06H3's H3T Build

[06 H3]

The time has come......this is going to be a long post with lots of words and little pictures, but the pictures will come.

First off, this will never get a solid axle. It is time for new challenges and I have different goals on this build.

My H3 known as squeaky was my first car, it morphed into a very capable rock crawler, I don't like to make bold claims but I would like to think it is one of the most hardcore H3s for rock crawling around. I daily drove it while solid axle swapped for a few years, eventually I got a job that had a nice perk, a company car. During the last 9 years I had said company car, which could be used on weekends and as a true daily driver, so the H3 became a toy. I ended up leaving that company and my new company truck is for work use only. For the last 4-5 months I was daily driving squeaky for all non work duties, what many thought would last a week, was actually legitimately working for months. In the end, I broke the steering in a way I never broke it before while offroad. I cobbled it together and for street use, it was working fine and was quite reliable....but to get back offroad I needed to upgrade the steering and that took time, which I am a little short on right now. We had our 2nd daughter, which came home in the H3, and then I parked it. I have spent almost all the money I need to so I can upgrade the steering but time to do has been lacking. Anyways, the H3 will live on and continue to push harder and harder on trails. I have many ideas, improvements and things I can do to make it better and that will happen but I need a car.

My wife, like myself, had her first car for a very long time and still has it. So for 10+ years of no car payments we have been saving for cars. We got her the mom mobile Expedition Max with the max tow package so she can haul the 2 girls and whatever other shit she wants. I took her Hyundai sonata as a DD while the Hummer is down. Being 6'5" with long legs and now a 2nd car seat behind me, my legs are literally in the dash if the kiddos are with me. I need a legit daily driver.

What would make me happy? Honestly, not much new stuff makes me happy, maybe I enjoy punishment of old shit but nothing new speaks to me. I would like an 08-09 Pontiac GTO. 6.2 6 speed, fast, 4 doors, its a fast family hauler....but what would really make me happy is an H3T. They are hard to come by, roughly 5600 made. I found one in Idaho, it was blue, v8, luxury package, adv package, and was a few hours too late. It was gone immediately. 10 people called from different states and a guy in New Hampshire bought it sight unseen.

Anyways, you have to act fast. I found one sitting on marketplace. 2009 Alpha adv package, f/r lockers, not luxury package. This one sat for a month. Kind of odd but I was intrigued as it was black, had duratracs in the picture, which was the first tire I ever put on my H3. It reminded me of my H3 many years ago.

So we spoke, I knocked him down a grand, my buddy drove to it, since he lives in so cal and it was in so cal. He called me and said it was kind of rough. Mechanically it was perfect but he said it had cobwebs all over it since it was never driven, the seller said it had 125k miles on it but it had 134k, it had an airbag light on, TPMS light on, no duratracs but multiple brands of tires that were all bald, some camber in the front end, and it was raining so naturally it had water coming from the microphone for Onstar, it originally came from Michigan so it had some minor rust but he said not structural. Great....this guy definitely was scammy.

My buddy said do not buy it unless he gets the price down. My buddy haggled with him and got the price down even more. Lets face it, the ones in phenomenal shape are top dollar, the ones in good shape and priced decent go in hours, and with 2400 H3T alphas around, we need to keep as many going on the road as we can. So I am ready for the challenge to restore this thing.

 

[06 H3]

So, I am in Idaho, this H3T is now with my buddy at his place in CA. I will fly out in a few weeks. It needs tires, some front end work, a torsion bar crank, alignment and some sunroof drain cleaning. Then hop in, do a camping trip with him and he will have his Jeep Gladiator with him, then I head North, he heads back south to home.

I am nervous about the air bag light.....I know many people have had some electrical gremlins with their H3s and H3Ts and admittedly, I really never have, I kind of equate it to no sunroof, but all my electronics still work in my 06 H3. Anyways, I think of it as a challenge to help me further learn as this is an issue I have never had. I hope it is simple.

So, first and foremost, my main priority is this is a daily driver, and my 06 H3 still gets priority of funds and use for offroad. I dont want to beat this thing into oblivion.

I envision this a dirt road rig with a roof top tent on a bed rack and a fun camping rig that is daily driven and helps get my girls into camping as they get older. As they progress, they will go on the rubicon and do tougher stuff in my 06 H3.

Where does it go long term? I imagine it goes in phases.

