Lift kit

[Jackass (AKA Tim)]

I know you all have been been over this but I cant seem to find it http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif Who do you think makes the best lift kit. I want to run 38 or 40 inch tires 14.50 or 15.50 wide
Thanks Tim

[Jackass (AKA Tim)]

I know you all have been been over this but I cant seem to find it http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif Who do you think makes the best lift kit. I want to run 38 or 40 inch tires 14.50 or 15.50 wide
Thanks Tim

[HGW]

NO ONE makes the best lift kit. They all have advantages and disadvantages.

For 38s you will need a 6" kit.
For 40s you had better go higher although some on here will say they can get them under a 6" kit.

Fabtech had the most popular and least costly 6" lift kit. It is designed for the everyday installer. Basically it replaces the knuckles with larger ones in the front and does not require cutting of the upper control arm brackets. It does change the spacing between the upper and lower control arms when the knuckles are replaced. The lit also replaces the pitman arm but retains the stock center link and steering components.

In the rear, it does provide a drop down bracket for the panhard bar, but I do not like the arrangment on the few kits I have seen. It makes a rear end alignment difficult. And...it does not stabalize this panhard bar. We are fixing this right now on a Fabtech kit brought to our shop.

Ths shocks on this kit are adequate but not great. The front end articulation is altered with the knuckles and the shock arrangement.

Full Throttle Suspension and BulletProof Suspension kits are more expensive. They do require some cutting for the front drop down brackets. These kits are difficult to install for the average installer. They require a working knowledge of the IFS system. They are designed to be installed by pros since their installation instructions are so-so.

These kits provide a system where the stock suspension geometry is retained.

They also provide drop down steering components allowing the retention of the stock pitman arm and center link. They provide a beefed up center link system and new beefed up tie rods and end links.

They also both have adjustment methods for the rear panhard bar with a great drop down bracket.
My 6.5 FTS kit rides better than stock with a great amount of control.

Both kits come with a option for dual shocks. I use King instead of the kit supplied shocks. They are works of both art and science.

I cannot write and article today so I will end here. If you are anywhere close to NJ, let us do your work. We have either installed, fixed, or adjusted all of these lits.

By the way, stay away from the Skyjacker 6" kit.

[tonka61]

i don't support lift kits even if they make your ride look good. if you have to then do it. there all the same just about. the best thing for your h2 is to keep it as stock cause you get a better center of gravity for off roading closer to the ground the better which is stock just add bigger tires. if your looking for your h2 to be eyecandy then lift it. just a thought.

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PhilD:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by tonka61:
the best thing for your h2 is to keep it as stock cause you get a better center of gravity for off roading closer to the ground the better which is stock just add bigger tires. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>This is based on your experience of wheelin' a stock and lifted H2 I presume? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>NO! It sounds like this is experience from being a complete dumbass. "closer to the ground the better"????????? Ever heard of ground clearance and approach/departure/breakover angles.

Tonka, who the f**K asked you if you support lift kits? You obviously are completely ignorant of any facts surrounding the issue so you should've just kept your yap shut.

[KenP]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Originally posted by PhilD:
I've done a little of both... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Is that an understatement or what? http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[MisterH2]

I got a Fabtech 6" lift with the multishock kit and dual steering stablizers, 40" Procomp Xterrain on 20" Procomp 6070s. NO RUB!! I took it off road in Death Valley (see my pics on another thread). I also like the tight turning radius.

I did however crack the rear stabilizer bracket (its the stock bracket that's welded to the frame) which I had fixed by welding/re-enforcing that bracket.

[HGW]

That rear stabizer braket is the same one that cracked on the kit we are fixing right now.

It is a weak point in the Fabtech system.

We are putting a FTS bracket on it with an adjustable brace.

The Pro Comps you have are not 15.5 right? They are 13.5????

[Jackass (AKA Tim)]

Hey HummersGoneWild could you send or post some pic's of your yellow H2 sounds like what I want to do.
thanks Tim
TEhler@vtlsigns.com

[HGW]

Phil:

I believe you! without doubt.

40's are too big for a 6" lift with full articulation.

