Rebuilding my dad's Hummer H1... for it's next adventures.

[Fletcher8969]

In 2000 my dad outfitted a pretty much stock Hummer H1 and drove it from Los Angeles to Prudhoe Bay on the north cost of Alaska. Then he turned around and drove it to Tierra Del Fuego at the bottom of Argentina. He crossed 14 countries and drove about 76K miles over 18 months. It was the trip he had wanted to do most of his adult life. After that trip he drove his truck around the US and sometimes as a daily driver for years. However, he hasn't been able to use it for several years. Although he can't drive any more (he's struggling with age and Alzheimer's) and I expect I might not even be able to even get him in the truck, I decided to get the truck rebuilt so he can enjoy it, at least vicariously, while I take his grand kids on some new adventures in it. I thought there might be few folks on this forum that would like to see how that's been going. I'll post pictures of the process a few at a time.

 

[Fletcher8969]

Step 1: Ship it to Texas! It was sitting in the yard for the past few years and getting a little hammered by the weather. So we put it on a flatbed to Texas to have get a group of awesome Hummer pros to help us do some heavy lifting.

 

[Fletcher8969]

Step 2: Figure out everything that needs to be repaired, replaced or refurbished. With 150k hard miles on it and sitting in the yard for a few years there was plenty of work to be done. The entire suspension and drive train needed to be gone through carefully. The portal hubs and differentials where removed for rebuild or replacement. This is just the beginning.

 

[Fletcher8969]

Step 3: Better rock sliders.

 

[Fletcher8969]

Step 4: Rebuild Portal Axles (Hubs) and replace all suspension and steering components.
All the hub gears, half-shafts and suspension components where upgraded from the original 10k rating to 12.5K rating for more strength/durability and load capacity.

 

[Fletcher8969]

Step 5: Add 3 inch lift... sand and paint the frame while you're at it... replace all the hardware on the frame.
(Late model H1s came from the factory with a 2 inch lift so 3 inches isn't crazy.)

 

[Fletcher8969]

Step 6: Replace all fluids, filters, hoses, belts, batteries. Install a new 140v alternator, heavy duty starter motor, steering pump, water pump, custom coolant overflow reservoir, new cooling stack and just about everything in the engine bay except the engine. The engine was replaced under warranty somewhere close to 100k miles (after the engine block cracked in the Atacama Desert) so it's running pretty well. Rebuild the Central Tire Inflation System and install an ARB twin compressor to drive that and the ARB diff lockers front and rear. The goal was to make this mechanically as reliable as possible.

 

[persquank]

Love the build. This thing will be unstoppable. I need to find a way to mate those portal hubs to my Renegade.

 

[EXPO_D1]

Wow! I'm sub'd

 

[Fletcher8969]

Love the build. This thing will be unstoppable. I need to find a way to mate those portal hubs to my Renegade.

I think the only thing I'll worry about... is when a trail gets narrow.

 

[Fletcher8969]

Next step: ARB lockers front and rear and Wilwood big brake kit. The truck had torsen diffs and a computer control traction system. Modern trucks have outstanding computer traction systems but this 20 year old military truck didn't have what you would call cutting edge tech these days. So I prefer the purely mechanical version and know when the diffs are locked or not. We also anodized the differential housings with a camo pattern to celebrate the military connection. My dad was in the Army so we picked green... his favorite color after his time in the Army... not.
The factory brakes where probably the worst thing on this truck. These brake should be a massive improvement. You'll notice in the pictures that the brakes are inboard right next to the differentials. They brake the half shafts since the portal hubs take up all the space in the wheels. It keeps them well protected from off road hazards and makes for extra fun when replacing pads.

 

[Fletcher8969]

New windshields. We'll have to see how many stickers we put on the new ones.
There are a lot of people that hate Hummers. They seem to see them as symbols of excess or gas (diesel) hogs. This truck has been vandalized more than once, including someone shooting both windshield with pellets. Too bad they aren't pellet proof. These windshields are heated so they're about $1000 a piece. Ouch.

 

[Fletcher8969]

Adding a new custom winch housing / front bumper. This improves the approach angle just a bit over the factory version. With a winch the approach angle is about 50 degrees. I decided to keep the 12K lbs factory winch since is still worked well. We rebuilt it and replaced the steel cable with synthetic line. The truck still has plenty of "patina" in places... clearly the winch looks its age.

 

[bgenlvtex]

I don't know Shit from Shine Ola about a Hummer, but I know a worthy endeavor when I see one.

 

[Renegade]

I have an 2006 H1 Alpha.

Curious who you sent it to here in Texas.

That vehicle has great history.

 

[Lanlubber In Remembrance]

Adding a new custom winch housing / front bumper. This improves the approach angle just a bit over the factory version. With a winch the approach angle is about 50 degrees. I decided to keep the 12K lbs factory winch since is still worked well. We rebuilt it and replaced the steel cable with synthetic line. The truck still has plenty of "patina" in places... clearly the winch looks its age.
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Very ambitious endeavor, your doing an excellent job. Your old dad is lucky to have such a loving son. Thumbs up for you !

 

[ZRex]

Huge kudos to you for taking care of pops truck like this! Obviously the rig already has an incredible history but I'm super excited to see the development of the rebuild and also to see it running around again with the generations in tow!

Keep up the fantastic work!

 

[Fletcher8969]

I have an 2006 H1 Alpha.

Curious who you sent it to here in Texas.

That vehicle has great history.

Mod Mafia, they’re in Houston. Excellent quality work. They’re a small shop but are very passionate about Hummers.

 

[Renegade]

Mod Mafia, they’re in Houston. Excellent quality work. They’re a small shop but are very passionate about Hummers.

Yes I am familiar with them. Good Choice.

 

[Fletcher8969]

Transfer case: This is an entirely new transfer case that is heavier duty that the stock version. This is made for the much newer ECV (up-armored) HMMWVs that can weigh up to 16K lbs. This truck will probably weight about 8.5K lbs when we're done with it. It needs some modifications and retooling to work with the civilian H1s.


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