2009 hummer h3 SAS build

[cgalpha08]

From what I've seen, it's the pan, filter and gasket, and the 24237219 valve body which isn't H3/Colorado V8 specific, and is already in my trans.

Check this pic regarding the valve body. It's ever so slightly differnt

Here is a pic of mine, I apologize for it not being hooked up or anything, everything is kind of in pieces at the moment

 

[Grendel]

That's beautiful. Thanks.

 

[cgalpha08]

Made some headway on the rear this weekend. Leaf perches on and lined up correctly. Shock mounts and truss tacked on as well. I'll burn it in later this week. Spent most of yesterday practicing my welding as well.
I don't have the wheel bearings and brake parts yet, once I get those I should be able to put the rear on the ground.

 

[cgalpha08]

More progress, 3 link mockup is looking good, the axle is about 1 inch or so further forward than I'd like, so that needs to be adjusted. 14b is all welded up, truss and pinion guard are on, rear is all done minus gears, wheel bearings and brake parts. Once I get the brake and hub parts I can set the rear on the ground.

Side note, make sure your pvc links are tight or they'll slip off 😂 I did end up using my old lower and the upper for mockup after this incident since it was long enough and gave me slightly more confidence in the mock up.

 

[Grendel]

Did you swap your steering box?

 

[cgalpha08]

Did you swap your steering box?

From the first version of the SAS with the dana 44? No it's the same box, fj80 from redhead.

I have been tossing around possibly going to a flat pitman arm and moving the drag link under it but I am not sure how that will play with the track bar angle wise.

 

[IH-SSII]

I commend you and the few other that actually wheel an H3. Too many posers that give us fellow H3 operators a negative mall cruiser image. I have an 08 Alpha H3 with a 6.0 in it, offroad package and front ARB, ect. It is wheeled, but not to the point where it can get destroyed. That's what my Scout is for.

 

[06h3]

I commend you and the few other that actually wheel an H3. Too many posers that give us fellow H3 operators a negative mall cruiser image. I have an 08 Alpha H3 with a 6.0 in it, offroad package and front ARB, ect. It is wheeled, but not to the point where it can get destroyed. That's what my Scout is for.

I didn’t know you had an H3! Badass!

I wanna see more details of your rear steer scout

 

[cgalpha08]

Some more progress.
I've gotten the actual links made, standard 2"x.250 wall dom
Also started working on the frame mount for the coilovers. I've leaned the coilovers back 10 degrees and in some as well. Jury is out of they will clear the frame at full droop, they should if my measurements are correct. Got 1 side mocked up just need ti duplicate it on the other side.

 

[06h3]

Looking good, I'm suire you will but box in that landing pads where the tubes land and try to add some gussets or more tube. I probably am over paranoid but the more points you can stick to the frame the better.

 

[cgalpha08]

Looking good, I'm suire you will but box in that landing pads where the tubes land and try to add some gussets or more tube. I probably am over paranoid but the more points you can stick to the frame the better.

Yea the frame landing pads are a kit from TMR customs that included a front box plate thats dimple died, which will be welded onto the end. I am planning on boxing in the upper mount and gusseting it, along with a tube that connects over the engine . Ill also add a couple of gussets that connect the top of the frame with the upright portion as well. Not sure if im a fan of the overall design, but this is where the fab work took me haha

I actually have it removed from the frame at the moment so that i can mirror it for the other side, once I'm happy with clearance and symmetry ill start burning it all in.

 

[cgalpha08]

Got some good work done this weekend and today.
For the rear axle, got the antiwrap bar bracket and gussets all welded on, just needs brake/hub parts and gears installed snd it's done.

For the front. I completely redid my frame coilover mounts. That meant going into the engine bay. But I am much happier with them versus the version posted above. I also installed rhe coilovers fir the first time. Overall pleased with how everything is shaping up, just need to get the trackbar done and cycle it a bunch before burning it all in.

 

[cgalpha08]

Trackbar is tacked together, as is the tie rod. I had to put roughly a 10 degree bend in the trackbar, I used a HF pipe bender, yes I know it's for pipe and def not for .250 wall dom....but it worked. That combined with shaving the diff cover got me the clearance I needed.

I also checked my coilover clearances again, I had to move the hoops a smidge further outboard because at full stuffon pass side and droop on the driver, the contacted the frame, but now I have room.

 

[06h3]

Get those jamb nuts tight as fuck on the track bar so it can’t roll into other shit now that there’s a bend in it

 

[cgalpha08]

Got the engine hoop figured out, I ran the tube with as minimal of movement of the items in the engine bay. It is un equal in angle, however it does give me room for my psc reservoir. (Ignore the too short tube, more arrives this week)

I also added a third "leg" to the hoops. As well as gussets on each upright as well. Should keep things from moving.

Drag link is also tacked up, runs nice snd parallel to the trackbar. I'll be taking the drag link, tie rod, and trackbar to my buddies shop. He has one of those fancy lathe welders, which will do a much nicer job that me trying to roll it and weld at the same time.

 

[cgalpha08]

Finally back to working on it after an extended holiday break. I got my trackbar drag link and tie rod back from my buddies machine shop along with the steering arm drilled out and tapered for gm tie rod ends.

After cycling everything again I determined that at full stuff on both sides, the passenger side was hitting the frame on the trackbar
I was wasting about 1.5 to 2 inches of up travel. So I notched the frame and now i should have 1/2 inch of shaft showing at full stuff, which is fine with me. Hell the tires will probably limit it even more anyway.
The frame is already plated on the outside from the original swap. I'll be adding some more gussets and probably plating the other side as well.

