Yes, we bought an H3. Deal with it :p

[Jeff V.]

It's got the OEM rock sliders, which are supposed to be pretty good. It's funny, because I just bought some side steps I still want to get them to hang on to anyway.

I'm also going to get the roof rails since ours have holes gouged in them, and a few other odds and ends.

The big dilemma I have right now is, this thing has a locking rear axle. And axles are 50% off this weekend...

[Chris GTO TT]

How hard is it to add the wiring for factory rear locker?

[Jeff V.]

Install the factory switch cluster above the radio, run the necessary wires to the transfer case control module in the dash, and then run from the TCCM to the rear axle. It's about as hard as installing an amplifier.

I'm getting ridiculous though. I don't have a way to get it home and it'll be months before I can install it. I've got too much on my plate as it is.

If we really want some crazy wheeling rig, we'll sell it and buy an 09-10 Alpha that has front and rear lockers and the 4:1 transfer case....and a V8.

[ChargerX3]

Why buy it though Jeff when you can BUILD IT!

I say get the locker since its hard to come by and they are nice in slick material. Grab those nice looking Goodyears while you are at it. Personally my favorite on and off road tire.

Also, we have 50% off this weekend for i believe the whole yard. Dont you?

[Jeff V.]

There's a lot of fine print. It's only certain parts. Everything else is 20% off.



The tires are already gone. I bet the yard guys kept them.

If you want to talk rare, that transfer case might be the real rare part. The junkyard truck is also a 5 speed. I don't know if it uses the same rear flange as the automatic or not. This would be a sure fire fit on our truck. But I don't have anyone to help me get it out. It's too big and heavy to do by myself. I can sort of manage the axle because I can lever up one end at a time. I got a Montero Sport rear axle by myself.

[tabasco122]

oh shit, time to go get some SG forester struts...

[ChargerX3]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]There's a lot of fine print. It's only certain parts. Everything else is 20% off.



The tires are already gone. I bet the yard guys kept them.

If you want to talk rare, that transfer case might be the real rare part. The junkyard truck is also a 5 speed. I don't know if it uses the same rear flange as the automatic or not. This would be a sure fire fit on our truck. But I don't have anyone to help me get it out. It's too big and heavy to do by myself. I can sort of manage the axle because I can lever up one end at a time. I got a Montero Sport rear axle by myself.[/quote]

Hmm starting to look like those harbor freight coupons.

Whats the good on the TC? Grab one of your guys' dads to come along for the joy ride.

[Jeff V.]

Had a pretty good weekend with the truck. Made out like a bandit at PnP. Got a bunch of little stuff. Trim bits, working dash vents, and even a better condition driver's seat. It's the same design as what we had, but the bottom foam wasn't blown out.

The main things were the rock sliders, and the roof rails.

These rock sliders were a GM accessory. From what I've read, they're a pretty legit. They're not poseur parts. We don't have any immediate plans for doing anything that would require them, but for twelve dollars each I wasn't going to say no. They seem to go for upwards of $300 a set if you can even find them. I'll just hang on to them until we either need them, or I can flip them.





I also got the roof rails. This was purely cosmetic, since ours have those holes gouged in them. Vira got them cleaned up really nice, and now I just need to find some weatherstripping to replace the dried up stuff that fell off.



In other news, I finally got the grille done. I'm not happy with it, but it'll do for now. There were quite a few scratches that were deeper than I thought, even though I couldn't feel them at all once I got it down to a 600 grit finish. I should have used some kind of filler.



It looks fine from a couple feet away. I just thought I could do better. We still might get it re-done body color next spring.

The last thing I did was added some step rails. It's so much easier to get in and out now. It's only 4 bolts per side, so I can take them off in a few minutes if we ever take it anywhere that they'd be a liability.

[ChargerX3]

Looks good. Do the sliders double as steps or are they concealed? They look pretty decent.

Going back to pick up the axle or TC?

[Jeff V.]

The sliders are concealed. All you see is a mostly flush tube below the gray plastic rocker molding.

GM made a set of 'removable' steps for these. They bolt into the gusset plates in the rock sliders. They've got welded studs in the brackets and you just zip off the nuts to remove them. I may try to make some kind of similar bracket for my steps next summer.

This guy wants a thousand dollars for those steps. He's out of his goddamned mind.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hummer-H3-H3T- ... 3401379550

I'm not getting the axle or the TC. I've got too many projects as it is. My basement is overflowing with car parts from stuff I started and never finished. There's going to be a reckoning soon.

[ChargerX3]

I like the slider with the steps best. Look really flush and simple.

Sorry to hear about the clutter issue. I’m there too but I’d still get the axle and tc. Bribe a family member with dinner.

[Chris GTO TT]

Looks so much better without the bull bar and with the black grill!

[Jeff V.]

I kind of wish the lower bumper was satin black too, but that stuff is a bastard to paint correctly. Vira said she likes the gray against the orange. If I had known that ahead of time, I'd have tried to do the grille gray instead.

I can re-do it later. I just hope the new clips are more cooperative than the old ones. I broke three of the four when I took it off, and those bastards are $9 each. Apparently they were only used on the H3.

[MumRa]

powder coat instead?

[vegasidol]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]I kind of wish the lower bumper was satin black too, but that stuff is a bastard to paint correctly. Vira said she likes the gray against the orange. If I had known that ahead of time, I'd have tried to do the grille gray instead.

I can re-do it later. I just hope the new clips are more cooperative than the old ones. I broke three of the four when I took it off, and those bastards are $9 each. Apparently they were only used on the H3.[/quote]

It's not so much that I like the gray/orange, it's just that I didn't expect this black to be 'so black' and shinier than the piece below. It's just a lot of competing colors. It's okay. It'll blend with a brush guard.

[quote=""MumRa""]powder coat instead?[/quote]

That could have been an option. Would need to see if there is anyone that can powder coat a piece that large locally. It was going to be $340 to paint the grill orange, and Jeff thought that was excessive for now.

[Jeff V.]

I'm pretty sure you can't powder coat plastic.

[DCIV]

Yeah. Has to conduct electricity to be powder coated. Could vinyl wrap it though.


Coop

[ChargerX3]

I liked the old chrome look, but what do i know.

[Jeff V.]

I have a strong dislike of chrome on most things.

[Chris GTO TT]

[quote=""Jeff V.""]I have a strong dislike of chrome on most things.[/quote]