H3 is not a Colorado

[GrimReaper]

I keep seeing posts where people are saying that the H3 is just a Colorado. When I went to test drive the H3 the dealer gave some info about this. He said 9% of the H3 parts are shared with the Colorado, and most of the 9% is the engine. The frame, while starting life as a Colorado, has been changed substantially. Apparently the Colorado frame has a "C" shaped cross section, but on the H3 the frame is fully boxed, and it has additional crossmembers added. I can't vouch for the accruacy of this info - perhaps someone else here can - but this in my mind makes any statements about the H3 being "a Colorado with different sheet metal", very inaccurate.

[GrimReaper]

I keep seeing posts where people are saying that the H3 is just a Colorado. When I went to test drive the H3 the dealer gave some info about this. He said 9% of the H3 parts are shared with the Colorado, and most of the 9% is the engine. The frame, while starting life as a Colorado, has been changed substantially. Apparently the Colorado frame has a "C" shaped cross section, but on the H3 the frame is fully boxed, and it has additional crossmembers added. I can't vouch for the accruacy of this info - perhaps someone else here can - but this in my mind makes any statements about the H3 being "a Colorado with different sheet metal", very inaccurate.

[aggiehummer...er]

We've been trained extensively on the differences between the Colorado and the H3, and you are spot on correct in everything that you said.

[usetosellhummer]

Nothing you can do man, everybody thinks an H2 is a Tahoe. Just tell em to take the pepsi challenge on a trial and they will fighure out real quick what a Hummer is. The ultimate off-road vehicle, like nothing else....

[f5fstop]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GrimReaper:
I keep seeing posts where people are saying that the H3 is just a Colorado. When I went to test drive the H3 the dealer gave some info about this. He said 9% of the H3 parts are shared with the Colorado, and most of the 9% is the engine. The frame, while starting life as a Colorado, has been changed substantially. Apparently the Colorado frame has a "C" shaped cross section, but on the H3 the frame is fully boxed, and it has additional crossmembers added. I can't vouch for the accruacy of this info - perhaps someone else here can - but this in my mind makes any statements about the H3 being "a Colorado with different sheet metal", very inaccurate. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Best comparison I have done is to put a Colorado (Z71) on one hoist, with a H3 on the next hoist and walk back-and-forth for about ten minutes. That will show anyone, there is a hell of a lot of differences between the two frames. The H3 is a fully boxed, ladder type frame, and it appears to be wider than the Colorado (didn't measure so can't say for sure).
The I5 engine everyone screams about is built from the ground up as a truck engine, and over its brief life of approximately 3-years, it has proved itself to be reliable and strong for its size and HP.

[HUMMERcustoms.com/TAZ]

Your are absolutely correct big difference.
The only thing they share is engine and tranny placement and some difference there also as H3 is higher off the ground and requires the best I can tell a longer drive shaft and many other things not readily seen by the eye. Chasis shape is similar but the H3 is beefed up there and suspension is beefed up and so on. Way more different than alike. Colorado was the basis of the idea but, H3 took it's on life from there on.
TAZ

[H3 Builder]

Where can I start. The Rear axle is bigger and wider, front axle is larger. Transfer case is quite a bit bigger. Half shafts are longer and beefier. It goes on and on. It's based on the Colorado, not built exactly a copy of one. The Colorado's are fine trucks, but their not an H3.

[Mervz]

Here ya go guys... a great comparison of the two frames. Enjoy

http://gm-trucks.com/home/content/view/225/49/

[Desert Dan]

Good News H3 Builder!!

That frame looks beefy