@dbrannon79 confirming that electric fans has impeded more than one hummer at highway speed. I’ve helped guys and ones who really wanted to keep the already added electric fans, I got them to do other cooling improvements and they saw improvements enough where they trusted my judgment enough to do a test run recording temps, remove the fan “temporarily” and retest. Once proved it hinders the cooling by slowing the allowed volume of air across the radiator- they learn to leave it off.
There are some people who make enough improvements in other areas that it can handle the obstruction and helps them with the a/c and don’t suffer from the added obstruction when running a mechanical fan clutch. Usually the environment they are operating in is the biggest factor.
I had guys that live in other parts of the country (a couple from other countries) that bring their hummers to Vegas on adventure trips through the desert and spend a few days in vegas seeing the shows and such or touring the Hoover dam.
When I tell them the areas of road to pay attention to the heat- many report back seeing the highest temps ever seen on their rig. It isn’t that the roads are the steepest and longest- it is that with the lowest humidity in the country the cooling stacks simply can not shed heat as fast. I have had days where one day was 108 and 4% humidity and my truck would run at the max temperature I allow it via my right foot on the hiway. The temps in the week building to that day were all over 100 easily. The next day a storm rolls in and temps will be say 102/103 but humidity goes up to 35% and I can run my hummer 15 mph faster and still not be as hot as the day of 108 & 4%.
As to getting a hummer/hmmwv- if you or anyone has ever considered buying one- first check your dmv if they allow it to be registered as an on road vehicle.
Right now there is a member here (
@Hummer H1) who is effectively buying himself a fleet of them. Dude helps everyone he can. Idk the cost of towing one from California to your state- but he is buying units with only a couple thousand miles on it for way under $10k. Optimizer engine, turbo, db2, 4L80e, all the latest and greatest like brembo (iirc) brakes, improved steering and suspension system, on and on.
Cali for example doesn’t but there are people who have done it. Nevada where I live has locked it down solid. So that is the only reason I never put a shiny paintjob and flashy wheels on my 95 hummer and sold it for top dollar- to then buy a hmmwv and add the sound deadening, comfy seats, 12v electrical system, and all the fancies- then there is enough money left over to buy a second one, fix it up part way and sell for profit- or just simply pocket the extra cash.
Any of you diy guys that has an old running 6.5 with a lot of miles who wants a new optimizer- you can buy this, swap the two engines, then turn around and sell the hmmwv for 0 loss. Look up what hmmwvs sell for in the open market in your area to make sure. And be honest telling people the engine under the hood is a tired old engine from a pickup- or the engine you took out is in your pickup you and are selling it as a project for others to drop in a dmax-without any engine at all.
I get about the worst mpg of any hummer driver I know of. I literally leave stop lights with my foot on the floor every time. Get to the posted speed limit then lift my foot. My hummer outweighs every other hummer I have compared to. Although mine was originally an open top (aka soft top or convertible) I built a ridiculously heavy (over one ton seriously) roof structure and cage/roof rack. When loaded with my tools and spare parts for zombie day - which is how I drive it 99% of the time It weighs 10,100lbs. The 2 door pickup version or 4 door pickup version with normal metal roof weighs in at roughly 7,000lbs iirc.
I get 10.5 mpg how I drive. Same mpg I had driving the same way without a turbo. Now it’s with turbo and fuel screw cranked up. Puff-o-smoke at the stopsign. Just faster 0-60 now. One time I drove at the old rate of acceleration I used to when driving wot without a turbo to compare mog before and after. I got 12.5 mpg. I have no idea what mpg it could get if I drove it normal.
I keep the 37x12.50x16.5 military mud tires on mine with the runflat/bead locks.
I never noticed a difference in mpg but consider how I drive- other guys on hummer forum say by going to aluminum wheels and tires without runflats they gain 2mpg. Eric just said the other day he gets 1.5-2 mpg more by keeping same tires as mine at 45psi but I run mine at 30. Same tires and runflats btw.
I know one guy who took a set of aluminum rims from his 99 3500 srw truck when he bought different ones for it- put those rims and 35.5” high normal pickup width tires on his hmmwv. He only uses an old tablet as his gauge set btw so gps speedometer and mileage. He said he gets 15.5 mpg. The shorter wheels gives him a little quicker acceleration but he drives mellow - I call him grandma.
I taught him how to do black diesel. Remember db2. He runs 25% gas because he found a source of free used atf and occasionally uses engine oil mixed in. So his cost after the first 900 gallons got him broke even, is equivalent to him working one Saturday every third month to get and make his fuel, and like getting 62 mpg at gasoline prices. Buying a hmmwv as his daily driver saves him a chunk of cash compared to his old ford pickup he used to drive.
It is easier to find a good used hmmwv with under 10,000 miles - than it is to find a 6.5 pickup with under 150,000 miles. And the purchase prices are similar.
The only question is - does your dmv allow it, and if fuel cost is a concern are you willing to work for a few day in the beginning then work one day every other month to get fuel costs cut by 1/3.
How much your wife yells at you- that I can’t help with. My wife found my hummer for sale when we bought it and I didn’t even know we were going to look at it.
If you find a db2 6.5 pickup- obviously can do same thing for fuel. If your dmv allows db2 conversion (mine wrecks it via smog test examination yearly) you can do the same.
If you want a dedicated off road only toy- you have to be into offroading slow. But now is the time to get smokin deals in them. Another year or so and these all might be gone. If you want fast buy a side by side.
