New the Hummer World and loving it

[cdmintmi]

OK guys I popped my cherry (well twice really) last year and bought my first new car after graduating college and getting a real job and it just happened to be a silver H3 and I absolutely love it. I did get one with the chrome kit (brush guard, door handles, fuel door, and mirrors) but hey the wife has to like it too!!! Now that I got my foot in the Hummer door, like everyone else, its time to stand out and start customizing right?!?! I build golf courses for a living and I am on construction sites and in the mud and dirt more hours of the day than the highway. I'm looking to upgrade to larger stronger tires for more ground clearance and better puncture resistance because I'm often driving over recently cleared areas with lots of sharp roots, sticks, and rocks. Now any suggestions? I have been debating with myself and friends over leveling or lifting. Being that I'm off road so much I feel that a small lift with new better shocks would be better than leveling or cranking torsion bars because of the added strain on stock parts. I don't feel that anything over 35 inch tires are necessary but I'm not sure what I would need to get those under the truck without rubbing. Also I was thinking about upgrading the exhaust and adding a cold air intake to add a little HP. Had anyone added these to their ride? Ive always had either a truck or SUV but never a Hummer and I think that this would be a good place to start since you guys have had them and I'm sure about every mod out there has been tried by someone in the forum. Help a new Hummer man stay a hummer man, any thoughts on how to make this one even better??


http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2...60331314xkmcRM

[Big Dad]

Welcome to the site....

[frenzy1]

Great rig !! Welcome aboard bro !

[blindzebra]

Welcome to the family. Has anyone spoken with you about the benefits of being a HOAB member? Great looking rig

[cdmintmi]

they sure havent blindzebra, whats that all about? and thanks for the compiment. it took me 4 months to find the one I wanted but Ive got it now and its time to put some bigger tires on so I can play a little harder. Any suggestions?

[cdmintmi]

I keep reading horror stories on other sites, but I think of all the sites this is the one that seems to have the most trustworthy and knowledgeable memebrs. I was just curious how many miles you guys have put on your H3's after lifting the front by turning the torsion bars and wanted to know if it has had any ill effects on tie rods, steering knuckles, cv joints, ect. I mean I wont my rig to be able to go, but I wont to be able to keep going too. Im starting to think I should just break down and get a small lift??? I dont really wont to becuase I dont wont 37 inch tires. I just want to be able to put 35's on her and still use her as a moderate off road vehicle for construction sites and have the look that says get the he#% out of the way on the highway. But I also dont want to have to rebuild the suspension on it in a year. Surely some of you have done the torsion bar turning and have some comments on it???

[RuggedH2]

Welcome aboard.

Now, I'm not trying to sound condescending here.....these questions of yours are pretty elementary.

The best thing you could do would be to find the search button just below the top bar, put in the key words you would like to research and read away. You will probably find dozens of threads about everything you've asked about. After you read through some of that material, you might have some more "informed" questions. You will probably find differences in opinions.....so you will have to judge for yourself whose opinions you trust. Good Luck!

Personally, I wouldn't lift the H3. I have 35" Toyo M/T's with the bars cranked a few turns and Cognito front shocks. Works great on the 3. I do have a lift on the 2.

Not all the horror stories on the other sites are complete BS. This place is not for the thin skinned. Look around a little.....you'll see.

[3Hummer]

you really dont really need a lift, just a level and 35's and youll be great a lot of guys on the site have that. I dont know how intense your stuff is but theres guys running the moab trails with just 33" so it really depends what exactly your doing, cause you can get some strong rated 33" tires without having to spend the money on a lift or level kit.

p.s. the color you have is not silver, its actually Boulder Grey, HUMMER has never made a pure silver vehicle. They are making a limited edition H3 and H2 that will be available in silver though, these will be the first true silver vehicles Hummer has ever produced.

[cdmintmi]

well I'm not rock crawling everyday (but Ill more than likely find some eventually). Since I build golf courses its mainly new construction sites that have been clear-cut and grubbed then filled with fresh often wet dirt from the lakes we dig. That can lead to some pretty deep mud that often doesn't have a hard bottom if it even has a bottom. I'm smart enough not to do what co-worker did with his F250 as you can see below, although I think the H3 would've made it through there, but I do often find myself bottoming out where another inch would keep that from happening. If you click that link and look at some of the other pictures you can see what my daily drive is like, although that was near Hilton Head SC in nothing but sand, most of the time we are in pure clay. I'm thinking just Ill just keep the stock suspension and go with 34's and see how that works. If I don't like the guy at the hummer shop says the Rancho 4" lift is that way to go. And sorry Rugged for my obviously lame question. Although I really did search the threads first, and saw not one with anyone that said they had cranked their torsion bars so many miles back and had or not had any problems. I may have not asked that right, my bad

[Agriv8r]

welcome and congrats.....

[wpage]

Welcome. Using the search pull down and getting experience on your own is the best start. Most information is already here...

[scooch33]

Welcome to the Site. Personally in my own opinion. I own two H3's I have a Magnaflow exahust with K&N Cold Air Intake on one and Stock on the Other.
I like the Performance of the Stock Exhaust ,Stock Intake Better. The Magnaflow Sounds Good I just dont think it is worth the Money. I just dont feel a big difference.
Cognito Shocks,Crank the T-bars,and 35's Would be the way to go. Your tires would be the biggest expense.

Were are you in NC, I am located north of Charlotte. Bought both of my H3's from Independence Hummer in Charlotte.

Hope this helps.

[cdmintmi]

Hey thanks. Im from Greensboro but I travel alot with my job. I bought my Hummer while I was rebuiling Kannapolis Country Club just outside of Charlotte last year from Independence. Ive been seriously considering cranking the tbars but since this is my on and off road rig, Im a little worried that it might prematurely wear out my CV joints etc.. I am on construction sites for 12 hours a day 5-7 days a week but on the weekends Im off Im tooling down the highway at 70 or 75 mph. I drive the H3 alot, Ive already put 30,000 miles on it in 10 months. Thats whats got me worried, its not just a go out and play around on the weekend then park it in the garage till next weekend rig for me. But I do love those 35's. Oh yeah, right now Im building a new course near Flat Rock or Hendersonville NC (Western NC).