[Jackass (AKA Tim)]

Hey PhilD what tires you got on yours are they 13.50 or 15.50
Thanks Tim

[tonka61]

so what your saying is that the stock hieght of the h2 with a little bigger tire isn't good enough you ass. the h2 was calculated just perfect ass. you f**k ass paragon. you need to pull your head out of your ass and do your homework!

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by tonka61:
so what your saying is that the stock hieght of the h2 with a little bigger tire isn't good enough you ass. the h2 was calculated just perfect ass. you f**k ass paragon. you need to pull your head out of your ass and do your homework! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Good enough for what? Good enough for your ass? Maybe.

If "the h2 was calculated just perfect" why are you suggesting that it needs "a little bigger tire" to be "good enough."

Sport, just move on. This thread is above your pay grade.

[tonka61]

then my suggestion to you is move up and join the rest of us and get an h1.

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by tonka61:
then my suggestion to you is move up and join the rest of us and get an h1. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Ok, we have a little ZT/BR going on. So, which is it? Do you drive an H2 or an H1 every day?

[PARAGON]

Screw it, I don't feel like playing. First you said you drive a "stick shift" every day and your wife drives an auto. Is the "stick shift" in the H2 or H1? http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Then you are not going to buy and H3, then you are, then you are not again, then you might, then you.......... idiot. Understand how all of this works. If you are going to try to pretend, at least keep your stories consistent.

[HGW]

Jackass:

I am getting out of this thread----I will send you stuff on your e-mail.

Lift kits, as said here, are a personal preference--for show or for off-road.

[PARAGON]

Sorry HGW. Try to continue and ignore the side stuff. I hate seeing good information get drowned but I hate liars and idiots giving out bad info like this tonka guy worse.

Please hang in there and provide the info. Your experience is invaluable.

[tonka61]

whats wrong with owning many vehicle ass wipe...you started the bs in the first place...so dont turn it on me ass wipe.

[HGW]

I will post some more info soon.

Would you guys with the Fabtech do me a favor?

Measure the distance between your front tires. Just pick a tread on each side and then use the same treads on the rear and meaure that.

The last Fabtech 6" I had in the shop has the rear wheels two inches less wide than the front wheels.
I need to know if this is standard for the kit or my client had a real bad install? I suspect that the replaced front spindles/knuckles widen the front end?

[HGW]

Since there has been some interest in lift kit types, I thought I would pass on this pic as an explanation.

I will call theses kits non-commercial kits--as opposed to Fabtech or Rancho. Others on here have the kits I am about to describe.

The pic here shows a FTS, 6.5" lift. With these systems, the upper conrol arms are moved downward by the use of drop down brackets. There is cutting involved which makes the system hard to reverse if you want to sell the H2 without the lift.

The lower cage bolts to the existing H2 frame, lowering the lower control arm. The upper control arm is then bolted into the drop down brakets. This "Lowering of the upper and lower control arms, raises the H2 the 6.5 inches.

Note that the stock distance between the upper and lower control arms is maintained. Also the front sway bar retains it origional confiquration. The dual shock hoop mounts to the origional shock mount and to the origional upper control arm mounts.

[HGW]

Pic with upper control arm.

Note stock tie rod---is replaced now with a stronger rod and heim joint.

[PARAGON]

Is that the stock upper control arm or an aftermarket one?

[HGW]

That is an aftermarket tubular control arm--stronger and better looking than stock.

You can use a stock upper control arm with the FTS package--they provide a weld on/bolt on bracket (I forget which) for the shocks--similar to Fabtech.

I just like the look of the tubular.

[HGW]

Pic with King Shocks installed:

Stainless steel brake lines not yet installed--used to extend due to lift height. Old rusty tie rod still on this old pic.

[HGW]

Phil:
I will have all that info to you asap--need to retreive some pics and crop them.

JAS

[PARAGON]

Hey, cool. I just noticed the shocks mount to the upper control arm. Phil, I wonder if you could do a setup like HGW has there with the upper control arm and shock hoop and some King coilovers and then dump the torsion bars?