Fix all the messed up shit.
Then winch, sliders, bed rack, RTT.
leave it alone
then....
I wont solid axle swap it, but if I did, it would be radius arm, to keep it low slung, I think radius arm is the way to go for the lowest SAS H3(T) you can get but in all reality, I want a new challenge. IFS diffs have been the Achillis heel in the H3(T) platform and I really really really want to find a solution. I have 3-4 ideas. I have access to a couple really good junkyards and I have seen the ifs/irs diffs laying around, my goal would be that anyone can find a specific abundant ifs center chunk in the junkyard, you bolt that to a custom intermediate shaft, housing and mounts and you are rocking and rolling. It keeps cost down significantly or I have one more idea....anyways, my challenge is stock IFS with a stronger diff. Again, this is my daily so that is later down the line.

I also found some H3 leather seats on marketplace and this is a non luxury package, I may snag those and put them up front for the leather seats and then do seat covers out back as my 2 kids under 2 will probably ruin the rear seats if they dont get covers.

Heres the window sticker

 

[alrock]

Congrats on the second daughter!

Oh, and looking forward to this thread. And the supercharger you put on this LS2

 

[06 H3]

Thank you! I guess I can ask, is scope creep a thing with me?

 

[rascole]

LOL, I seen this H3T on FB marketplace and ran the VIN, seen it was from Michigan and said no. Didn't want to deal with rust. Hope the rust isn't too bad. It was in Seal Beach, right? It's still in my saved list now listed as sold. When you come down let's do a trail run.

 

[alrock]

Thank you! I guess I can ask, is scope creep a thing with me?

Ha, never! Well, first you did it with the H3 and then with women in your life - you're up to 3! So yeah, maybe.

 

[3Hummers]

Congrats on the new daughter and ride.

 

[cgalpha08]

Nice Chris, congrats on the new ride! Can't wait to see what you come up with for the IFS diff

 

[06 H3]

LOL, I seen this H3T on FB marketplace and ran the VIN, seen it was from Michigan and said no. Didn't want to deal with rust. Hope the rust isn't too bad. It was in Seal Beach, right? It's still in my saved list now listed as sold. When you come down let's do a trail run.

Yeah, the rust isn’t bad. I got pics of it

 

[06 H3]

The previous owner is a piece of shit though.

Now that the rig is at my buddy’s place the pics of the sale are very inaccurate, fucking asshole.

Again, I’ll deal with it but I hate liars

 

[rascole]

Wow, looks good underneath. Did he take the marker lights off? WTF. At least your daughter will have a bad ass classic truck to drive to school.

 

[Acer4LO]

Congratulations on picking up the H3T. I recently bought one as well and it has been amazing to drive. Regarding the airbag light, the best approach is to diagnose it with a clear strategy rather than guessing at with parts. The first thing to do is use a higher end scanner that can read more than basic powertrain codes. (A scanner over $100, ideally a $300+ one) Once you plug it into the OBD II port, you can look for any U, B, or C codes. These will point you toward whether the issue is within the airbag circuits themselves or something on the Class 2 Serial Data Network involving other modules like the BCM or PCM. If the only codes you see relate directly to the airbag system, that gives you a narrower path to follow and may indicate a specific sensor or circuit problem.

The H3 has several components tied into the airbag system, including crash impact sensors, rollover sensors, the passenger presence sensor, and the seat belt pretensioners. Even a loose or corroded connector can trigger the light, especially in the driver or passenger doors where impact sensors are located. Something as simple as the door connector that goes inside the driver or passenger side door not being seated properly can set off the light because there are impact sensors in the H3's front driver and passenger doors. So, doing a visual inspection helps. It also helps to check fuse number 27 in the fuse box, labeled SIR for Supplemental Inflatable Restraint, since a blown fuse there can cause an issue right away.

On the H3, there is actually a dedicated unit for the airbag. This is called the SDM, otherwise known as the Inflatable Restraint Sensing Diagnostic Module. It's basically a control module that is in communication with the BCM and PCM, and it is located directly under your center console lid where you store stuff. If you've taken your H3 apart before in the interior, you've probably seen it bolted down to the metal floor of the H3. It communicates with the BCM and PCM and plays a central role in the system. Before replacing it, it is important to rule out simpler causes and understand that although the SDM usually does not require SPS programming, it does need a restraint learn procedure performed with a Tech 2, MDI, or another advanced scanner. Because of that, replacing the SDM should really be a last step, only after other possibilities have been eliminated.

What concerns me most is the water leak you mentioned near the OnStar microphone. Water dripping into that area can reach the BCM and potentially cause shorts or corrosion. If that is happening, then the problem may not be in the airbag system at all, and the BCM could be the real issue. A scan will tell you a lot here, since BCM related codes would shift your focus in a different direction. The H3 does not always display BCM issues on the gauge cluster unless they affect major functions, so checking things like the TPMS sensors can give additional clues. If all four TPMS sensors are working but the BCM cannot read them, that strongly suggests a BCM related fault.

