Air Ride for an H2 Hummer? Help please.

[Hockeyman]

Hi guys. I read an article in Truckin Magazine where No Limit Engineering lowered an H2 Hummer using Shockwaves in the front, and the 9100 air springs in the rear, while getting rid of both torsion bars. My question to anyone on the forum here is which shockwave air shocks should I get? I know there are different configurations, but I am not sure which to get for a project like this. Also should I be changing the control arms? I don't believe that they were changed them in the Truckin magazine article. And finally, my H2 already has airbags in the rear. Will I be able to utilize them or will I have to replace them with the 9100 air springs and will I have to remove the ride height sensor arms. I ask this because the H2 that was used in the Truckin mag article only had coil springs for rear suspension so they never delt with that issue.

I know that lowering an H2 is not the norm, but I think it look better lowered so please keep comments about how stupid it is to do this to your selves. I appreciate any help and thank you in advance.

Here is the link to the Truckin Magazine article......
www.truckinweb.com/tech/suspension/0604tr_hummer_h2_lowering_kit

[darren@ridetech.com]

They used the SKW2020 shockwaves on the front of that project. You will have to fabricate all of the mounts tho. You could probably use the factory rear air springs, but you may have to modify the mounts to be able to keep the air spring within it range of ride height. If you drive with the air spring too low the ride quality will be bouncy and you may damage the air spring.

You might be able to use the rear height sensorsn with our control system. Many of the oem sensors are 0-5 volt, which is what the LevelPro system uses. We have done this with the new Tahoes and Yukons.

[Hockeyman]

Thanks for replying Darren. Assuming I was able to get the appropriate brackets, where would be the best place to relocate the rear air bags/springs? Do you think that some lowering spindles would help keep the front wheels from tilting inwards at a lower ride height? Would some ridetech HD strong arms help with that issue as well? And last of all, if I just decided to replace the rear air bags/springs and purchase a complete system to donthe job right, what price range am I looking at? What would you recommend?

Thanks again for all the input.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Are you talking about the rear? You shouldn't have to relocate the air springs, just modify the brackets to get it lower. If someone makes a drop spindle for it, I would use that. I don't think that the HD arms will work on that truck.

For a complete system you would be looking at $3000-$3500

[Tony@AirRide]

The last I had heard, Predator Motorsports was getting in cahoots with No Limit to reproduce the brackets and the kit. You may want to get in touch with Ryan over at Predator to see what they can do. Their number is (620) 510-1298

[Hockeyman]

Darren I was talking I was talking about the front and the rear. If I was to just go with shockwaves and Ride Tech Air Springs in the rear and something like the Air pod set up or whatever would be best and simplest to plumb. I believe Ground Force and Magaughys sells 3" front and 5" rear lowering kits that include drop spindles, but I have no idea if they would do the job right. $3500 is definitely in my price range as long as that is the whole set up front to back, less the brackets and spindles. Looking at some of the prices for the shockwaves on this site, it didn't say whether or not they came in pairs or solo. And the ones with the different adjustments were upwards of $1000. I will look at the prices again to make sure that I am not blind. Also I may end up taking the front diff and transfer case out and turing this rig into a two wheel drive street truck. I have no use for all wheel drive. I just like the look of the truck and the room in the interior.

Toney I tried emailing No Limit but the email was rejected or couldn't get through, so I will check out Predators site and see what is what and maybe even email them. Thanks so much again fellas.

[darren@ridetech.com]

Those front Shockwaves retail for $999/pair. The double adjustables are $1269/pair. The rear air spring are about $400/pair. The easiest comp. kit to wire is definitely the AirPod system. It's all preplumed and prewired, but it must be mounted inside the vehicle. Do you have room for that or do you want to mount it all under the truck.

[Hockeyman]

I would mount it inside the truck. I think that the factory compressor and other electronics may be ready to be thrown in the garbage. It was mounted under the truck, and unfortunately it was driven by the previous owner in the winter up here in Canada and has taken a shit kickn'. It is pretty rusty, but I am not sure if it is faulty. It seems like the air bags are pumped up way too much. My Dad and I followed the instructions on how to raise and lower them, but as soon as it lowers a couple of inches, it automatically adjusts to the original ride height we started at. I just bought the truck a couple of weeks ago and am trying not to get too far ahead of myself, just more or less trying to learn about all of the things I want to do with this truck. I will have to check the whole air ride system over when I remove the rear bumper. It is a 2003 and has definitely been well used.

Thank god that it is $999 a pair and $1269 a pair for the double adjustable ones. Do you think that the latter would better serve me or just over complicate things? I have been wanting to do an air ride system for so long but really don't know a whole lot about them.

[darren@ridetech.com]

SA's would work fine for that truck, but the DA's will allow you to control the compression as well and that could help you dial in the ride.

[Hockeyman]

Ok sounds good. I was just browsing the Air Ride store and I couldn't find the SKW2020 shockwaves. Are they no longer available or did you mean SKW2010? Or perhaps the SKW1014 for the 00-05 tahoe since its front suspension is the same as an H2. In the mean time I will continue to read up on all the stuff that you guys offer. Thanks again.

[darren@ridetech.com]

SKW2020 is the correct part #, but they are not available on line. They look just like the SKW2010, but different mounts and longer.

[msicabinet]

Hockeyman,
I have a hold of a pair of SKW2020 Shockwaves. I bought them a few years back for a project that we never got around to finishing. We attempted to fit them into a '63 Impala but they were too long. I am currently selling these shockwaves, along with eye to stud adapters and trunnion mounts, on ebay motors. The travel on the shockwaves is 17" to 11" from the center of one eye to the other. Let me know if you are interested and hopefully I can help you.

Thanks,
Rob