BAD RIDE... I am about to sell this thing

[MattRoberts123]

Ok guys, I appreciate all the help in the past, but so far nothing has fixed this issue and I am at the end of my patience with the car.

I will explain my issue all over again so everyone knows what is going on.

Bought the car in October 2006. It is an H2 LUX without air ride. I took off the rear tire carrier in the back and in the SUMMERtime I have 24" wheels with 37" Kumho mud terrain tires.

Starting about 6 months ago, my suspension was doing the creaking thing real bad. Took it into the dealer, they claim to have added spacers or whatever, and the noise went away for the most part. A short time later, I started to notice HORRIBLE ride quality on the truck!!!

I took off the aftermarket wheels and tires and decided to try the stock ones to see if they could be the problem..... NO HELP. Let down the air pressure in the factory wheels and tires to abotu 35psi, NO HELP.

I have taken it into the dealer 3 times now, and no suggestions were offered until this last time where they messed with the ride height on the torsion bars.... (note this had never been changed at this point from the original factory setup)

The problem, from my best description is that the car acts like a super sensitive teeter-totter. If I hit a bump on the road... (even the size of a penny on the ground) the front suspension reacts, followed by the rear, and it just continues to keep bouncing. Now, this isn't a big long bounce, it is like a real short and tight bouce, and it is so tight that it keeps going... When I drive around, if no one is in the front seat, I can watch that thing shake to the point that I dont understand how it is still attached.

I have wondered about the shocks going bad, but people say that will typically result in too mushy or soft of a ride, where this is the exact opposite... it is TOO TIGHT... no give whatsoever!

I don't know whether my relatively hard day to day driving or the aftermarket wheels and tires might have damaged something we aren't thinking of.... or if the spacers that were added could have dramatically changed the workings of the suspension, or if the torsion bars have gone bad.... or maybe all h2s ride like this and I am just being a complainer?!!

At this point I am so angry, I am out looking at new cars. I didn't pay 60k to have a problem like this and be miserable everyday when I drive to work. A little POS rental car I used earlier this week felt like I was in a bentley in comparison to my current H2.

I NEED HELP!! I love this car and don't want to get rid of it. I am simply out of ideas and am up for ANY suggestions at this point.


Thanks.

[zmanH2]

I am sorry to hear about your ride problems. Being a 2006 model year, you will probably lose a bunch of money if you trade it in. I would try to exhaust all means before I'd do it. Try a different dealer or take it up with regional/corporate Hummer.

[pteam]

I would have them replace the shocks / struts under warranty, complain until they do.

[Ed G.]

I agree about replacing the shocks. You could save yourself time & money getting Rancho RS9000XL's. I've had a set on for 1 1/2 years. They are great shocks and will really improve your ride quality.


http://www.gorancho.com/html/product.../rs9000xl.html

[MattRoberts123]

Originally Posted by hummech

i am working on one right now that had the same problem. i replaced all 4 shocks and the problem is gone. it rides like a new hummer. before the hummer felt unsafe to drive because of the non stop body roll.

REEEEAALLY? Like the same issue!?!? OMG can I call and talk to you on the phone!?!? I called and have an appt for the dealer to replace the shocks on Tuesday.... I heard that they use Bilstein, which are pretty good from what I hear.

DId you really have the same type of issue? Body roll would be a good description I guess.. I couldnt come up a term but that fits. Any idea why? I cant see why shocks would cause that... but I guess anything is possible!!!

[tomp]

I have the followng shocks, if you need them

-Rancho 9000s XLs like new barely used (new silver finish)
-Monroe self-adjusting brand new in box

Here's what I would do first. Jack up one front wheel and see if it you can move it with force while other wheel is still on the ground. Then do the other side. This can indicate several issues, if bad: bad pitman or idler arms, bad bearings or steering and shock problems.

If you cant find anything there, then replace shocks.

[Vettster]

Originally Posted by MattRoberts123

REEEEAALLY? Like the same issue!?!? OMG can I call and talk to you on the phone!?!? I called and have an appt for the dealer to replace the shocks on Tuesday.... I heard that they use Bilstein, which are pretty good from what I hear.

DId you really have the same type of issue? Body roll would be a good description I guess.. I couldnt come up a term but that fits. Any idea why? I cant see why shocks would cause that... but I guess anything is possible!!!

How many miles does your truck have Matt?
My 06 has 12K and I'm thinking of replacing the shocks as well as adding a steering stabilizer.
I have been waiting to change out the wheels and tires until we can make the truck a little more solid.