Overall, the best move is to start by scanning all the modules, paying attention to both SDM and BCM codes, and then working outward from there. Combine that with checking the basics like fuses, connectors, and areas affected by the water leak. With a careful, step by step approach, it becomes much easier to narrow down the cause, and I am happy to help as you go.

Sounds like we're doing very similar things though. I recently purchased an H3T and I am planning on turning it into a daily driver with less offroad mods and more utility/functionality

 

[06 H3]

Wow, looks good underneath. Did he take the marker lights off? WTF. At least your daughter will have a bad ass classic truck to drive to school.

Yeah, the rust isn’t bad, I still plan to go over it with a refinishing wheel, prime and paint it. My buddy’s dad bought a nice rubicon TJ that was from PA and had much worse rust and did a full refinish on it and it came out great. Just needs some elbow grease.

As for the market lights, he said he doesn’t know what happened? The guy is a piece of shit, that’s all I gotta say. Why would you post a pic of the truck with marker lights and sell it without them. Of course I didn’t know this until after. My buddy didn’t know to look for oem vs garbage aftermarket ones. I didn’t think to discuss with him oem roof marker lights because they are either there or not. lol

Congratulations on picking up the H3T. I recently bought one as well and it has been amazing to drive. Regarding the airbag light, the best approach is to diagnose it with a clear strategy rather than guessing at with parts. The first thing to do is use a higher end scanner that can read more than basic powertrain codes. (A scanner over $100, ideally a $300+ one) Once you plug it into the OBD II port, you can look for any U, B, or C codes. These will point you toward whether the issue is within the airbag circuits themselves or something on the Class 2 Serial Data Network involving other modules like the BCM or PCM. If the only codes you see relate directly to the airbag system, that gives you a narrower path to follow and may indicate a specific sensor or circuit problem.

The H3 has several components tied into the airbag system, including crash impact sensors, rollover sensors, the passenger presence sensor, and the seat belt pretensioners. Even a loose or corroded connector can trigger the light, especially in the driver or passenger doors where impact sensors are located. Something as simple as the door connector that goes inside the driver or passenger side door not being seated properly can set off the light because there are impact sensors in the H3's front driver and passenger doors. So, doing a visual inspection helps. It also helps to check fuse number 27 in the fuse box, labeled SIR for Supplemental Inflatable Restraint, since a blown fuse there can cause an issue right away.

On the H3, there is actually a dedicated unit for the airbag. This is called the SDM, otherwise known as the Inflatable Restraint Sensing Diagnostic Module. It's basically a control module that is in communication with the BCM and PCM, and it is located directly under your center console lid where you store stuff. If you've taken your H3 apart before in the interior, you've probably seen it bolted down to the metal floor of the H3. It communicates with the BCM and PCM and plays a central role in the system. Before replacing it, it is important to rule out simpler causes and understand that although the SDM usually does not require SPS programming, it does need a restraint learn procedure performed with a Tech 2, MDI, or another advanced scanner. Because of that, replacing the SDM should really be a last step, only after other possibilities have been eliminated.

What concerns me most is the water leak you mentioned near the OnStar microphone. Water dripping into that area can reach the BCM and potentially cause shorts or corrosion. If that is happening, then the problem may not be in the airbag system at all, and the BCM could be the real issue. A scan will tell you a lot here, since BCM related codes would shift your focus in a different direction. The H3 does not always display BCM issues on the gauge cluster unless they affect major functions, so checking things like the TPMS sensors can give additional clues. If all four TPMS sensors are working but the BCM cannot read them, that strongly suggests a BCM related fault.

Overall, the best move is to start by scanning all the modules, paying attention to both SDM and BCM codes, and then working outward from there. Combine that with checking the basics like fuses, connectors, and areas affected by the water leak. With a careful, step by step approach, it becomes much easier to narrow down the cause, and I am happy to help as you go.

Sounds like we're doing very similar things though. I recently purchased an H3T and I am planning on turning it into a daily driver with less offroad mods and more utility/functionality

View attachment 34259

Thanks Acer, I have a nice scanner that reads these codes, I too am wondering if it’s the BCM. My buddy said it didn’t do any weird electrical shit while driving it. I plan to bring it with me when I pick it up on January 1st.

I am not looking forward to the additional modules the 09 has. My 06 has way less modules and I like that lol

I may snag a spare bcm. I have 3 or 4 spare BCMs that work for 06-08 but I saw the part # changed for 09-10. I really need to pick up a tech 2, I bought HPtuners for when I did my 6l80 project on squeaky and I can turn off VATS and all that crap but without a tech 2 I am still limited with certain things.

