• Welcome to H4O! For a reduced ad experience, please login or register with the forum.

H3 on 40's.

ReconH3

Guardian Angel
Messages
2,288
Location
Raleigh, NC
It will also require a 60" high-lift, or a large floor jack under the axle to lift the vehicle high enough to change it.

Bottle jack under the axle does the job for me. If I use a hilift (which mine is the smallest 36" because it fits inside the vehicle behind the rear seats) I use a HD ratchet strap from the the control arm to the frame.


"Ex Umbris Venimus"
 

h3 on40s

Active Member
Messages
27
Location
Delaware
Seriously, I get 14 mpg and yes my speedometer has been calibrated. It has better mpg and a lot more pep then it had with my 37s. Most of you guys probably all ready have the mods I have soyou will notice the hit. I drove 2years on 37s and a stock 3. SLOW! Now I not afraid to pass a big rig on the freeway.
 

h3 on40s

Active Member
Messages
27
Location
Delaware
Its simple. With my 37s I only had my tb cranked and I" bl. No other mods. Now have exhaust,intake and computer upgraded and calibrated for my 40s. So more power and less wt. means more pep. Like I posted before most of u guys all ready have these mods so u will notice the hit but mine feels great.
 

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,250
Location
Tardville
I use a HD ratchet strap from the the control arm to the frame.

Great idea, Recon. I've been lucky with tires but, the thought has occurred to me. Now that I'm sitting around 6" over stock...jacking is more of a project than expected. My suspension droops so damn far that the 48" high-lift tops out before the tires leave the ground. I will be putting a ratchet strap in my kit for sure. I assume this trick will also work on the rear axle too.
 

h3 on40s

Active Member
Messages
27
Location
Delaware
4speeding do u have solid axles. I won't be doing that jump for a long long while but curious about the cost of that type of conversion.
 

ReconH3

Guardian Angel
Messages
2,288
Location
Raleigh, NC
Great idea, Recon. I've been lucky with tires but, the thought has occurred to me. Now that I'm sitting around 6" over stock...jacking is more of a project than expected. My suspension droops so damn far that the 48" high-lift tops out before the tires leave the ground. I will be putting a ratchet strap in my kit for sure. I assume this trick will also work on the rear axle too.

With the amount of travel I have I think the truck would roll over before one of my wheels got off the floor. :) The trick works for any axle or wheel. You can strap it to the axle tube directly if you have leaf springs. I really don't use a ratchet strap anymore. That's just how I did it before and the easy solution for anyone. I actually have a hook welded on the frame and one on the arm. I then have a one foot long piece of chain that I hook up and do the same thing.



"Ex Umbris Venimus"
 
Last edited:

4speedfunk

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,250
Location
Tardville
Haha...yeah I got the same issue, Recon. That would be so embarrassing to accidentally flip your H3 with a high-lift!

h3on40s...Expect an SAS to run anywhere from $2500 to $7,500 for the parts...and that's using a GM Dana 44 front axle. I realize that's a huge range but, there are so many options and extras that you can add that its difficult to put a hard number on the swap. Its easier to discuss if you think in terms of "stages".

Stage I:

Its very possible to find a nice, used 4.56-geared front axle that is basically ready to go. You just need to weld-on the suspension of your choice and install a traditional Jeep-ish steering system. Cheap! This is basically what 07Custom has. It works, its reliable, its strong, but nothing fancy. ABS and Traction Control systems don't work. Rear axle stays stock...$2500.

Stage II:
Start with a bare GM housing and stuff it with a selectable locker, chro-mo axles, GM knuckles, and build your own 3-link. Do a SOA on the rear axle, and re-gear both diffs to compensate for larger tires. Use coils & shocks to keep the price down but, coil-overs are also an option. Buy some ABS hubs off a guy I know, to keep things functioning and to retain your H3 brakes. I went this route, and I'm also running a junkyard Nissan steering box. If you stay frugal and shop craigslist, ebay, and Pirate4x4 for your parts this rig costs approx....$6000.

