Someone please help with my lowered H2 on 26" rims!!!

I bought a used 2004 Hummer H2. I noticed with the stock wheels and tires a sway on the freeway that felt like the body was going to come off the car. I took it to the dealer and they aligned my sway bar and changed the bushings. Not much difference.

I previously owned a 2005 from when it was new. Which I had 26" rims and 305/30/26 tires on and it drove comfortable. I put the same wheels on my used 2004 H2 and after a few months started feeling like any little bump or manhole cover I drove over the car was going to shake apart like it had NO suspension at all. This caused me to bend my 2 front rims at different times.

I took it to a suspension shop and they recommended I change my shocks. I wanted it a little lower then stock if I was going to do this, so I bought and installed Eibach springs, Tortion bar keys and 4 ProComp toxic shocks. The H2 was 2"-3" LOWER and looked great but still drove like crap. even worse! So I brought it back and they cut my front and rear bump stops to allow more travel. It still felt like it was going to shake apart going over any little line in the cement or manhole cover and now has a long up and down roll like your on the ocean at times.

I spoke to another shop and they told me with big wheels my Idler and Pitman arms have most likely gone bad. I told him I feel a pop and crack when I turn and he said when those go out it can feel like your dash will shake apart over any bump. So with more money, I had those both replaced. Now the pop and crack went away when turning, but still feels like the car is going to shake apart over anything.

I took it now to a 4th guy. he inspected joints, arms, rods, bushings, mounts and swears it all looked fine. But wanted to blame the big wheels and the lowering shocks. I told him the issue was there before the shocks and it drove fine on the wheels before as well as my last hummer. Just excuses!

Another shop now wants to sell me Pirelli 305/40/26 tires all the way around saying I am on too low profile of tires now and that is causing the issue. But I had these same profile on my other Hummer and it drove fine.

I am nearly ready to sell the truck at this point, but who would buy it if you cant drive it? I don't know what else to try or do. Anyone out there have the same issue? Or have any thoughts as to what could be wrong?

My friend has 28" on a lowered H2 and it drives GREAT! So I know the lowering and wheels are not causing this issue!

I just want a big street ready SUV look with a comfortable ride. I am not an OFF ROADER so don't want a monster truck. Thanks!

V

 

and posible bad shock even if it was new .a new stiff shock can be just as bad as a worn out one ...mike

 

Try a steering stablelizer your stock one might be worn, but get a after market HD one. I had the same problem with a Wrangler of mine, with bigger tires on it, when I hit a bump it went into what they call a death wobble the car feels like its going to shake apart and flip. I put a bigger steering stableizer on and it fixed it. Its the shock located on your steering linkage on the front of the truck. Hope this helps.

 

I never knew what that phenomenon was called. Now I know. I learned something new today which makes it a good day.

BTW, I did a quick Google search for death wobble and most of the hits refer back to Jeeps. Seems to be fairly common with Jeeps.

 

OK, At this point I may just try a differnt model shock. Or first I will try the steering stabalizer shock. Would the stabilizer shock also cause rough hard ride???

I may try new tires after that? An expensive process of elimination...

Everyone said my bearings were fine, but I thought they might be the issue too. But there is no sound nor any movement coming from them when jacked up?

 

A worn out steering stabilizer can cause a rough ride, they are cheap way to help eliminate your problem. They start around 40.00 for the single shock stabilizer and go up to 150+ for the dual shock stabilizer. Also heres a brief description what they actually do I got this off a off road web site.
"Steering stabilizers are essentially a shock absorber for your steering system. They are highly recommended for all vehicles with over-sized tires, a winch or snow plow to increase control and handling. Stabilizers dampen out wheel shimmy and help prevent the steering wheel from being jerked out of your hands in rough terrain or when a road hazard is struck by the front wheels. A steering stabilizer is a proven safety device in the event of a blow out.
A steering stabilizer is engineered to restrain "bump steer" and front end vibration, giving added life to tires, ball joints and other steering components. A lot of vehicles come from the factory with a steering stabilizer. Aftermarket stabilizers are far superior in performance being specifically designed to handle off-road conditions with lifted vehicles.
Factory replacement stabilizer cylinders, single stabilizers, and dual stabilizers available"

 

Well I now installed the Rancho Steering Stabilizer and still the same problem. Any other ideas???

Could it need the stock bump stops in the back replaced to help dampen the rear shocks?

At this point I don't know what or who else to try????

 

A steering stabilizer is not the cure for Death Wobble....trust me. My very lifted 07 Ram CTD started having the Death Wobble when I would hit bumps at over 40MPH. What was happening was the front end was unloading (getting light) and since the track bar was too short...the entire front suspension would shift. When the load would settle, the front end struggled to get back underneath the truck. Basically, the entire geometry of your front end is off. I am not familiar enough with the GM IFS to know if there is a track bar...but I would suggest a another good look at the ball joints, pitman arm and tie-rod assembly (to start). Even though it is lowered....it sounds like you need a good off-road place. They are intimately familiar with screwed up geometry on front suspensions. I imagine you're taking it to places that specialize in lifts/lowers...or are you heading to Firestone/Merchants/etc?

 

OK, So I just paid another $1,100 to a guy that swore the Procomp shocks were too weak for the weight of the hummer. He stated it was like having NO suspension. So he installed SACHS shocks all around, re-aligned the torsion bars and now the H2 is more stiff and feels more stable as the rolling feeling is gone. But the feeling of it shaking apart over any little bump is not gone.

PS: You can stick to your Honda, I will continue to drive my Murcielago Roadster and Arnage T until my H2 is fixed. This forum should be constructive and not for jackass comments!

 

Good morning,
I bought a used 2008 Hummer H2 with 6,2cc engine. I noticed with the stock wheels and tires a sway on the freeway that felt like the body was going to come off the car.
I chance the original shock with rancho xl9000 but after i will still i have the same filing with my car, and i thing i need to change again the shocks.
Did eny one know what can i do.
Thanks and sorry for my but English.