1973 GMC 26' Glacier Build

[tmsnyder]

Corey, only time will tell for me. I have a set of new Timken Bearing for the hubs but similar to what you said about the bearings being loose I did not like the fit of the new bearings "loose" so I went ahead and put the old bearings back in, they fit nice and snug and they were fine as far as condition. I was told the 73-74 knuckles were made loose so you could pull the bearings with a slide hammer. The only difference in bearings is the used ones were Timken USA the new ones were Canada, they did mic out a couple thousandth smaller than the USA.

Pulling the hub assembly with a slide hammer is in the service manual as standard practice through 1976 at least. The OD bearing clearance to the hole in the spindle is a slip fit with specific tolerances. It's not a press fit and never was.

If the opening is bigger than tolerance Lenzi can build them up and bore them open to meet the tolerance specification again, he even ends up on the tighter side of the tolerance intentionally which is great.

If someone didn't have the $ for Lenzi and was going to zerk the knuckles, reassemble and probably never have to open them up again in their lifetime I would set the bearings in Loctite 603 Bearing Retaining Compound, it's good for several 0.001" gap iirc Something to think about anyway.

 

[uprooted]

Pulling the hub assembly with a slide hammer is in the service manual as standard practice through 1976 at least. The OD bearing clearance to the hole in the spindle is a slip fit with specific tolerances. It's not a press fit and never was.

If the opening is bigger than tolerance Lenzi can build them up and bore them open to meet the tolerance specification again, he even ends up on the tighter side of the tolerance intentionally which is great.

If someone didn't have the $ for Lenzi and was going to zerk the knuckles, reassemble and probably never have to open them up again in their lifetime I would set the bearings in Loctite 603 Bearing Retaining Compound, it's good for several 0.001" gap iirc Something to think about anyway.

When I sent mine off to Dave he ended up discarding one of them because someone had done some poor welding on it. And yes he spray welded the other one to bring it back under tolerance then bore it back out.

 

[ScottC]

Pulling the hub assembly with a slide hammer is in the service manual as standard practice through 1976 at least. The OD bearing clearance to the hole in the spindle is a slip fit with specific tolerances. It's not a press fit and never was.

If the opening is bigger than tolerance Lenzi can build them up and bore them open to meet the tolerance specification again, he even ends up on the tighter side of the tolerance intentionally which is great.

If someone didn't have the $ for Lenzi and was going to zerk the knuckles, reassemble and probably never have to open them up again in their lifetime I would set the bearings in Loctite 603 Bearing Retaining Compound, it's good for several 0.001" gap iirc Something to think about anyway.

Of course I am getting ready to put the knuckles back on this weekend, as stated the bearings fit nice, would you suggest redoing both (ordering new seals) just to add Loctite 603? Sounds like a good solution for the new set of bearings if needed in the future.

 

[ScottC]

Well I have another little job, I forgot about the dipstick LOL. Worked it for about an hour then it broke being we were just talking about a slide hammer I got creative, pinched the tube together then screwed the slide hammer in and pulled the rest of the tube out!

 

[ScottC]

Still have not put the knuckles back on and the front end back together, being I have the RH Output Shaft off I am going to change the bearing, the support bracket appears to have been moving around a lot not sure why, just a lack of maintenance? Bearing does not feel crunchy but definitely rocks back and forth in the support.

 

[ScottC]

I put my 3.70 final drive in the coach and why I have the RH output shaft out I figured I should replace the bearing. the old bearing does not feel crunchy but does have some slop left right up and down in the support bracket. I looked up the part number "RW507-CR" and ordered a Timken RW507CR. I have not pressed the old bearing off the shaft yet but my assumption is it is just a pressed fit near the bearing location and should slide partially down the shaft correct? If so then I have the wrong bearing.

Thank you all for the help!

 

[ScottC]

Yep I am still at it, busting ass to stay ahead of the snow! As far as the last post I welded up that bad hole on the support bracket and installed it, if I have any issues I have access to a complete shaft, bracket and good bearing. I have the front end together and have moved on to the rear bearings, bags and brakes. Repacked all the bearings, the rear brake shoes are good, have one wheel cylinder that I am replacing today. I am still waiting on the dipstick tube so I finish the exhaust. I am hoping to get it back on it wheels by next weekend being they are calling for a snowy mix next week, Aaaaaah

 

[pvfjr]

Great progress! It'll be very assuring cruising around with all that stuff squared away so nicely. Good luck beating the snow.

 

[ScottC]

Thanks to Todd or Matt for reminding me and thanks to Dave Lenzi for the article in the Winter 2021 GMCMI magazine, sure enough the combination valve was wrong so I removed the rubber plunger and spring. Brakes are done just need to bleed this weekend.