Lastly, I’ll mention to everyone, while I haven’t seen it, I hope it’s “nice enough” I don’t want a complete pile of shit, but I also don’t want a 30k dollar pristine H3T. While it’s a daily, and I need to keep it as a viable form of transportation, i am determined to stick with ifs and do the bolt on upgrades many have wished they had for years. I already have some solid ideas on what I think will work for a front diff, maybe coilovers with ifs, and I have some ideas for steering rack strength over and above the rack mods. If I had a pristine one, I’d feel guilty about modifying it, but I also don’t want a complete pile of shit, hopefully this falls in between, and with some elbow grease it cleans it up nicely.

 

[atvspeed4]

Chris when you get further along with the build lets talk about the diff. We still have a crate full of the dana 50 machined housings and shafts we had made and can talk further about what the deal is to overcome the couple roadblocks we are up against. On of our good friends bought our 6.0L swapped 06 h3 and has been running our dana 50 with arb for a couple years now.

 

[cgalpha08]

Chris when you get further along with the build lets talk about the diff. We still have a crate full of the dana 50 machined housings and shafts we had made and can talk further about what the deal is to overcome the couple roadblocks we are up against. On of our good friends bought our 6.0L swapped 06 h3 and has been running our dana 50 with arb for a couple years now.

Not to derail this too much, but what roadblocks? I know you mentioned something about the CV shaft hitting the control arm, but was there something else?

 

[Gpcalero]

Chris when you get further along with the build lets talk about the diff. We still have a crate full of the dana 50 machined housings and shafts we had made and can talk further about what the deal is to overcome the couple roadblocks we are up against. On of our good friends bought our 6.0L swapped 06 h3 and has been running our dana 50 with arb for a couple years now.

Dang, I thought they would have been figured out by now in roughly 10 years! Still something I’m interested in if you could Identify the roadblocks.

Not to derail this too much, but what roadblocks? I know you mentioned something about the CV shaft hitting the control arm, but was there something else?

+1 on the roadblocks.

ALSO, Chris! Congrats on the H3T! Happy to have Another buddy in the Hummer truck gang. #FYAcer

 

[4Lo-Tank]

Dang, I thought they would have been figured out by now in roughly 10 years! Still something I’m interested in if you could Identify the roadblocks.

+1 on the roadblocks.

ALSO, Chris! Congrats on the H3T! Happy to have Another buddy in the Hummer truck gang. #FYAcer

Says the guy trying to sell......

 

[Korby7]

I’d love to have an Alpha H3T someday for many of the same reasons. Not in the cards today.
It’ll be fun to see what upgrades you end up doing.

 

[06 H3]

Chris when you get further along with the build lets talk about the diff. We still have a crate full of the dana 50 machined housings and shafts we had made and can talk further about what the deal is to overcome the couple roadblocks we are up against. On of our good friends bought our 6.0L swapped 06 h3 and has been running our dana 50 with arb for a couple years now.

Thanks, do you want me to PM you?

 

[atvspeed4]

Thanks, do you want me to PM you?

Sounds good

 

[06 H3]

Just updating here. I fly in January 1st. I need to be home Jan 4th.

My buddy works for Yokohama and gets a couple discounted sets a year. My work discount works for up in Idaho so by the time I get them down there the discount doesn’t help much. 315/75r16 Yokohama X ATs. Aggressive enough, but still very road worthy. Look at my maturity, I didn’t order the worlds most aggressive 37, that’s for the next set

Like the tarp on the roof to stop any more BS drain issues until I get there.

I also ordered @atvspeed4 outfitter design poly crossmember and diff mounts directly to my buddy’s house. They are out of stock, hopefully they are in stock and arrived by Jan 1st.

 

[06 H3]

Just updating here. I fly in January 1st. I need to be home Jan 4th.

My buddy works for Yokohama and gets a couple discounted sets a year. My work discount works for up in Idaho so by the time I get them down there the discount doesn’t help much. 315/75r16 Yokohama X ATs. Aggressive enough, but still very road worthy. Look at my maturity, I didn’t order the worlds most aggressive 37, that’s for the next set

Like the tarp on the roof to stop any more BS drain issues until I get there.

I also ordered @atvspeed4 outfitter design poly crossmember and diff mounts directly to my buddy’s house. They are out of stock, hopefully they are in stock and arrived by Jan 1st.

 

[H3Hummer]

The Yokos XAT look more agressive then the BFG's KO2. Please tell us how they do the job , tread dept and performance. It's always better to have the opinion from a Hummer driver

 

[06 H3]

I’ll keep you posted

 

[BBYHUMR]

Yup, keep it mildly customized.....

...that's how they all start Chris lol


Glad to see another build coming into the forum! Can't wait to see what you work out with this one