Questions about the H2

[churchmore]

Well I am a jeep owner...specifically an XJ. I do come over in peace so dont load the fuel the flamethrowers. I just have a few questions about the H2. I belong to jeepforum and have seen some of the battles that have taken place over there. Im not saying I am not jealous to drop that amount of money on a vehicle, if I was out of school I hope I would be able to...only two years till I find out Now in the area I live in the H2s are mainly the mall crawling H2 with the tinted windows 22" spinners and booming systems. I will admit I do have an "H2 Recovery Vehicle" sticker on my Jeep, now I honestly do it to poke fun at some of the neighbors who have them and see the looks of some of the guys in the H2s with huge street tires and bling all over. Anywho onto my questions! They may seem ignorant to you but bear with me. Why does hummer in general choose to use IFS over a SFA?? Now I know in general SFA is stronger and less difficult to work on than IFS. And for some of the wheeling I have done (nothing extreme I have a measly 4" with 31s...dont laugh ) it seems like articulation would be more desireable in certain off-road situations, like rock crawling. Now I know a locker defeats wheels coming off the ground, but something about having all four wheels on the ground makes me feel more stable I guess. Back to my main question why IFS?? Second, I work retail to help get me through college right now, and we have a few customers who have the H2, I have had to help them load objects in the H2 and from my experience it seems for such a large vehicle there is a lack of I would call storage space. Third and last of all is lifting the H2, ive seen Christa and her 6" Fabtech and it looks badass, but back to my stability issue wouldnt that make it even less stable in off camber or wheelstand situations. Well thats all, I hope for a warm welcome. Oh by the way, anyone in the Denver area up for wheeling soon, I finally got my heavy duty trackbar in so I am ready to hit the trails. Most difficult trail I have done is Chinamans, which isnt all that difficult. Her is my rig, nothing too impressive, im shooting for a clean but functional look.


Im on the left if you didnt figure out

[churchmore]

Well I am a jeep owner...specifically an XJ. I do come over in peace so dont load the fuel the flamethrowers. I just have a few questions about the H2. I belong to jeepforum and have seen some of the battles that have taken place over there. Im not saying I am not jealous to drop that amount of money on a vehicle, if I was out of school I hope I would be able to...only two years till I find out Now in the area I live in the H2s are mainly the mall crawling H2 with the tinted windows 22" spinners and booming systems. I will admit I do have an "H2 Recovery Vehicle" sticker on my Jeep, now I honestly do it to poke fun at some of the neighbors who have them and see the looks of some of the guys in the H2s with huge street tires and bling all over. Anywho onto my questions! They may seem ignorant to you but bear with me. Why does hummer in general choose to use IFS over a SFA?? Now I know in general SFA is stronger and less difficult to work on than IFS. And for some of the wheeling I have done (nothing extreme I have a measly 4" with 31s...dont laugh ) it seems like articulation would be more desireable in certain off-road situations, like rock crawling. Now I know a locker defeats wheels coming off the ground, but something about having all four wheels on the ground makes me feel more stable I guess. Back to my main question why IFS?? Second, I work retail to help get me through college right now, and we have a few customers who have the H2, I have had to help them load objects in the H2 and from my experience it seems for such a large vehicle there is a lack of I would call storage space. Third and last of all is lifting the H2, ive seen Christa and her 6" Fabtech and it looks badass, but back to my stability issue wouldnt that make it even less stable in off camber or wheelstand situations. Well thats all, I hope for a warm welcome. Oh by the way, anyone in the Denver area up for wheeling soon, I finally got my heavy duty trackbar in so I am ready to hit the trails. Most difficult trail I have done is Chinamans, which isnt all that difficult. Her is my rig, nothing too impressive, im shooting for a clean but functional look.


Im on the left if you didnt figure out

[Big Z]

Here's a little reading material! A good start!

Read it all, but check out technology.

http://www.elcova.com/h2/details.html

[Christa]

He said my truck was badass!!!! I like this guy...be nice to him guys!!!

I don't have any answers for ya churchmore. I haven't had mine off road yet. I've only had it for a couple months and just haven't had the time. I do plan to at some point though. We had a great old CJ5 a few years ago and took it out alot and had a great time and I'm sure we will with the H2 also. There are alot of guys on this forum who do ALOT of wheeling and can answer you questions. Looks like you have fun yourself!! Nice pics.

