Thoughts on my H2...

[Captain of the Titanic]

After putting 24K on the H2 (plus 11K from the original owner), I have some thougts on the H2.

1. Mud:
It is a b*tch in the mud. It likes to get stuck. I think that because of the excessive weight, it sinks and/or slides into the mud. I have gotten the beast stuck 4 times in the mud. My feelings are that my previous Tahoe (highly modified and lifted) would have gotten through the situations with ease. I am thinking about putting a 6" lift on it to get the bottom up. I think that with a little height, I would have been okay in 3 out of the 4 situations.

2. NOISE NOISE NOISE:
My H2 makes more noise that 10 rats in a cardboard box. Everything seems to rattle and squeek. This has come on in the last 500 miles. I am going to have to take it in to the dealership and hope for the best. The windshield buzzes (always has), which I have read is easily fixable; the passenger door rattles and squeeks, and the passenger door speaker seems to have come loose and started squeeking (blown?).

3. Alignment:
I seem to need an alignment way too often. I have successfully eaten one of my tires due to alignment issues after going offroading (light-level). I had a alignment only 1000ish miles before this. The tire went in 250 miles.

4. Leather:
The leather does not seem to be holding up that well. Clearly by 100K miles I will need a reupholstery.

5. Freewheeling:
Why, oh why, can't I completely shut off the traction control.


Okay, I got it all off my chest. Are these common problems, or am I the only one sinking my H2 regularly? I have read some people have had some of the difficulties as well.

I still love the truck, which reflects on the other aspects of the vehicle!

-The Captain

[Dan D 2]

Well, I've had my truck now for 4 months. Bought it used with 40K miles. I'm close to 50K and right from the start this thing rattled all over the place. I traded in a 2001 Ford F150 SuperCrew that had 122K miles on it...NOT 1 FREAKIN RATTLE on that truck...Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Hummer but am very dissappointed in the fit and finish.

Have not been in the mud yet so I can't comment on that.

[brad_p]

simple fix for that mud is to get better tires, i got stuck a few times when i had my all terrains but with my new mud terrains i just walk right through anything.

[OffRoadin]

OK I'm still pretty new but I will answer as much as I can by what I've read.

1. New tires are a must. Some good M/T's should do the trick. I'm getting 37" Pro Comp XTC xTerrains. I hope those will work pretty good. Got them because they're on sale right now.

2. I have a 2005 w/ noises and I've only had it for 2.5 weeks (bought used). My windshield buzz has been taken care of. They replaced my outer A-pillar moldings. My LT RR window still makes cracking noises when rolling it up and down though. They actually made that worse when I brought it in. They don't want to order a new regulator because according to them "it could make it even louder". I just think they don't want to replace under warranty.

3. I've read the front suspension goes quickly for some. Try replacing the Pitman/Idler arms, then getting the Cognito Pitman/Idler arm kit and an alignment. Most say that it has dramatically helped. I bought mine used with 9500 miles and I already ordered the Cognito UCA, Pitman/Idler kit, New T-bar Keys, Shocks for all 4 corners, and the Fabtech HD Tie Rods. Next up will be a steering stabilizer as I'm getting 37" tires. I don't want to deal with the hassle of my steering going out every few thousand miles like some have... Try looking into this setup (minus the 37" tires if you don't want them)

4. My leather is still holding up... for how much longer I can tell you. There is a post somewhere here and many have had the leather replaced as early as 30000 miles I believe. It should be covered under warranty. I am having trouble with my chrome wheels. My spare (never been mounted) has peeling chrome and dealer won't relace it. Still have factory warranty and I have an extended warranty.

5. Besides using TC2 I don't know what to say. I think some have added a front E-locker, but I don't know how much that would actually help, and TC would still come in...


Hope that helps you out a bit.

Originally Posted by Captain of the Titanic

After putting 24K on the H2 (plus 11K from the original owner), I have some thougts on the H2.

1. Mud:
It is a b*tch in the mud. It likes to get stuck. I think that because of the excessive weight, it sinks and/or slides into the mud. I have gotten the beast stuck 4 times in the mud. My feelings are that my previous Tahoe (highly modified and lifted) would have gotten through the situations with ease. I am thinking about putting a 6" lift on it to get the bottom up. I think that with a little height, I would have been okay in 3 out of the 4 situations.

2. NOISE NOISE NOISE:
My H2 makes more noise that 10 rats in a cardboard box. Everything seems to rattle and squeek. This has come on in the last 500 miles. I am going to have to take it in to the dealership and hope for the best. The windshield buzzes (always has), which I have read is easily fixable; the passenger door rattles and squeeks, and the passenger door speaker seems to have come loose and started squeeking (blown?).