 

[EndeavoredH3]

Legit stuff

 

[cgalpha08]

Got some more work done. Picked up the rear from being regeared and having the grizzly locker installed.

Also mocked up the front again after welding the front axle up. Axle is completely welded, just need to do the frame side now.
This is full stuff.
Trackbar hit the frame and the upper link hits the engine mount at roughly the same time. Theoretically I could notch the frame more and get some more bump, but the drivers side link mount is the limiter.

 

[rattle_snake]

Nice work packaging in tight spaces.

 

[cgalpha08]

Had to figure out where the rear abs sensors for the rear were going to go. I picked up a set of gm sensor mounts designed from wfo concepts, originally designed for gm sas swaps with ford axles, however I just needed rhe sensor mount part, since that is largely the same across gm vehicles.....or so I thought. The sensor mount works with the front h3 abs sensors, but not the rear. No big deal really just means I have to buy 2 new front sensors and use them in the rear. You could technically fab up your own mount specifically for the rear abs sensor, but this was just easier. The tone rings are from wfo concepts as well, 55 tooth.
Here is a link to the mounts

GM HD Speed Sensor Bracket for 78-97 Ford Knuckle | WFOConcepts.com​

Find GM HD Speed Sensor Bracket for 78-97 Ford Knuckle at WFOConcepts.com
www.wfoconcepts.com

I cut and spliced and welded an extension to the disc brake bracket for the 14b. Installed rhe hub and caliper to make sure I had it positioned in a good spot.

 

[06h3]

Did you put the rotor on yet to make sure it clears the abs mount?

 

[cgalpha08]

Did you put the rotor on yet to make sure it clears the abs mount?

Yes, well i checked that on the bench, there is ample room above the sensor and to the sides, so it should not hit.

 

[06h3]

Yes, well i checked that on the bench, there is ample room above the sensor and to the sides, so it should not hit.

That’s probably a big benefit for future H3 users doing this swap. The front sensors are shorter and the rear sensors are taller.

So, with the taller rear sensors, it would hit the inside hat of the rotor. So I had to machine my hubs, use 02 rear Chevy 2500 rotors, make them slip on vs. behind the hub (bigger hat ID) then cut and modify the 14b caliper mounts. Giant pain in the dick vs using front sensors.

 

[Winchested]

I have a couple questions, on the tiny truss for the 14 bolt? What's the point using a narrow truss like that on a leaf spring rig? Isn't the narrow style just for welding upper link brackets on? Why have you not welded the tubes to the center chunk?

Just curious is all I was thinking of trussing my 14 bolt in my Scout with a anti wrap but I was going to buy a full or 3/4 width and notch it for the perches and anti wrap mount.

 

[cgalpha08]

I have a couple questions, on the tiny truss for the 14 bolt? What's the point using a narrow truss like that on a leaf spring rig? Isn't the narrow style just for welding upper link brackets on? Why have you not welded the tubes to the center chunk?

Just curious is all I was thinking of trussing my 14 bolt in my Scout with a anti wrap but I was going to buy a full or 3/4 width and notch it for the perches and anti wrap mount.

I had thought about what you want to do or are suggesting, and ultimately decided this was the easiest for my skill level. I was/am not comfortable welding steel to cast, i know the process is fairly simple and the internet says there are multiple ways to do it, but i did not want to try that and risk having some sort of issue. I also wanted a narrower truss to avoid possibly warping the tubes and ending up with a smiley face, again largely due to my fabrication skill level. Which, lets be honest. is very low haha. So i settled on this, its advertised as not only a link mount location but also helps prevent the tubes from spinning since its tied into the pinion support, whether that is true, guess we are going to find out. I also liked the pinion guard on this one the best compared to some of the other "pointier" ones on the market so that played a role as well.

 

[Winchested]

I had thought about what you want to do or are suggesting, and ultimately decided this was the easiest for my skill level. I was/am not comfortable welding steel to cast, i know the process is fairly simple and the internet says there are multiple ways to do it, but i did not want to try that and risk having some sort of issue. I also wanted a narrower truss to avoid possibly warping the tubes and ending up with a smiley face, again largely due to my fabrication skill level. Which, lets be honest. is very low haha. So i settled on this, its advertised as not only a link mount location but also helps prevent the tubes from spinning since its tied into the pinion support, whether that is true, guess we are going to find out. I also liked the pinion guard on this one the best compared to some of the other "pointier" ones on the market so that played a role as well.

Right on, I'm sure it will work out fine. Should help prevent the tubes twisting.

I've welded over 6 chunks now to the tubes with my Lincoln 180 and 70-s6 wire. Welded in two TMR shave kits with 70-s6 wire, a rockslayer truss to a 05+ SD60.

You're thinking way too much into it and worried too much about what the internet geezers say.

 

[cgalpha08]

Right on, I'm sure it will work out fine. Should help prevent the tubes twisting.

I've welded over 6 chunks now to the tubes with my Lincoln 180 and 70-s6 wire. Welded in two TMR shave kits with 70-s6 wire, a rockslayer truss to a 05+ SD60.

You're thinking way too much into it and worried too much about what the internet geezers say.

haha fair enough, if i ever have an issue or build another one ill give it a go.

 

[cgalpha08]

14b rear is done and in, minus some final torque and brake line fittings.