[MattRoberts123]

I'm at about 22,000 miles right now.... and have NEVER been off road.

[MattRoberts123]

Originally Posted by tomp

I have the followng shocks, if you need them

-Rancho 9000s XLs like new barely used (new silver finish)
-Monroe self-adjusting brand new in box

Here's what I would do first. Jack up one front wheel and see if it you can move it with force while other wheel is still on the ground. Then do the other side. This can indicate several issues, if bad: bad pitman or idler arms, bad bearings or steering and shock problems.

If you cant find anything there, then replace shocks.

I'll give this a try too! Let you know asap

[WEST OZ H2]

Originally Posted by MattRoberts123

I'm at about 22,000 miles right now.... and have NEVER been off road.

Matt,

An easy check for shocks, Stand the vehicle on a hard flat surface ( driveway etc) ensure it's in park, somewhere on either the left or right get a good grasp of the vehicle and start to rock from side to side (left to right or vise versa ) get a good rockup on the vehicle and then let go and stand back. The vehicle should come to an almost immediate halt. i.e. bounce bounce stop.

Now if the vehicle is hard to rock and has very little give the shockies my be too stiff, if the vehicle rocks excessivly easily and keeps doing so after letting go the shockies are possibly shot.

There is a special machine that witll test the rebound of shocks, I guess a good suspension place over there may have one.

"Starting about 6 months ago, my suspension was doing the creaking thing real bad. Took it into the dealer, they claim to have added spacers or whatever, and the noise went away for the most part. A short time later, I started to notice HORRIBLE ride quality on the truck!!!

This I think is partly the key, how was the ride immediatly after the "spacer" bit? How long was a "short time"

The problem, from my best description is that the car acts like a super sensitive teeter-totter. If I hit a bump on the road... (even the size of a penny on the ground) the front suspension reacts, followed by the rear, and it just continues to keep bouncing. Now, this isn't a big long bounce, it is like a real short and tight bouce, and it is so tight that it keeps going... When I drive around, if no one is in the front seat, I can watch that thing shake to the point that I dont understand how it is still attached.

This almost sounds like your getting Harmonics being setup, is this a front back pitch or a sideways roll? Does it get faster or is the rythem the same?

Let me know.

Al

[MattRoberts123]

Ok, went out an pushed around on the car. I'm not a huge guy... about 170 lbs, but I was jumping, pushing, and throwing myself on the corners of the car, and the truck barely moved... probably not even a whole inch up/down.

The movement is a front to back bounce... like the axles are the 2 pivot points and keep sending tremors back and forth between each other.


Harmonics?

[Cesardajr]

Just a thought check you sway bar ends and links make sure every thing is tight and not loose. just a tought.

[WEST OZ H2]

Originally Posted by MattRoberts123

Ok, went out an pushed around on the car. I'm not a huge guy... about 170 lbs, but I was jumping, pushing, and throwing myself on the corners of the car, and the truck barely moved... probably not even a whole inch up/down.

The movement is a front to back bounce... like the axles are the 2 pivot points and keep sending tremors back and forth between each other.


Harmonics?

Mate,
You don't have to be the Hulk to make it bounce.

Scenario 1 is I think the valving in the shocks are shot. If your only getting less than an inch in movement the oil in your shocks is not being allowed to flow through the valves.

The other sceanaro is when they put in the spacers they've put too much in and lifted the body too high, reducing the shocky travel.

To check travel, if your able, jack the vehicle up by the body, not under the axle, follow the following steps;
1.Car on flat ground in park, blah..blah...blah
2.If the shocky has a sleeve coming down over the body mark clearly and concisely with a chemi pen where the sleeve ends on the body.
3.Jack up body until wheel just leaves the ground.
4. Measure the distance from your mark to the bottom of the sleeve.

Carry this out on the back and front shocks.

Now I'm not 100% sure on full travel length, maybe someone (Tomp) can chip in, but I recon at least 3" and definatly more than 1".

Harmonics are effectivly a frequency, they can start with a long modulation and shrink to a short modulation cancelling themselves out, I think travel is more the cause in your case.

Let me know how you go.

Al

[WEST OZ H2]

Any progress?

[pteam]

I said replace the shocks first, I win! Have them replace it underwarranty for free, $0 cost to you, is what I would try first.

[JPorter]

Originally Posted by MattRoberts123

Ok guys, I appreciate all the help in the past, but so far nothing has fixed this issue and I am at the end of my patience with the car.

I will explain my issue all over again so everyone knows what is going on.

