11. Due to the extended knuckles...
11. Due to the extended knuckles only minor steering adjustments are required. The tie-rod jam nuts are loosened and the tie-rod ends are threaded inward 2.5 complete turns. The jam nuts are then retightened and the tie rods are attached to the new knuckles as shown here. In this photo you can also see one of the axle spacers that mount between the differential flange and the axleshaft on each side.
12. The torsion-bar crossmember...
12. The torsion-bar crossmember is lowered via a pair of drop brackets. Two holes per side need to be drilled in the frame and then self-tapping screws are used to mount the brackets. With the crossmember installed the torsion bars are then reinstalled.
13. Aft braces help support...
13. Aft braces help support the new front suspension and they're installed to the new subframe up front and the transmission crossmember in the rear. Drilling is required to mount the aft-brace brackets to the transmission crossmember.
14. The H2 comes standard...
14. The H2 comes standard with a transmission cage. The outside tubes on the front of the transmission cage must be ground to facilitate installation with the new kit.
15. Likewise, the factory...
15. Likewise, the factory skidplate must also be cut and filed to ensure proper fitment at the new subframe front pockets. The instructions detail how and where the modifications are to be done.
16. Here's the completed front...
16. Here's the completed front suspension. Notice the stock front skidplate mounts to the new drop bracket and it integrates two new center-mounted bolts to the new Rancho subframe. It also uses the factory mounting points at the rear.
17. The rear suspension lift...
17. The rear suspension lift installation begins by removing a number of parts including the sway-bar end links, shock absorbers, gas-tank skidplate, and coil springs and insulators. The first parts to install are the link drop brackets. Rancho recommends only removing the forward ends of the upper and lower links on one side of the axle at a time. The driver side is done first. Here you can see the new driver-side link drop bracket in place before the links are reattached. The bracket attaches using four bolts, one of which has to be drilled. After this, new bumpstop spacers are installed on each side of the vehicle.
18. This is the new track-bar...
18. This is the new track-bar bracket. It attaches to the OEM bracket with supplied hardware and requires only one hole to be drilled (for the bolt on the left).
19. The final steps for the...
19. The final steps for the rear include installing a new brake-line bracket, the extended sway-bar end-link assemblies and the RX9000XL adjustable shocks.
Here you can see the difference...
Here you can see the difference between a stock H2 (left) and the lifted H2.
Bottom Line
Not only did the kit solve the tire-rubbing issue and improve angles important to off-highway travel, it improved the H2's performance on the RTI ramp. Before the kit was installed the H2 traveled 53.5 inches up a 20-degree ramp. This earned it a score of 436. After the install the H2 traveled 60.5 inches up the ramp to earn a score of 493.
The Rancho kit was developed using a 37x12.50R17 tire on a 17x10 wheel with 5 inches of backspacing, however it will allow use of up to a 40x13.50R17 tire on a 17x9 wheel with 6 inches of backspacing. We're digging the fact that no driveline or exhaust mods are required to install the kit and we like the overall simplicity of the kit and the fact that it blends nicely with the underbody of the rig. On a short drive after the install we noticed no weird handling and no driveline vibration issues.
This Rancho kit has an MSRP of $2,900, and that price includes shocks.
The new kit contributed to the H2 being able to travel 7 more inches up a 20-degree RTI ramp.