3. Alignment:
I seem to need an alignment way too often. I have successfully eaten one of my tires due to alignment issues after going offroading (light-level). I had a alignment only 1000ish miles before this. The tire went in 250 miles.

4. Leather:
The leather does not seem to be holding up that well. Clearly by 100K miles I will need a reupholstery.

5. Freewheeling:
Why, oh why, can't I completely shut off the traction control.


Okay, I got it all off my chest. Are these common problems, or am I the only one sinking my H2 regularly? I have read some people have had some of the difficulties as well.

I still love the truck, which reflects on the other aspects of the vehicle!

-The Captain

[dkhummerh2]

Originally Posted by Captain of the Titanic

After putting 24K on the H2 (plus 11K from the original owner), I have some thougts on the H2.

1. Mud:
It is a b*tch in the mud. It likes to get stuck. I think that because of the excessive weight, it sinks and/or slides into the mud. I have gotten the beast stuck 4 times in the mud. My feelings are that my previous Tahoe (highly modified and lifted) would have gotten through the situations with ease. I am thinking about putting a 6" lift on it to get the bottom up. I think that with a little height, I would have been okay in 3 out of the 4 situations.

2. NOISE NOISE NOISE:
My H2 makes more noise that 10 rats in a cardboard box. Everything seems to rattle and squeek. This has come on in the last 500 miles. I am going to have to take it in to the dealership and hope for the best. The windshield buzzes (always has), which I have read is easily fixable; the passenger door rattles and squeeks, and the passenger door speaker seems to have come loose and started squeeking (blown?).

3. Alignment:
I seem to need an alignment way too often. I have successfully eaten one of my tires due to alignment issues after going offroading (light-level). I had a alignment only 1000ish miles before this. The tire went in 250 miles.

4. Leather:
The leather does not seem to be holding up that well. Clearly by 100K miles I will need a reupholstery.

5. Freewheeling:
Why, oh why, can't I completely shut off the traction control.


Okay, I got it all off my chest. Are these common problems, or am I the only one sinking my H2 regularly? I have read some people have had some of the difficulties as well.

I still love the truck, which reflects on the other aspects of the vehicle!

-The Captain

I hear you on the mud. I have gotten stuck 3 times, 2 in mud and 1 in the sand. Everytime the belly got beached. so a lift and some new tires would make it alot better.
dk

[Alan06SUT]

To get the traction control off, just slightly cover the brakes. One foot on gas and one on brake. 37" mud Tires and a diffrent driving style should get you through most mud situations (momentum is key). If you go on a trail where a bunch of guys on 40's went through, you will need 40's to hit the bottom of their ruts, etc. anyone smaller than the biggest rig usually belly slides whn the ruts get that deep.

[MarineHawk]

Try:

4-star Mud Traction: http://www.offroaders.com/tech/AT-MT...overer-stt.htm

vs.

3-star Mud traction: http://www.offroaders.com/tech/AT-MT...p_Xterrain.htm

[DennisAJC]

Originally Posted by Captain of the Titanic

After putting 24K on the H2 (plus 11K from the original owner), I have some thougts on the H2.

1. Mud:
It is a b*tch in the mud. It likes to get stuck. I think that because of the excessive weight, it sinks and/or slides into the mud. I have gotten the beast stuck 4 times in the mud. My feelings are that my previous Tahoe (highly modified and lifted) would have gotten through the situations with ease. I am thinking about putting a 6" lift on it to get the bottom up. I think that with a little height, I would have been okay in 3 out of the 4 situations.
Due to tires or driver inexperience.

2. NOISE NOISE NOISE:
My H2 makes more noise that 10 rats in a cardboard box. Everything seems to rattle and squeek. This has come on in the last 500 miles. I am going to have to take it in to the dealership and hope for the best. The windshield buzzes (always has), which I have read is easily fixable; the passenger door rattles and squeeks, and the passenger door speaker seems to have come loose and started squeeking (blown?).

I've had 1 minor squeek since 03 and I later found it was from the recovery gear, not the truck.

3. Alignment:
I seem to need an alignment way too often. I have successfully eaten one of my tires due to alignment issues after going offroading (light-level). I had a alignment only 1000ish miles before this. The tire went in 250 miles.

The alignment guy hates your guts or driver inexperience.

