The ALBERTA chat thread!

[nitrous]

1997.5 and up have the better engine blocks for the most part, but you should check the engine block number as the early ones were prone to crack, although very few made it through the warranty period from what I understand without being replaced.
 
1997.5 and up have the better heating system. How much better I'm not sure. But I know mine is the old system and modified and is shit. It will keep the window defrosted, and you won't die. But your wife probably won't be happy if it's really cold out.
 
ABS/TT4 was standard I believe on the 97.5 plus trucks. Seems as though a lot of people disable it. My truck is a handful on slippery roads around town without any abs, and with the Detroit locker. You have to be very carful as it will slide around a lot!
 
Central Tire inflation is very cool, but most people have a lot of problems with the system sealing, and when things go back it can cause a lot of problems. Like pumping oil out of your hubs and into your tires. And causing flat tires as air slowly leaks out causing you to come out in the morning to flat tires. Right and left tires are linked, so one flat really means two flats.
 
Winch isn't the biggest deal, easy to put on and wire up. I bought a pretty much bran new M12000 for $600 last spring. But it's a negotiation point for sure. But if it doesn't have the winch then it might not have the rocker protection, or the under body guards. I think that was all in one package.
 
A good indication of how well it has been locked after is the hub oil. take a 1" wrench with you and you can easily take off the hub plug and inspect the oil without taking a tire off or anything. If he just takes it to jiffy lube then most likely they neglected this point. and through the 1" filler hole you can see the hub gear and see what condition it is in.

[humybby]

1997.5 and up have the better engine blocks for the most part, but you should check the engine block number as the early ones were prone to crack, although very few made it through the warranty period from what I understand without being replaced.

 

1997.5 and up have the better heating system. How much better I'm not sure. But I know mine is the old system and modified and is shit. It will keep the window defrosted, and you won't die. But your wife probably won't be happy if it's really cold out.

 

ABS/TT4 was standard I believe on the 97.5 plus trucks. Seems as though a lot of people disable it. My truck is a handful on slippery roads around town without any abs, and with the Detroit locker. You have to be very carful as it will slide around a lot!

 

Central Tire inflation is very cool, but most people have a lot of problems with the system sealing, and when things go back it can cause a lot of problems. Like pumping oil out of your hubs and into your tires. And causing flat tires as air slowly leaks out causing you to come out in the morning to flat tires. Right and left tires are linked, so one flat really means two flats.

 

Winch isn't the biggest deal, easy to put on and wire up. I bought a pretty much bran new M12000 for $600 last spring. But it's a negotiation point for sure. But if it doesn't have the winch then it might not have the rocker protection, or the under body guards. I think that was all in one package.

 

A good indication of how well it has been locked after is the hub oil. take a 1" wrench with you and you can easily take off the hub plug and inspect the oil without taking a tire off or anything. If he just takes it to jiffy lube then most likely they neglected this point. and through the 1" filler hole you can see the hub gear and see what condition it is in.

OK - sorry but most of this isn't right, but some of it is.


ABS and TT4 arrived in 1999 - government regulated. I have heard of one person disabling it. My opinion is that you'd be foolish to do so. My truck has TT4, Eaton lockers, limited slip and the ability to BTM, but I typically use TR4 or if it gets real tough, I lock up.


Updated GEP engine blocks arrived in 2000. There were still a few bad blocks in 2000 - mostly gone by 2001.

CTIS is largely an exceptionally reliable system. Leaks are not common. I've never heard of anyone filling their tires with hub oil and I'm certain that's impossible. I've had 1 CTIS repair since 1998, a geared hub CTIS seal. Both rear tires went flat. I just inflated them and continued on. You may be thinking of the 'Vampire', which can cause issues. It's related to the t-case cooling loop - it can cause the hubs to fill with tranny fluid. It's completely unrelated to the CTIS. The t-case cooling loop was upgraded in 1997.5 to prevent the Vampire.


I'll explain the Vampire. First, Here's how the t-case cooling works. The transmission pumps hot tranny fluid to a small cooler in the cooling stack. On the way it enters the t-case in a sealed tube with fins and picks up t-case heat. In early trucks this small cooling loop was prone to failure at the mounting bracket. The sealed tube would fail so the transmission would now be pumping tranny fluid into the t-case. The t-case is connected into a central vent system. Once the t-case was full it would pump through the vents into the diffs, geared hubs and ultimately into the snorkel. Red fluid everywhere - hence the vampire, it usually caused transmission failure because of lack of fluid.


The big changes for 97.5 are HVAC, gauges, steering upgrades, rear bumper upgrade, more power, better PS system, upgraded interior.... It was the single biggest year for upgrades up to the Alpha in 2006.


Greg

[nitrous]

Should have just left this post for you Greg.

[nitrous]

Lynchhummer.com has all the model year changes year by year pretty well documented.

[humybby]

If my experience is typical, the single biggest issue is the steering system.  I go through idler arms like they're giving them away.  They're easy to change and not too expensive - but it's a pain.
 
The big expensive stuff is what you need to watch, the t-cases are pretty good, the diffs are good, the enigines are over worked and early ones had issues with blocks cracking around the number 8.  I doubt you'd find a truck with a #8 issue anymore.  They've either failed by now or are just fine.
 
The transmissions are good....
 
However - the damn things can nickle and dime you to death.  Tie-rods, shocks, idlers, ball joints, heater fan motors.....  a bunch of little things.
 
I love my truck - but every now and then I'd happily light the damn thing on fire.  Not really.
 
Greg

[dwaxman1]

I have to agree with Greg 1997.5 or 98 are great years..98 I prefer..even though I have a 96..and my Hvac sucks. The upgrade is big $$$$ and I prefer to not have TT4 and no ABS, I like BTM. .

[Khamul]

So I went and had a look at a 1996 at a used car dealer... Not very impressed! Took awhile to get going, I know the Detroit engines are loud but this was even worse. They claimed the engine was completly rebuilt.... Yet, look under the hook and the valve covers are all rusted and leaking on the drivers side... So if it was rebuilt.... Half-@ssed!!!


He liked the deuce but I said no way! Hub seal was gone too, inside was rough..... I hate it when people don't take care of their vehicles....


Still torn, depressed as the girl who wanted mine dissappeared.... Then driving to that dealer today I got 2 stares, 1 smile and a thumbs up....


I may just hang tight...

[dwaxman1]

Keep the H2, I miss mine...but I love my H1, I think everyone should have one of each.

[Sugarphreak]

I'd like to collect all three

[dwaxman1]

Well yes true Nick