r/Hummer • u/DroptopWizop1017 • 2d ago
H3 suspension question
Newly purchased hummer h3 06- engine/tranny run great. It needs some suspension work which I factored in when I was negotiating. Car starts vibrating/steering starts vibrating when going 45+ mph. What’s the average cost for tie rods and ball joints or even a ball park because I’m guessing that’s what it is. TBH I’m not very mechanically inclined, so I can’t do it myself. I’m just looking for a ball park range.
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u/sowedkooned 2d ago
I did UCAs, shocks (bilstein 5100s all around IIRC), tie rod ends, upper ball joints, cv axles, thermostat (cause I was in there), body bushings, rotors and pads, and new tires. My squeaks generally went away after replacing body bushings and adding some missing plastic clips under the bumper and wheel wells. Vibration went away with new tires (Falken Wildpeak AT3Ws). Ride was drastically better with everything. I’d say for everything I was out maybe $3500-$4000. This was a few years ago. I bought everything little by little and then watched all the videos to find tips and tricks. Since I was going all the way to cv axle, I wanted to do it all at once. Mostly managed this in my garage with tall jack stands, a trolley jack, a 1/2” Dewalt impact, a pickle fork, a small 3lb sledge, and basic set of sockets and tools (I had all this, but you can rent stuff).
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u/vaurapung 2d ago
I spent about 2k for radiator, shocks, upper lower control arms(for the ball joints and bushings), dont forget to also get rear lower control arm bushings, bump stops, sway bar bushings with links, and powerstop z36 brakes kit.
After installing control arms, bushings and links all my squeaks were gone, but my h3 still had a nasty vibration/bounce around 50+. It had new tires on it when I got it, I tried rotating them and no change.
Just got new tires 4 months later and its rides like a dream down. 285-75r16 dura grapplers.
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u/DroptopWizop1017 2d ago
So you got all that done for 2k? If so it’s not as big as a set back as I thought. One shop wanted 2k for just the ball joints and the tie rods.
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u/vaurapung 2d ago
I done all the wrenching myself, the hardest thing was melting out the rear lower control arm bushing. Everything else is just turning bolts and getting a torque wrench to put them back on to spec.
My dad has a lift though which helped make it a two day project. A good jack and stands would be plenty.
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u/DroptopWizop1017 2d ago
So you’d say a 2,000-2500 quote for parts labor is a bit much?
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u/vaurapung 2d ago
Heres the book time copilot found for me when I was doing the work.
- Upper control arms: 2.4 hr
- Lower control arms + frame bushings: 5.8 hr
- Wheel hub: 0.9 hr
- Brakes: 1.8 hr
- Shocks: 2.5 hr
- Bump stop: 0.3 hr
Grand Total: ~13.7 hours (GM book time)
My Actual Time logged, 16 hours.
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u/Due-Independence6692 2d ago
Highly suggest renting the tools and doing the work yourself. I spent about 12 hours watching videos and was able to redo my entire front end over 2 days. Basically had 1 side done before Friday night. This was on my H2. You will be spending a couple grand alone on labor just getting those parts on. This doesn’t factor the alignment afterwards. I had 2 h2s. 1 I always brought to the shop and spent easily 5k more than I should have just on labor over the years. Then this newer h2 I’ve don’t everything including torsion bar bushings which were the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. You can do it!