Thinking of getting rid of the SnugTop

[RamRod]

Ever since I owned my T it has had the snug top on it.

I think it looks good with it and I like the added coverage over the box to protect the area from getting wet/full of snow, it's lockable, but I currently don't have a key that will lock it (...tried to order one but no luck).

My problem is that it weighs about 200lbs and its adding to the weight problem I am having out back currently compressing my shackles enough that they hit a bolt on the frame at every bump... big or small. In part my weight problem is not limited to the snugtop, it is also in part due to the new rear Thor Parts bumper, tire swing out and 37'' tire.

With that considered and the fact that I think it makes the T look like a mall crawler (the paint job doesn't help) I feel that I am left with two options:
1- Take of the canopy
2- make/buy extended shackles

Technically there is a third option, but I am not there yet (think SOA in a few months).

Here is a side profile pic of the rig with the SnugTop on:



What do you guys think? Keep it or loose it?

 

[06 H3]

I would say you keep it or ditch it depending on your needs. You will never find a snugtop for free so I would find a storage spot for it (like a hoist in the garage) or get something that is quickly and easily on or off like a snugtopper. I think they still make them for Ts.

Suspension...If you ditch the snug top the rancho leaves will still sag they are pieces of **** and I wouldnt wish them upon my worst enemy. SOA with the added spring or go with airbags. If you do airbags do the airbag cradle from daystar so it doesnt limit down travel.

Option 3) SOA

Option 4) air bags.

**** those rancho leaves...I think rancho makes a great kit. I really do, just the leaves suck. I sometimes even contemplate bitching about it. I dont want them to cruise the forums and ditch a badass product and leave us with no lift kits. (many forums have rancho accounts and are sponsors) I worry they will stop making them because they probably no make much money off of us.

 

[RamRod]

I do have a place to store the canopy, I don't think I would straight up toss it and there are not enough T's around me to try and find a buyer.

I think once I have the SOA with the Add A Leaf I will consider putting it back on, but until then I don't want to go spending money on a shackle that I'll just end up replacing with the OEM one a few months later when I do the SOA conversion.

At times i think the SnugTop makes the truck look unique, other times I want my T to look more like a Truck... too bad I don't have midget elf's to install and remove the canopy at a snap of my fingers

 

[06 H3]

Lol, I have the same problem with my roof rack, sometimes I need it and want it, other times not so much.

With the snug top, a bumper and a 37in spare. weight would be an issue with stock springs. Rancho springs just make this problem more evident.

I personally have been toying around with the idea or either air bumps (great for high speed) or air bags with the daystar cradle. The weight in the truck often fluctuates, I have tools in the back, sometimes snowboarding gear, sometimes I am pulling a small 6x10 trailer with a buggy on it. The air bag cradle is nice because it wont limit your travel, lower the psi to 5 or 10 so it acts as a soft bumpstop off roading and pump that thing up for heavy loads. Just have more ideas then time and money.

Either way an airbag may benefit you even with a SOA. You do have a truck bed so weight changes. While the OEM springs dont sag as much as ranchos do they still have a limit.

 

[frumaker]

the add a leaf made a world of difference. it added about 2" and helped with payload. I ended up with the rear about 1" higher then the front. I loaded 2400 pounds of tile in the cargo area of the H3 and it only brought the rear to level with the front. I would give the add a leaf a chance. $100 investment and I never found a down fall of having it on there

 

[RamRod]

the add a leaf made a world of difference. it added about 2" and helped with payload. I ended up with the rear about 1" higher then the front. I loaded 2400 pounds of tile in the cargo area of the H3 and it only brought the rear to level with the front. I would give the add a leaf a chance. $100 investment and I never found a down fall of having it on there

The add a leaf you used, what type of stats did it have? Are you using OEM springs or Rancho?

 

[frumaker]

The add a leaf you used, what type of stats did it have? Are you using OEM springs or Rancho?

I used it with stock springs. It was made by tuff country.


FRU

 

[Mb30sdl]

DO NOT get rid of the top. When top is off you will get a lot of dirt and dust in the bed.

