If you get the underbody protection for the H3 you gain some protection for the underbody but lose an inch of clearance...



Is it really worth it at that point? The protection you seek makes it hard to get back to where you could use the protection...

If you want to wheel better in the back country, why would you limit yourself?

I can tell you from personal experience that you will be glad you have it down there. It gave me the confidence to just go for it in Tellico. Yes there were a couple of times where the second day that I got hung up a little or scraped but HI didn't due to the UCP. But ask her what her stress level was the first day when we got to the first real obstacle. Knowing the UCP was down there, I just went for it and didn't really worry. Knowing what I do now, I wish I would have at least checked into getting the 35"s instead. If I had, I would not have lost any clearance at all with the UCP.

Because its better to loose an inch of clearance (that can be regained with bigger tires) than to loose a transfer case and be stuck in the back country?

Just a thought...

I have the UCP as well, but I knew when I installed it that 35"s were eventually going on the truck and a lift kit too. If one of those items are not in your future then the UCP may not be necessary for the type of wheeling you plan to do.

Another thought to bear in mind if anyone is planning to get UCP, it may not be compatible with a suspension lift (or may need modification). Anyone know about this?

I'm hoping it will work with the RC lifts that are coming out soon.

I am twitching to lift my H3, so I have been watching the RC lift development. I was told one of the reasons the lift is taking so long to come out is because it had to be re-engineered because the UCP designed changed from the original UCP offered by HUMMER. So, the RC lifts should be compatible. Now if only they would HURRY UP!!!!

x2!

If you are wheeling somewhere where getting hung up on some rocks is an issue, I'll take losing an inch (or less) in clearance over the bill for a new t-case any day of the week.

The UCP is cheap insurance. If you hit a rock just right without the UCP, you'll be getting a tow and a big repair bill.

From what we heard it would be at least $1K if you had to have a tow truck come get you in Tellico. I am a lot happier spending less on the rocker rails and UCP than one tow would have cost me let alone the repair bill.

x2!

If you are wheeling somewhere where getting hung up on some rocks is an issue, I'll take losing an inch (or less) in clearance over the bill for a new t-case any day of the week.

The UCP is cheap insurance. If you hit a rock just right without the UCP, you'll be getting a tow and a big repair bill. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

x3 Just slap some 35's on there and you'll get that clearance back.

I have never like the idea of losing an inch , but it is better than destroying a tranny pan or a case.

They make drugs for that.

If you are going to wheel where there are rocks, you need UCP. It's pretty simple. The extra clearance really doesn't matter if you break to the lack of.

Worst case is that you high center due to the supposed extra inch. That's a much better and easier scenario to solve than a busted pan or a rock banging around up in your driveline.

This a picture of the RP and UCP after Sunflower Mine Loop trail. I know the pictures are not that good but the stuff hanging from the UCP is metal not paint. Can you imagine how the aluminum transfer case would have faired.

If your going off road get the RP and UCP.

UCP: If I ever get the H3 in the air I will take some better pic's. This one really does not show how much the UCP has been used but it's all I have.

just thro on a set of 35's to get that inch back thats what i did . heres mine i will be putting the UC protection to use this weekend for the first time

Have fun putting the UCP to use. I put the MT/R 315's on last week and they really help off road. I would never go back to the 285's.

great news ket i have a happening this weekend so will be testing it out did they rub at all , did you bend something ?

Get the rock rails but don't waste the money on the UCP. Not only do you lose at least an inch of clerance but those are useless unless your going over really smooth rocks, otherwise there just going to get hungup on everything. Get a piece of 1/4" steel and have it cut to fit, it will give you total protection between the frame rails and you won't lose any clerance.

Looks something like this

DTH, the pic you show... is that for the H3? Did you make that yourself? How can I obtain one of those protections?

thats a good point you bring up about it getting caught up on things. I already read about the current UCP collecting a lot of mud!

The tires touch the sway bar at full lock, not bad but they do touch. Don't know about the alignment yet but I really don’t know how I could have bent something. I was not on that difficult of a trail……we’ll see.

Those plates were made for a 4runner, but you could take some measurements of the H3 and have some made at a metal fab shop. The belly pan should be easy the front skid would be a little tougher because of the bends.

Here's what it looks like mounted

Exactly. While a plate like that looks good, I'd be worrying about collecting mud and trying to clean it. I had about 4-6 inches of mud on top of my UCP after the last trip.

I'm more interested in something like this.

http://elcova.com/groupee/forums/a/t...1/m/6601039561

That looks pretty slick, seems though in other posts on the subject that you might have a problem with things overheating down there as it looks like its not going to provide a lot of ventilation. F5 might be able to comment... is there anything down there that needs some air?

So how do you keep the mud from packing in on top of the plate(s)?

or the UPC for that matter?

With the plate, don't you worry about heat build-up?

From what we heard it would be at least $1K if you had to have a tow truck come get you in Tellico. I am a lot happier spending less on the rocker rails and UCP than one tow would have cost me let alone the repair bill. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>We'd have pulled you down the hill... for only $950!

I've seen situations that if you didn't have UCP, you'd have a real problem with damage. We're going to put something stronger and wider on Big Nasty just so we can ride along the rocks without worrying.

In your opinion.... and a bad one at that.