Stage III:
Forget combing the yards! Call up Dyna-trac and PSC...throw down the coin for aftermarket assemblies. Use all new parts...maybe a Dana 60. Awesome stuff but also much more money. This will put you into the "Home Equity Loan" range....$10,000 plus.

Labor of course is the bigger ticket...and these ball-park prices don't include any labor. I'm a DIY guy and I tend to cater more to that type of builder. But, if you got the money...there are lots of qualified fabricators to do the swap. I personally don't think its that big of a job...but, thats only because I've done it. Expect to pay for a lot of experimentation time...trying things that don't fit or don't work. An experienced SAS fabricator would take about 3-weeks to do it...if he new ahead of time which parts to use, and he had them at his location. Labor rates can vary all over the place, so its hard to put a figure on the complete job. That's why I like the DIY swap....labor is free!

Also, region has alot to do with labor costs. I live in the midwest and around here...a $6000 DIY SAS is quite a load of money. I'm the rich Hummer-snob among the guys I wheel with! -LOL
 
Last edited:

h3 on40s

Active Member
Messages
27
Location
Delaware
4speedfunk thanks lots of good info and cajun tiger I will send u some pics as soon as I get a chance, soon I hope.thanks
 

h3 on40s

Active Member
Messages
27
Location
Delaware
Im curious. It would still be way down the road since my lift cost 2400 and my tires were about the same. Would a colorado sas kit work since the frame is basically the same? If so that something for us low budget h3 guys to ponder. Theirs lots of sas colarodo out there.
 

backcountryislife

Well-Known Member
Messages
858
Location
Dumont, CO
About 1/5 of the serious rigs I wheel with don't have spares... pretty sure beebs was running without a spare for a decent while too. Most of the guys without spares just have lots of patch gear on them.

Where on a 3 are you going to put a 40 spare anyhow???:whaa: Good god I can't imagine trying to close that darn gate with a 40 if you parked on an off camber spot to the wrong direction!! :D

That thing actually looks more natural than I would have expected... and holy crap I can't see running those on that sally ass front diff :D
 

ReconH3

Guardian Angel
Messages
2,288
Location
Raleigh, NC
Where on a 3 are you going to put a 40 spare anyhow???:whaa: Good god I can't imagine trying to close that darn gate with a 40 if you parked on an off camber spot to the wrong direction!! :D

I actually did that once. I opened the rear to get some tools to help out a broken down XJ. When it was time to close it was a nightmare. Not just for the weight, but because the cargo kept trying to fall out. Took two of us to close it. Now spare sits on the floor in the rear. Makes for a much better center of gravity.




"Ex Umbris Venimus"
 

Airborne

Just a regular dude
Messages
294
Location
Utah
Ya I don't believe this is real with out pics. Front, back, suspension, etc etc. Otherwise just smoke and mirrors... :)
 

h3 on40s

Active Member
Messages
27
Location
Delaware
Sorry I've been gone a while been very busy. Like I told yall im computer illiterate and my phone won't upload the pics.Cajun tiger my number is on the truck if u call me with ur cell I will text u pics. Fyi I will be in leesville Louisiana next week. That's where I grew up.
 

zackcrum

Well-Known Member
Messages
543
Location
Corinth MS
Sorry I've been gone a while been very busy. Like I told yall im computer illiterate and my phone won't upload the pics.Cajun tiger my number is on the truck if u call me with ur cell I will text u pics. Fyi I will be in leesville Louisiana next week. That's where I grew up.
Are you gonna be in the hummer? I'll be glad to post pictures of it and show it some trails!
 

h3 on40s

Active Member
Messages
27
Location
Delaware
No im flying down. So ur a Louisiana boy too. Love it. I've been on my 40s a full year now and no bull im getting 13.7 mpg with the air on and 14.4 without but 2days and 1600 mile would eat in to my week with mama.
 
Top