08JJ, I'm curious as to your comment above. Please explain your reasons behind the "This limits the trails you can run and hinders the stability of your rig." statements.

 

You ever run in a wooded areas? several places by me (Ohio) are not wide open spaces like Utah or similar desert areas.......while these places are cool, in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania etc do not favor a highly lifted rig. The second statement while in my belief is, you (and I) have a vehicle with articulation limitation due to the independent suspension. My Cherokee is lifted without any issues but also loses the sway bar once it hits the trail. My Hummer has no comparable chance against the Cherokee in this stage yet I will back I can go places in my H3 that could never be seen by the Jeep. Just my opinion but seems a big waste of engineered suspension by overextending its lift capabilities which can and will hinder its stability. Just My Opinion but do as you will.

 

Out where I live in Central Texas, I do not get a chance to wheel in tight forest terrain but we do have a lot of big rocks to contend with though and after adding UCP it would be nice to get back and maybe gain some more ground clearance in the process. Going to 35's helps, but losing power on the highway is a drawback (and there's lots of hwy to get to the playground out here) so until I get the money to go for a complete front and rear suspension replacement to get lower,stronger gearing and better clearance I'm looking into other ideas like a SOA conversion. I'm not yet sold on lift kits with new springs that will probably sag back to where I started at.

 

[QUOTE=08JJ;245976] You ever run in a wooded areas? [QUOTE]

I have/do OffRoad in wooded areas, maybe a few 100 times.

[QUOTE=08JJ;245976] several places by me (Ohio) are not wide open spaces like Utah or similar desert areas.......while these places are cool, in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania etc do not favor a highly lifted rig. [QUOTE]

Hmmm, so you say an H3 with a SOA, or even a 4" Rancho/Tough Country lift can't fit on trails in MI, OH and PA? That's strange, I have/do wheel with such animals and I haven't found an isntance of that.


I agree anytime you change any part of a stock vehicle you will have different handling characteristics (Ex. 315s / weight of bumpers, UCP, Rock Rails / Tbar crank / roof rack / etc.) You just have to learn the capabilities of your rig as it has been set up. But, anyone who has these "mods" to their HUMMER knows that the OffRoad capablility is increased and deals with the "big waste of engineered suspension" to have said increased OffRoad capablility. So when GM did the SOA mod to a T&E vehicle and took it to various wheeling spots around the country to ensure that it was capable and stable to apply it to the Hx they were "overextending its lift capabilities"? Hmmmm.

Where do you think most of the suspension mods for your XJ came from? Experimentation and real world testing of "big waste of engineered suspension" and "overextending its lift capabilities" type guys? Heck NO! It came from people who thought outside of the box and wanted more.

Just MY opinion also. That's why I asked why you thought what you did. I'm always willing to listen to others opinions and then I do research and ask questions from experts in that particular industry. Come on out to RC, we can discuss and see "real world" examples of modified suspension engineering in action in wooded OffRoad trails.

 

I see we each have our own thoughts but going back to the original question please tell me what you did to the front if you did a spring over and extended shackles giving you 6" plus lift in the rear. Outside of some major renovation I don't see this happening in anyone's garage and point in case is a "hillbilly lift" title of this thread is just outright insane. Once you key lift and crank you bars you are suicidal with the angle of your cv's. I am all for intuitive ideas but to agree with the original poster of this thread is outright wrong and becomes a safety issue to an inexperienced wheeler. Sure there are benefits to a high lifted vehicle Yankee Lake has them all if you want to see high. I am going off experience and I have seen a lot of people over the years show up in monster trucks and never come wheeling again because they are unstable and pretty much a bog truck. Again my opinion and if I need a ladder to get in my rig I had better be at an arena running over cars, not on the trails.

Like I said just my opinion and looking out for the safety of my fellow Hummer owners and remember we are not talking about a $1200 kit from Rough Country in this thread called "Hillbilly Lift" which have new knuckles creating a safe angle on your cv's and I am not saying that 4" of lift is absurd unless you are doing the "Hillbilly Lift" and then yes you would be an idiot......I can see a post in the future....."If I already have the 4" rough country lift can I add keys and turn my bars and put spacers in my rear axle and get 8" of lift?" I have seen it way too many times. "Hillbilly Lifts" are unstable and I want to leave the trails with the people I wheel with not tow them out.

I am planning on being at RC this weekend if I can shake this flu.....hope to see you there.

 

Hope you get better soon. If you do make it to RC for the April Fools run be sure to remove your nurse bars and store them at home.

Back to the OPs question. NO you can not "stack" in order to get a 4" lift. Once you adjust your torsion bars past a certian point (I recommend no more than 23 1/2" for anyone who actually wheels their H3) there isn't anything short of dropping the front diff and having modified spindles that will safely lift your H3. The rear end is a different story.

May I ask what you plan on doing with your H3 that you will require that much clearance in the front fender? If you are looking to run 37x12.5R16s there are some modifications I can recommend, but if you don't have an Alpha you are not going to move them (on a DD) very effectively or efficiently.

 

Thanks, Bars will be gone, bolts are covered in anti seize for this reason....My next mod is the electric step that tucks away....wifey can't get in without.

 

Well, if you do any offroading at all I would suggest that in lieu of the power steps, you buy OEM rock rails and get the removeable steps for wifey.

 

I do drive an 08 Alpha! I'm just looking to get the height a TC lift kit gives without investing $1,400 plus the cost of the lengthy and complicated install.

 

I would have to open the door for her and remove the step......who wants to do that!