Last offroad trip I wished I had a cover, all my gear was covered in an inch of dust which is hard to clean up later. Not to mention moving bags with gear when they covered in dust. I never had this problem with H2 SUV so I never apriciated clean storage space, but opening and closing rear door with dust on it is still cleaner that having your gear bags dusty.
I am currently looking for a bed cover, but my specs are different.

Tem solution is ad a spring as mentioned before or u can get new leaf springs with different rate or height.
your OEM springs can't handle all that weight, new custom springs is your solution.

I have same problem with H2 and too much weight on it, my tortion bars and springs are settling, so new suspension is set up for weight of the truck.

 

[alrock]

I agree - fix the leaf springs but I do like 06 H3's idea of the airbags. I know it's been done on the H3s - was that kflips that did it? The airbags would give you flexibility and the leaf spring would be a lot cheaper. I think even without the topper you'd still want to, or have to, fix the spring issue so you might as well address it now.

 

[06 H3]

I agree - fix the leaf springs but I do like 06 H3's idea of the airbags. I know it's been done on the H3s - was that kflips that did it? The airbags would give you flexibility and the leaf spring would be a lot cheaper. I think even without the topper you'd still want to, or have to, fix the spring issue so you might as well address it now.

The 2 that come to mind are kflips rig, like you mentioned, which have the daystar cradle (doesnt limit down travel) and gfb3t who has a traditional air bag set up. Kflips has his setup in one of his threads. Ill have to look for it...

 

[cbetts]

Portager got over this problem somehow. I believe he has an identical setup. If he doesn't reply here, might want to PM him.

 

[RamRod]

The 2 that come to mind are kflips rig, like you mentioned, which have the daystar cradle (doesnt limit down travel) and gfb3t who has a traditional air bag set up. Kflips has his setup in one of his threads. Ill have to look for it...

I'll do a search when I get to my computer too... Would love to get this sorted out in a way that doesn't negatively effect off-roading

 

[RamRod]

Portager got over this problem somehow. I believe he has an identical setup. If he doesn't reply here, might want to PM him.

Great point, I'll try and find out what he did.... Airbags ring a bell there too but I could be wrong

 

[Portager]

I wouldn't ditch the SnugTop. Befor I got mine I couldn't lock anything up in the bed and the dust was a pain. I get a lot of compliments on my truck and most of them are because of the SnugTop. I have the weight of the SnugTop, which I think is 240 lbs and the weight of the cargo slide which is 140 lbs. I ride a little (OK a lot) lot but I wouldn't give either of them up. I've thought about taking the SnugTop off for off road trips and mounting a hoist on the ceiling of the garage, but haven't gotten a roundtoit yet. Then there is the dust issue.

I'm running the stock suspension and I have no problem with bottoming out. I think your problem is the shackles. The SOA is the right solution.

On getting a replacement key. Most locksmiths can pick the lock and extract it and make a new key for a few bucks. If not contact SnugTop and order a replacement lock mechanism. They come with two keys. Or convert the SnugTop to keyless entry like Neverendingproject did.

 

[06 H3]

if you do the SOA I would do the "bebe/speedy spring mod" its cheap and they said it helped with sagging springs a lot.

post #24 for air bags

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/forum/showthread.php?579-recent-upgrades/page2

 

[RamRod]

I wouldn't ditch the SnugTop. Before I got mine I couldn't lock anything up in the bed and the dust was a pain. I get a lot of compliments on my truck and most of them are because of the SnugTop. I have the weight of the SnugTop, which I think is 240 lbs and the weight of the cargo slide which is 140 lbs. I ride a little (OK a lot) lot but I wouldn't give either of them up. I've thought about taking the SnugTop off for off road trips and mounting a hoist on the ceiling of the garage, but haven't gotten a roundtoit yet. Then there is the dust issue.

I'm running the stock suspension and I have no problem with bottoming out. I think your problem is the shackles. The SOA is the right solution.

On getting a replacement key. Most locksmiths can pick the lock and extract it and make a new key for a few bucks. If not contact SnugTop and order a replacement lock mechanism. They come with two keys. Or convert the SnugTop to keyless entry like Neverendingproject did.

I tried getting a replacement lock from the closest snugtop dealer, took some pic's of what I had and the number right by the key hole, but when I got the "replacement" setup in the mail it was not the right one... been trying to get the right setup from these guys and return the wrong piece, but so far to no avail..