4. Leather:
The leather does not seem to be holding up that well. Clearly by 100K miles I will need a reupholstery.

Condition and clean your leather more often or lose some weight.

5. Freewheeling:
Why, oh why, can't I completely shut off the traction control.

Driver inexperience.


Okay, I got it all off my chest. Are these common problems, or am I the only one sinking my H2 regularly? I have read some people have had some of the difficulties as well.

Ya, it's just you.

I still love the truck, which reflects on the other aspects of the vehicle!

YAY!

-The Captain

[H2R]

BLING resists dirt just ask HUMBOB!

[Captain of the Titanic]

Originally Posted by DennisAJC

Damn, Dennis... I expected better than that from you....

I normally don't go where other's have gone. I use my truck as a utility to get to places that other's don't go to. My truck is used for fossil hunting, this includes mud, farm trails, creek/river crossing, and rock climbing.

The number one thing I have to have from my truck is for it to get me back out of what I get into.

It also has to be able to haul large heavy loads.

As far as driver inexperience, maybe so, when it come to the Hummer. It is very different from my previous offroad vehicle. My thoughts are now, stay out of all mud. The chances of sinking are too high. As far as my 4 times getting stuck, the first time was just jacking around in a giant mudhole, so it could be considered driver error. The second and third times were the truck, and the fourth was all me. That's a 50% driver error on getting stuck, so I need to be a lot more careful.

Anyway... Like I said, I still love the beast.

As far as the tires, I will DEFINITELY look into better mud tires. If the Xterrains only rated 3 stars, that's not as good as I would like...

By the way, Dennis, as long as I've got butt checks, you will always have a place to rest your lips!! heh heh

[94GTVert]

Originally Posted by Captain of the Titanic

5. Freewheeling:
Why, oh why, can't I completely shut off the traction control.


Okay, I got it all off my chest. Are these common problems, or am I the only one sinking my H2 regularly? I have read some people have had some of the difficulties as well.

I still love the truck, which reflects on the other aspects of the vehicle!

-The Captain

Well. You can always get under the dash and start ganking fuses.

[Adam in CO]

Originally Posted by Captain of the Titanic

After putting 24K on the H2 (plus 11K from the original owner), I have some thougts on the H2.

1. Mud:
It is a b*tch in the mud. It likes to get stuck. I think that because of the excessive weight, it sinks and/or slides into the mud. I have gotten the beast stuck 4 times in the mud. My feelings are that my previous Tahoe (highly modified and lifted) would have gotten through the situations with ease. I am thinking about putting a 6" lift on it to get the bottom up. I think that with a little height, I would have been okay in 3 out of the 4 situations.

MT tires are defintely the solution. Never got stuck in the mud where a good strap or winch didn't solve it, anyway.

2. NOISE NOISE NOISE:
My H2 makes more noise that 10 rats in a cardboard box. Everything seems to rattle and squeek. This has come on in the last 500 miles. I am going to have to take it in to the dealership and hope for the best. The windshield buzzes (always has), which I have read is easily fixable; the passenger door rattles and squeeks, and the passenger door speaker seems to have come loose and started squeeking (blown?).

It is a damn rattlebox, that's for sure.

3. Alignment:
I seem to need an alignment way too often. I have successfully eaten one of my tires due to alignment issues after going offroading (light-level). I had a alignment only 1000ish miles before this. The tire went in 250 miles.

No idea how many alignments the off road users have had. Maybe hundreds between us. Better steering linkage will mimimize that.

4. Leather:
The leather does not seem to be holding up that well. Clearly by 100K miles I will need a reupholstery.

No problems there and I've had to remove the driver seat cover completely to weld up the seat frame after it broke. Leather returned to normal position, eventually and still looks good, considering.

5. Freewheeling:
Why, oh why, can't I completely shut off the traction control.

Why can't you?

Okay, I got it all off my chest. Are these common problems, or am I the only one sinking my H2 regularly? I have read some people have had some of the difficulties as well.

That rattle problem is common. 4 Wheeler magazine even wrote about it.

I still love the truck, which reflects on the other aspects of the vehicle!

Still love it, too. Gas guzzlin, maintenance headache, POS, beast that it is.

-The Captain

!

[Gunzz]

Originally Posted by brad_p

simple fix for that mud is to get better tires, i got stuck a few times when i had my all terrains but with my new mud terrains i just walk right through anything.

This is true. The All Terrains are not very good in the mud. I have found my H2 to be very good in very soft and deep sand, even with the stock tires. I have been the owner of numerous other 4X4's including a Tahoe, Blazer (f/s), Chevy Stepside and a couple of Jeeps, and in stock form I find the H2 to better then them in sand and dunes. I haven't experienced the mud only because I have not changed the tires yet and I know the A/T's will not suffice.