Bought the car in October 2006. It is an H2 LUX without air ride. I took off the rear tire carrier in the back and in the SUMMERtime I have 24" wheels with 37" Kumho mud terrain tires.

Starting about 6 months ago, my suspension was doing the creaking thing real bad. Took it into the dealer, they claim to have added spacers or whatever, and the noise went away for the most part. A short time later, I started to notice HORRIBLE ride quality on the truck!!!

I took off the aftermarket wheels and tires and decided to try the stock ones to see if they could be the problem..... NO HELP. Let down the air pressure in the factory wheels and tires to abotu 35psi, NO HELP.

I have taken it into the dealer 3 times now, and no suggestions were offered until this last time where they messed with the ride height on the torsion bars.... (note this had never been changed at this point from the original factory setup)

The problem, from my best description is that the car acts like a super sensitive teeter-totter. If I hit a bump on the road... (even the size of a penny on the ground) the front suspension reacts, followed by the rear, and it just continues to keep bouncing. Now, this isn't a big long bounce, it is like a real short and tight bouce, and it is so tight that it keeps going... When I drive around, if no one is in the front seat, I can watch that thing shake to the point that I dont understand how it is still attached.

I have wondered about the shocks going bad, but people say that will typically result in too mushy or soft of a ride, where this is the exact opposite... it is TOO TIGHT... no give whatsoever!

I don't know whether my relatively hard day to day driving or the aftermarket wheels and tires might have damaged something we aren't thinking of.... or if the spacers that were added could have dramatically changed the workings of the suspension, or if the torsion bars have gone bad.... or maybe all h2s ride like this and I am just being a complainer?!!

At this point I am so angry, I am out looking at new cars. I didn't pay 60k to have a problem like this and be miserable everyday when I drive to work. A little POS rental car I used earlier this week felt like I was in a bentley in comparison to my current H2.

I NEED HELP!! I love this car and don't want to get rid of it. I am simply out of ideas and am up for ANY suggestions at this point.


Thanks.

First thing, check the torsion bar bolts and see if they are tightened down all the way. If they are back them off where you have at least half inch of thread showing. Drive the truck and see if it's still driving bad or if it's settling down some. If no change check your tie rods if there stock. Check also to see if your idler and pitman arm is wore out. It's not uncommon for these items to wear with aftermarket tires. 9 chances out of 10 it's the idler and pitman arm.
As for the creaking, check to make sure your underbody is still secure. Also check your body mounts.
Check the front bushing on the front diff. There is only one bolt and it has 2 big rubber washers that do wear out. This will cause noises and front end vibration. The only thing else I can thing of is a front hub bearing that could be out. Not uncommon on an H2.

[DuckTruck]

Matt,

give us an update.

I'm on the "shock problem" side. My h2 rides SUPER CUSHY w/ the Rancho 9000x's.

If the stealership won't replace yours, go this route and adjust them to your liking.....can't go wrong.

DUCK

[MattRoberts123]

well i took everyone's recommendations and did 2 things.

replaced the shocks, AND put back on the factory spare tire carrier.

Problem fixed!


Personally, I think it was the rear tire carrier and the extra weight or balance this added to the truck. I also realized that a big part of my problem is the seams in the 2 local roads that I use multiple times each day to and from work.

Oh wel!!! At least most of the problem seems to have corrected itself.

I've cleaned the truck up and am trying to sell it.... Not really sure why, honestly not even sure what I want... probably just buy another H2. I'm just never content!!

[KenP]

Hey Matt, I don't see where anyone asked this, but did you buy it new? If not, it could have been in an accident and you weren't told about it. The frame could be tweaked and you'll never fix that problem.

The relatively light weight of the spare on the back should have no effect on the suspension. Too many guys have removed them with no issues at all.

Get another H2. Yours is the only truck to have this problem and I'd hate to see you not get another one because of one bad apple.

[MattRoberts123]

I bought it new, and am the only and original owner. I really don't think anything is wrong with the vehicle at this point.... I think ultimately I am a bit too much of a pain in the ass perfectionist.

I am currently working on selling the truck. Have it listed here, a few other forums, and eBay.


Been looking at the escalades and new H2s. It is such a hard decision. The H2 is so unique, distinctive, and such a powerhouse on the road.... Yet the escalade has so much more power and drives like a dream. I also don't understand why they don't have a better designed center console, dash stereo area like the escalade where it is easily in the drivers view and control, unlike the new H2 that basically has the same ****ty dash design as the tahoe.


so oh well... i dunno. Wish I could just afford a H2 and a quality luxury sports car... then I wouldnt have to worry about picking the "1" perfect vehicle for me!