I tried to search for Neverendingproject's build thread, but I see he has only two posts on here and neither of them are on the power door lock set up.. that said I found a link to his photo bucket account and saw some pictures of that and started to drool! I would love to do something like that, I'll be doing some research and will tr and see if I can wire up the door lock actuator to the rest of the power locks so it will lock and unlock with the rest of the doors from my current remote setup and door switches!

Now onto the air bag issue, if I switch over to a SOA will that render the airbags useless or will they still be able to be used in conjunction?

If they can then that daystar setup looks very slick!

If they can't I don't want to waste my time and money because its not too long before I want to switch over to a SOA setup and I might as well wait and then just add a leaf at that time..


Oh the options and choices!!:whaa:

 

[06 H3]

SOA and the air bag can be used together. During the spring over the air bag will stay in the same place as it would be in spring under but you will have to take the bottom "cradle" off the mount and re mount it on top of the springs. Which you would have to do no matter what during the spring over. So it is basically no extra work and will work with the SOA

 

[RamRod]

Interesting- and I just found this that shows there wouldn't be any issue using the Daystar cradle on a SOA because they have a SOA equipped rig on their demo vid!

Check it out here:
[video=youtube_share;r4QBG3izhyA]http://youtu.be/r4QBG3izhyA[/video]

 

[Mb30sdl]

But video doesn't show any articulation.

 

[silvrzuki77]

But video doesn't show any articulation.

The idea of those airbags is that the bottom sits in a cradle, during articulation the airbag comes out so the dont hinder your wheel travel. Kflips just did them to his T in the build section.

 

[kflips]

I have airbags in the rear to help.

 

[Portager]

I tried getting a replacement lock from the closest snugtop dealer, took some pic's of what I had and the number right by the key hole, but when I got the "replacement" setup in the mail it was not the right one... been trying to get the right setup from these guys and return the wrong piece, but so far to no avail..

I tried to search for Neverendingproject's build thread, but I see he has only two posts on here and neither of them are on the power door lock set up.. that said I found a link to his photo bucket account and saw some pictures of that and started to drool! I would love to do something like that, I'll be doing some research and will tr and see if I can wire up the door lock actuator to the rest of the power locks so it will lock and unlock with the rest of the doors from my current remote setup and door switches!

SnugTop's factory is about 10 miles from my work and I have a good dealer that is about 3 miles away. I've never driven over to the factory, but I know my dealer has. I can see if I can get a lock or a key. PM me your key code and I'll try.

Neverendingprojects build thread was on the original CHO forum. He didn't port it over to H4O and so I think it was lost. I would love to add keyless activation to mine. The latches need adjusting on mine. I have to keep t locked or it will pop open on off road trails.

 

[4speedfunk]

IMO...Dump the rigid slant-back...install a military style, canvas top. I've always loved the can-back look...especially with the sides rolled up. Its like a thong for your 4WD! Sexy indeed!...



Obviously because you drive a Hummer...nobody is producing one (we're used to that by now). So hire a boat upholstery guy to build you one. These guys are very familiar with building tops from scratch, and a good boat guy should be able to build you one that folds down with hoops and such. They got all the heavy-duty machines to sew canvas, and they also got access to marine grade materials...clear plastic window material, canvas, stitching, snaps, etc. A regular car upholstery guy might not know about this stuff.

 

[cbetts]

I am digging the look of the K/5 with the rag top!

 

[RamRod]

IMO...Dump the rigid slant-back...install a military style, canvas top. I've always loved the can-back look...especially with the sides rolled up. Its like a thong for your 4WD! Sexy indeed!...

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Its interesting that you mentioned this, I thought about this maybe a hour before reading your post. like the idea and there is some serious potential.

What I was thinking if I can't find the right trailer to mount my RTT on it would be a slick set up to have whats shown there, but designed with/around a RTT on a bed cage. The roll up sides would allow for access to the front of the bed from the side. the Tent could be placed with a lower center of gravity then my previous setup (on the roof), which also provides for much less wind resistance & better clearance!!

I should set up my garage with a pulley system so I could run the three combinations.
1- Topless
2- Snugtop
3- Bed cage w/ RTT and boat canvas sides