I also read about squeaks and noises that alot of you experience but with an 05 with 31000 miles I guess I am fortunate. I only have one interior squeak and it comes from the drivers seat. I do get wind noise from the windshield but it is not overbearing. All and all I find the interior noise acceptable compared to other trucks. But then again one of my trucks had 38 inch Ground Hogs and noise wasn't a problem then either.

[CO Hummer]

X1000 on the need for M/Ts. The BFG All Terrains are a great all-around tire, and the best for slickrock in Moab IMO. I liked them so much I put them on my Burb. But they absolutely suck in the mud. Getting M/Ts is a must for mudding.

But that begs the question - why go in the mud in the first place? Mudding is not wheeling. It's just playing around. I never understood the fascination with mud. You have 10 minutes of fun, and then spend 3 hours cleaning your rig. Not worth it to me.

[tower]

Originally Posted by MarineHawk

Try:

4-star Mud Traction: http://www.offroaders.com/tech/AT-MT...overer-stt.htm

vs.

3-star Mud traction: http://www.offroaders.com/tech/AT-MT...p_Xterrain.htm

Even better-LINK.

[TXSUT]

Originally Posted by CO Hummer

But that begs the question - why go in the mud in the first place? Mudding is not wheeling. It's just playing around. I never understood the fascination with mud. You have 10 minutes of fun, and then spend 3 hours cleaning your rig. Not worth it to me.

Speaking for myself, I drive 4x4 trucks (with mud tires) because I hunt and fish in areas that require "going in the mud." It's also a regional thing...there not much other than mud in the deep south that offers any sort of offroading challenge. You're absolutely right about the 10 minutes of fun and the 3 hours (or more) of cleaning, but on the upside, I don't have a frame that looks like an IED exploded under my truck, like a lot of you rock lunatics have.

[TXSUT]

Originally Posted by DennisAJC

I've had 1 minor squeek since 03 and I later found it was from the recovery gear, not the truck.

Dennis, I have ridden in 4-5 other H2s besides mine, all 03-06 models, and every one of them had the same rattles, squeaks, and creaks as mine (mostly from dash and door panels). I'm not saying I don't believe you, but I think you gotta be deaf in one ear and can't hear out the other. LOL

Seriously, though, I'd love to be able to just ride in one that doesn't rattle...just for the experience.

[porschett]

Come to Tampa! Quiet, no squeaks, rattles, etc.! 06 with 13K. Never been to the dealer since new!

Fingers crossed, knock on wood, etc.!

[MarineHawk]

Originally Posted by TXSUT

Dennis, I have ridden in 4-5 other H2s besides mine, all 03-06 models, and every one of them had the same rattles, squeaks, and creaks as mine (mostly from dash and door panels). I'm not saying I don't believe you, but I think you gotta be deaf in one ear and can't hear out the other. LOL

Seriously, though, I'd love to be able to just ride in one that doesn't rattle...just for the experience.

Maybe I'm just lucky, but 29K on 06 H2, not one peep--except when all the little guy's toy airplanes and tanks in the door pouch, thingy rattle together ocassionally.

I do recall being concerned the first time I had a big rock stuck in the MTs, when driving along and hearing "tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!"

[DennisAJC]

Originally Posted by Captain of the Titanic

By the way, Dennis, as long as I've got butt checks, you will always have a place to rest your lips!! heh heh

But seriously, mud only finds you, you never go looking for mud. There is no satisfaction or even a challenge in mudding. ANY RIG or ANYONE experienced or beginner will get stuck in the mud.

As for the rattles, either my 80's music is on way too loud, or the guys who assembled my 03 were on the ball that day.

3 tours in Moab (Golden Spike, Poison Spider, Hells, Body Snatcher, Tater Salad, Escalator), Westcoast wheeling in Norrish, Chipmunk Mountain, Whipsaw, Canopener, Grinder Mountain and Eagle Ridge dozens of times over the years on slick rock, bastard rock, loose rock, sidewalks, trees, sapplings, stumps and 1 human foot, with no major problems. Not even a tie-rod. Just alot of little dents, gouges and irreversible paint damage due to deep pin stripping. Top it off with an annual alignment. And believe me, I don't hold back because I'm worried about carnage.

But ya, I think I'm due for a big break one of these days.

Still, the H2 has taken me there and safely back home with no problems.