[HGW]

That would be a good question for a good engineer and then a discussion with Bret King of King Shocks.

Need to match the spring rate of the torsion bars(a torsion bar is just a straight spring!) with that of the coil overs. There is more to this---later though--must work now.

[PARAGON]

Here is the formula for calculating the torsion bar spring rate.<UL TYPE=SQUARE>Spring rate (pounds per inch) = [(1,120,000) x (d^4)]/[(L) x (l^2)]

L = Torsion bar length
d = Torsion bar diameter
l = Lever arm length (distance from wheel centerline to torsion bar)
[/list]

[HGW]

Here is a pic of my Black H2 rear end--the previous pics were from my Yellow H2 with a 6.5 lift.

This one has a 12" lift but the rear end is essentially the same--and I had a pic available.

The panhard bar was replaced with a tubular one for greater strength--this I made since it does not come with the kit.

The adjustable panhard bar stabilzer bar does come with the kit. It is adjusted so that the rear end can be aligned. Then, once it is right, the drop down bracket has a second bolt hole---in the pic it is a blue dot in the chrome drop down bracket---a bolt is put into this for stability. That bolt, along with the stabilzer bracket makes the rear end track true, even with 12" of lift and another 3" of lift bec. of the tires.

On this kit, the sway bar links are not adjustable. I am replacing these with adjustable ones since I want the sway bar to be lowered slightly. These current links would have been fine except I entended the swat bar about two inches back from their rear mounts so that it did not hit the larger rear dif cover I installed.

The higher you go, the more these little details matter.

NOTE: The small tires are on the H2 for the front and rear end alignment--rear first obviously. The big boys do not fit the alignment machines.

I have the same details on my 6.5 lift, except with adjustable sway bar links, just no pic available right now.

[PARAGON]

HGW, the driver's side D-ring is crooked. http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gifhttp://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Looks like you need a rope ladder to come out the back.

[HGW]

Phil:

To answer--the adjusters are easy and an alignment is also easy---I set them for 3 degrees positive caster--the max the adjusters will let me.


The FTS kit comes with a stock diameter front drive shaft using a CV joint just like Fabtech.

The BulletProof kit does not--their belief is that you can build them locally for the same price or cheaper since there is no mark up-----on their 12 inch kit both front and rear driveshafts need to be lengthened so I do have them built locally--beefed up, balanced, and use better U joints--I use a CV joint in front. I have a guy who builds them for all types of race cars and he is a pain in the ass as a person but a real pro.

When I have drivshafts made, I increase the front diameter since the extra cost of the diameter is minimal--it is the assembly, balancing, and U joints that cost--the shaft size is nil.

On heim joints--there are various grades available and thet are usually not used on the street since they do wear out fairly quickly--the cheaper the faster.

[Jackass (AKA Tim)]

Hiya Guys
Hey HWG so if I understand the Fabtech wideneds the frontend 3 inch total? FTS does not right? Do you think this is good or bad? Any chance you could post some pic's of your yellow Hummer front, back, side http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif I have a Yellow 05. Can you order the E&G fender flares?
Tim AKA Jackass

[HGW]

Tim:

I will send you a PM.

[1BADH2]

41x14.50x20's and yes they rub you will have to trim if this is the route you will choose.

[HGW]

How right you are PhilD---road driving is one thing--off road is another.

Here is a shot of the front end of my black H2--a 12" lift with another 3" with the tires on.

Ths front shocks have a 12" throw--but if I was off roading, I would have had them made differently.

[Salt Lake City HUMMER]

hey, I can articulate fully with no rub problems, its just a matter of how much trimming you do.

[Jackass (AKA Tim)]

Hey Salt Lake what setup you got on that? Tires and lift?

Tim

[Salt Lake City HUMMER]

sorry i dont have a pic of a more challenging obsticale, http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif but i have no rubbing problems. and to answer the question posed by jackass its a fabtech 6" with nitto mud grapplers 40x15.50 on a weld evo slingblade 22X9.5.
Thanks

[tower]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I sometimes think I should just get a small safe car and stay at home http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Now what fun would that be?