[DrG]

Churchmore,
I can't comment on your technical questions as I don't have a clue what you are even asking but as for the number of H2's in the mall, I may have an explaination. Face it, the H2 is a very attractive vehicle and it attracts a certain group of folks with absolutely no off-road interest. They just want to drive it because it looks cool. Ok, fine, I see drugstore cowboys around here driving dually pickups with absolutely nothing to haul or tow, but I guess they look cool. My salesguy tells me that 90% of H2 owners never get their H2 offroad. I wouldn't do that but that's their choice. I suspect well over 75% of Jeep owners never get theirs offroad either. So what, that just leaves more room offroad for the rest of us who enjoy it. To each his own and personally I don't care if I offroad with Jeeps or Hummers just as long as you enjoy and respect the outdoors and the others in the group.
As far as no room in H2's, yep, I noticed that too. Beats me, but nothing (except me of course, hehehe) is perfect.
Hope someone answers your technical stuff.
David

[Orbital H2]

Churchmore:
I bought mine because I just wanted an SUV that I liked driving, however, once I got it I just had to off road it. I remember the first couple of months I had this thing I washed it every week or so, careful where I parked it (door dings) fretted about little scratches, etc... but then I ran into the SoCal Hummer forum and had to try it off road. - What a blast!!! I can see why some people would never off road it, it is almost the same on the interior as an Escalade, ride is smooth but firm and the thing has attitude. I swapped vehicles with a buddy of mine one day that had an Escalade very nice, but I prefer the H2. nuf of the mall rat justification.

My guess is that IFS should give you better clearance than SFA, the question I had was why not IRS and give it more travel, then you would gain the clearance in the front and rear just like the H1.
I come from a road racing background and like the Independent suspension better, but I am just learning about what is important for off road vehicles.

[Andy C]

Way too much tech stuff going on here at the moment - but whatever seth says is good

[ARH1956]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by churchmore:Anywho onto my questions! They may seem ignorant to you but bear with me. Why does hummer in general choose to use IFS over a SFA?? Now I know in general SFA is stronger and less difficult to work on than IFS. And for some of the wheeling I have done (nothing extreme I have a measly 4" with 31s...dont laugh ) it seems like articulation would be more desireable in certain off-road situations, like rock crawling. Now I know a locker defeats wheels coming off the ground, but something about having all four wheels on the ground makes me feel more stable I guess. Back to my main question why IFS?? Second, I work retail to help get me through college right now, and we have a few customers who have the H2, I have had to help them load objects in the H2 and from my experience it seems for such a large vehicle there is a lack of I would call storage space. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
(1) Solid Axles are surely capable but certainly not superior to IFS. The H1 is PROOF that Independent Suspension is more than a match for any Solid Axle vehicle out there. As a general rule Solid Axles offer better articulation, but they have to have it. IFS/IRS offers the opportunity for individual wheel angles that can have all 4 tires running on the tire's tread in situations where a solid axle vehicle would have a tire or 2 running on the sidewall & be attempting to roll the bead off the wheel. Both ways can be excellent.
(2) Name a more capable off-road vehicle with superior luggage space. I can haul way more luggage than any Jeep, Land Rover, Range Rover, etc.
(3) Strength. The H1's Independent components are stronger than anybody else's in the civilian market. And, H2's have very little IFS problems even with hard off roading. Solid Axles are simpler, not necessarily stronger.

[churchmore]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> He said my truck was badass!!!! I like this guy...be nice to him guys!!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Well I do like your H2!

Here is where my current college "frugal" nature comes in. Now being I still am paying college and that, if I too an H2 that I personally owned I would almost be afraid to hurt it haha...then again when I bought the jeep I was too and after the first rocker panel smash I didnt mind too much

Again from what I have read at some of the more jeep techincal sites like NAXJA and pirate4x4 (when i wasnt getting attacked) was IFS initially offers more ground clearance at first, but under any certain flex the differential pumpkin actually will lower negating that clearance. Thats why a lot of IFS Toyotas swap to an SFA. Oh and this whole weak tierod thing, I think the only real proof I have seen is that one video of it snapping. I have seen tons of TJ, XJ tierods bent in pictures.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Solid Axles offer better articulation, but they have to have it. IFS/IRS offers the opportunity for individual wheel angles that can have all 4 tires running on the tire's tread in situations where a solid axle vehicle would have a tire or 2 running on the sidewall & be attempting to roll the bead off the wheel. Both ways can be excellent. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> And articulation just looks cooler!!

I will admit (dont send this to a jeep site I will tar a feathered) I do like the look of an H2 minus the bling. I saw a VERY nice H2 when I went to go play at Fox Hollow golf course. Black, roof rack, black wheels, brushguard, Trxus ATs. Then there is me...pulling to a golf course missing muffler due to a very bad spotted line at chinamans and a squeaky stock trackbar which will be replaced!

Thanks for the warm welcome!!

[DrG]

Can someone help me out here as I want to know what exactly is being discussed here. I think I have some of it figured out but check me please:
SFA - Solid Front Axle??
IFS - Independent Front Suspension??
Articulation - the angle the axle makes with the chassis??

What makes a suspension independent?

David

[churchmore]

Well you have the SFA and IFS down. Suspension that is independant from my understanding is this. One wheel can move freely without affecting the other wheel. With a Solid front axle if one wheel is pushed up, the other is pushed down, which creates articulation. Look at my pic as to how my body is twisted but my wheels are firmly planted. The IFS if one wheel is pushed up, the other doesnt move, less articulation. Lots of prerunners use IFS just for the bumpy rides they have. Thats all I have learned if im wrong please correct me.

[Orbital H2]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I have learned if im wrong please correct me </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yeah, what you said
here are some pictures to help, a IFS
note the linkages, half shafts and A arms

[Orbital H2]

IFS

[Orbital H2]

SFA