I guess all those H1s and H2s with ladder type UCPs are somehow different than a H3. We slide our UCPs on H2s across all kinds of rocks.

Get the rock rails but don't waste the money on the UCP. Not only do you lose at least an inch of clerance but those are useless unless your going over really smooth rocks, otherwise there just going to get hungup on everything. Get a piece of 1/4" steel and have it cut to fit, it will give you total protection between the frame rails and you won't lose any clerance.

Looks something like this
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>No way would I put that under my truck. Just the thought of servicing the truck with that cake pan on there bothers me.

Can't say. However, if I was to add something to the GM UCP unit, I would add some quarter steel to the existing UCP. Be a lot cheaper, and would not need to add at all points.
Just measure some of the squares where extra protection might be nice, have the metal cut in squares, lay under the vehicle, drill and attach.
I'm not worried about losing one inch (8.1 inches is still respectable , even with running stock 33's. (More ground clearance than my Vette.)

Damn, if I had known that I wouldn't have gotten the UCP

The H3 UCP slides across rocks pretty good too

Well, 90+% of the time

I think you could make some great mud cakes with that thing as well.

I stopped off at the dealership nearly a month ago to get the price for the UPC... still waiting!

They just aren't very motivated up here in the PNW!

What are the UPC's going for? Can you order them factory direct and do the install yourself? Especially since the dealers don't want the sale!!!

GM part number: 12498474

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com has them for $294

It's a fairly easy bolt-on job that you can either do yourself or have a dealer do it for you.

I have no idea what your dealer is going to say but mine wanted $700+ for the UCP and $800+ for the rails plus install. Based on everything I have seen my dealer is way over priced on accessories though. You can get the UCP from GMPartsDirect.com for about $425 shipped if I remember correctly. Yes you can install yourself as show below in the hotel parking lot at Tellico

BTW, thanks again for the help guys.

While I was looking for that pic you posted damn it!

Campmaster-

I Got mine from H2parts.com for ~$300 Takes less than an hour to bolt on. Tell your dealer to GFthemselves.

I live in the desert so I have no worries about mud and on the extremly rare chance that I ever got in to some I would just drop the plates and hose them off.
I guess if you do a lot of mud wheeling and don't want to take the time to drop and clean them then these would not be the best thing to use, these are better for mostly rocks and crunchy stuff. The UCP would probably be better for mud not so good on rocks.
There is no problem with heat, it's not like its sealed up and I have had no problems wheeling in 120+ degree heat.

Don't get your panties in a bunch. The UCP is better than nothing but if given the choice would you rather drag a ladder across a bed of jagged rocks or a sheet of smooth steel? Obviously the sheet of steel is going to make it easier because it has nothing to get hung up on.

I can tell you from personal experience that the UCP works great on rocks. If your concern is the pointed rock sticking up, well when I (or my spotter) pick my line, I (he/she) make sure it is not going to be an issue. Is it the best possible protection for every situation, no way, but I wouldn't knock it. Everything has it's strengths and weaknesses.

I've already got well over an 400 pounds worth of crap for off roading... after I get the hilift jack, winch with bumper, lifted and larger tires, couple jerry cans of fuel... I'm not sure how much a .25 inch plate of steel weighs, but I'm thinking its starting to really add up. Just how durable is this transmission... I don't remember asking if it had a oil cooler on it, but I'm thinking that and maybe a triple lock might not be a bad idea. I'd be entrested in know what any of you wizards out there think of this link...

http://www.partshp.com/Converters.htm

Get the rock rails but don't waste the money on the UCP. Not only do you lose at least an inch of clerance but those are useless unless your going over really smooth rocks, otherwise there just going to get hungup on everything. Get a piece of 1/4" steel and have it cut to fit, it will give you total protection between the frame rails and you won't lose any clerance.

Looks something like this
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>No way would I put that under my truck. Just the thought of servicing the truck with that cake pan on there bothers me. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

if the skids can't at least hold the vehicles weight w/o bending, they are worthless IMO. The stock bars work good enogh so far for me on my h2 but I have bent them twice (they suck to bend back because they are pretty strong). But, if they were not strong, my tcase or tranny would have been screwed (6400lbs pushing down on alum. tranny housing, sitting on a rock). If the plates are flimsy, they will just bend and still put pressure on your t-case/tranny, etc if you get high centerd. This will be expensive when the aluminum casing cracks!

An inch or two makes no difference when you are on a serious trail. You can't measure it anyways. What will make a diffence is having some protection underneath because inevitably it's going to get hit. 1/4" steel plate is the way to go. It's going to weigh maybe around 200 lbs for the one previously discussed by someone else, however, if you have it segmented, it'll be easier to manage when doing the maintenances. Also you can place a jack at any spot and it'll lift the vehicle up. Very important when stuck on a trail, and you will one day. I have 1/4" armor on my old vehicle and I never regreted it. It will give you more confidence to try tougher courses without worrying about damages. Plus it's kind of fun watching bystanders scrinch at the grinding and scratching noise coming from the armor scraping on rocks and you are the only one that knows there is no damage.

One more thing, when you're on a serious trail, you'll be tilted and offbalanced. It's going to feel very awkward. On top of that, you may bounce a little bit too. Sometimes, you are going to wish that your vehicle wasn't lifted so high. Just my two cents worth.

Are there any vendors that are thinking about carrying 1/4" armor?