truck aleast you know what you have. If that conversion was done right it would have been sold for that price. Its alot of work to do it correct the body must be lifted off. Different computer and engine harness. If they can find out who did it maybe its worth checking more. I think its likely a HACK job. If you ready want it, get the guy from Predator to go and look at it aleast he knows what kind of job was done. Tell the dealer to lower the price enough to pay his flight? good luck Mark

[OrangeCrush]

Hi first off Mark you have a white truck? With the name OrangeCrush i thought your truck was orange.

My first H2 was....





I don't know who did the conversion. I'm hoping the dealer will be able to at least look at it and tell me if it looks jerry rigged.

The dealer wants 42K.

He's giving me 30K for mine.

There's nothing wrong with my H2 right now. It only has a problem when towing. It will cost about 2K to make it be able to tow.

The problem is, it will still only get 9-10mpg and will pull half as much as a duramax.

Just need to make a decision...

Mark

[twr]

hi Mark thats better now i get it {orange} any good hummer and gm tech can tell if it a hack job. First look at the wiring that will tell you how the rest was done. It should be a compete harness not pieces crimped together. If that looks good then check into it more.

[OrangeCrush]

Guys, thanks.... I appreciate all the advice but I've thought about it all night and decided to keep my truck and look into converting mine.

There's too many variables that I don't know about (ie. how many miles was on the engine before the sway? etc, etc)

I know how much I've got into mine and I'm also realistic enough to know that when I get this truck, I'll end up dumping a ton of money into it to make it the way I want.

I may as well take that 12K, add an add'l 10K I'm going to put into it and start my own conversion.

I appreciate everyone's help... sorry to sound so indecisive, I just like my truck too much to get rid of it.


Mark

[OrangeCrush]

Well, since I've decided to keep my truck, I just ordered 4.88 gears for the truck and a griffin 2 core aluminum radiator and a new tranny cooler.

Guess I'll do all this until I figure out how to go about the conversion if I decide to do it.

Mark

[HummerMann]

I do some towing now and then with my '06 SUT and I definitely wish it had more power. I drove an '09 and the 6.2 makes a BIG difference in power. My dilemma is the fact that my '06 is racking up serious miles and I'm ready for a new H2 with the bigger engine, but I'm still in doubt (as my dealer is too) if there is even going to be a new H2 produced. I think Lynch has one '09 left and Sewell has two, but then you run into the parts and service problems if they stop manufacturing them and the dealer up here is hanging on by his fingernails anyway without new inventory. If I don't see a new H2 come out by March I might be forced to just park my H2 and keep it for fun and buy a new Navigator for my daily driver.

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by HummerMann

I do some towing now and then with my '06 SUT and I definitely wish it had more power. I drove an '09 and the 6.2 makes a BIG difference in power. My dilemma is the fact that my '06 is racking up serious miles and I'm ready for a new H2 with the bigger engine, but I'm still in doubt (as my dealer is too) if there is even going to be a new H2 produced. I think Lynch has one '09 left and Sewell has two, but then you run into the parts and service problems if they stop manufacturing them and the dealer up here is hanging on by his fingernails anyway without new inventory. If I don't see a new H2 come out by March I might be forced to just park my H2 and keep it for fun and buy a new Navigator for my daily driver.

Or you can buy my 50K mile engine and tranny with supercharger when I pull it out for a diesel conversion.

[H2R]

I would never think to sell. I would think your on the right track when I supercharged I did the regear with 38 inch tires and had supercharger. I dont find a struggle when towing. I did install the corvette servo and additional tranny cooler. I would admit, I dont push the truck hard when I have 4,000 lbs behind me.

[timgco]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Well, since I've decided to keep my truck, I just ordered 4.88 gears for the truck and a griffin 2 core aluminum radiator and a new tranny cooler.

Guess I'll do all this until I figure out how to go about the conversion if I decide to do it.

Mark

I would go 4:56 instead of 4:88's for your daily driver.

http://www.elcovaforums.com/forums/s...39&postcount=3

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by timgco

I would go 4:56 instead of 4:88's for your daily driver.

http://www.elcovaforums.com/forums/s...39&postcount=3

I did on my old H2. It was never "quite enough". I figure 88's will give me that extra umph I need/want.

Mark

[pteam]

Originally Posted by HummerMann

I do some towing now and then with my '06 SUT and I definitely wish it had more power. I drove an '09 and the 6.2 makes a BIG difference in power. My dilemma is the fact that my '06 is racking up serious miles and I'm ready for a new H2 with the bigger engine, but I'm still in doubt (as my dealer is too) if there is even going to be a new H2 produced. I think Lynch has one '09 left and Sewell has two, but then you run into the parts and service problems if they stop manufacturing them and the dealer up here is hanging on by his fingernails anyway without new inventory. If I don't see a new H2 come out by March I might be forced to just park my H2 and keep it for fun and buy a new Navigator for my daily driver.

I also would 2nd Hummermann's vote for a 2008+ h2. You wont have a hack job, or spend all that cash and not be able to recoup alot of it when you sell. The 08s and up have 80 more hp or 25% more, 2 more gears or 50% more gears (makes a big difference) and tows 1600 more pounds or 24% more. It sounds like you only need a bit more, and I think all these things could make the difference. I routinely get 14 mpg in my 08 h2 and can hit 15s on the highway (not towing). The 2008s and up are way more refined, literally everything about it that is changed is much better.

[OrangeCrush]

Originally Posted by pteam

I also would 2nd Hummermann's vote for a 2008+ h2. You wont have a hack job, or spend all that cash and not be able to recoup alot of it when you sell. The 08s and up have 80 more hp or 25% more, 2 more gears or 50% more gears (makes a big difference) and tows 1600 more pounds or 24% more. It sounds like you only need a bit more, and I think all these things could make the difference. I routinely get 14 mpg in my 08 h2 and can hit 15s on the highway (not towing). The 2008s and up are way more refined, literally everything about it that is changed is much better.

I agree that it would be better but what it would cost me to upgrade to an '08 and then do all the mods (liftkit, etc, etc) it would be cheaper for me to do the diesel conversion to mine.

I've already started pricing everything. Hopefully I'll be shipping my truck to Mash motors in Kansas soon enough.

Mark