I should note also while doing the brakes I have never seen so many splices in brake lines so I might consider changing them out in the future

 

[uprooted]

Thanks to Tom for reminding me and thanks to Dave Lenzi for the article in the Winter 2021 GMCMI magazine, sure enough the combination valve was wrong so I removed the rubber plunger and spring. Brakes are done just need to bleed this weekend.

I should note also while doing the brakes I have never seen so many splices in brake lines so I might consider changing them out in the future

I'll be curious how much of a difference the combo valve mod makes. I'm doing the same thing this winter. The brakes arent bad now but I do feel like I'm missing something when I really step on it

 

[RF_Burns]

Thanks to Tom for reminding me and thanks to Dave Lenzi for the article in the Winter 2021 GMCMI magazine, sure enough the combination valve was wrong so I removed the rubber plunger and spring. Brakes are done just need to bleed this weekend.

I should note also while doing the brakes I have never seen so many splices in brake lines so I might consider changing them out in the future

Scott, I bought into the stainless steel brake line kit. However I found that SS is hard to seal and ended up using copper washers at some junctions. Its not fun to have to bleed the lines several times after finding leaks.

If I had to do it again, I would just use the standard steel or copper/nickel lines. The OEM lines lasted 40 years so either will outlast me!

 

[tmsnyder]

Scott, I bought into the stainless steel brake line kit. However I found that SS is hard to seal and ended up using copper washers at some junctions. Its not fun to have to bleed the lines several times after finding leaks.

If I had to do it again, I would just use the standard steel or copper/nickel lines. The OEM lines lasted 40 years so either will outlast me!

That copper nickel is amazing, I'm never using steel again.

 

[pvfjr]

That copper nickel is amazing, I'm never using steel again.

X2 on this, mostly. I really, really love the copper/nickel stuff--started using it a few years ago on multiple old project vehicles. It's very easy to handle.

I don't mind normal steel as much anymore though, after getting one of the Mastercool hydraulic flaring kits. It sure makes steel easier to handle. Conventional steel lines are still the cheapest and are quite robust, so for very long runs of larger diameter stuff I still use it sometimes (like the new fuel lines in the coach, and on my Loadstar).

I don't think stainless is worth the effort in most cases unless you're very committed to the bling factor, or you just like saying you put stainless lines in something. For some projects, I'm sure this has merit. Just as Bruce found, it can be tricky stuff.

 

[tmsnyder]

X2 on this, mostly. I really, really love the copper/nickel stuff--started using it a few years ago on multiple old project vehicles. It's very easy to handle.

I don't mind normal steel as much anymore though, after getting one of the Mastercool hydraulic flaring kits. It sure makes steel easier to handle. Conventional steel lines are still the cheapest and are quite robust, so for very long runs of larger diameter stuff I still use it sometimes (like the new fuel lines in the coach, and on my Loadstar).

I don't think stainless is worth the effort in most cases unless you're very committed to the bling factor, or you just like saying you put stainless lines in something. For some projects, I'm sure this has merit. Just as Bruce found, it can be tricky stuff.

I've been wanting one of those new flare kits !

 

[Matt Colie]

I've been wanting one of those new flare kits !

Todd,

If you have more than a few to do, it is well worth the expense to get the set. I have it even better than that, I have a friend that has one that I can borrow. If I did not, I would have one of my own.

Matt

 

[pvfjr]

Todd,

If you have more than a few to do, it is well worth the expense to get the set. I have it even better than that, I have a friend that has one that I can borrow. If I did not, I would have one of my own.

Matt

That's fortunate! I hoped and dreamt of having a friend with one for years, and it never worked out. I finally ended up with far too many projects that needed reliable flaring done, so I finally bit the bullet. It was a very bitter pill to swallow, but I've actually used it more than I expected. Each and every use is extremely gratifying.

I also dreamt of having a friend with a boat, but that ended up being me too.

 

[ScottC]

Yep I bought SS lines one time for another project and what a PIA, so difficult to work with. I remember someone named Bob I met at Chippewa Falls told me about a company that makes lines for our coaches much cheaper than the other company (classic tube?) but I cant remember what he said, I should have wrote it down, lol.

I am not worried about it at this point, bleeding the right rear (new wheel cylinder) took quite a while even with my mighty vac but they are all good now!

 

[ScottC]

Well was hoping to get it sat back on the ground this week but one of my torsion bar adjustment bolts is striped out, I will figure out what thread it is and try an run a tap in it and hopefully just need another bolt. I would assume I need to by one from one of the suppliers which Cinnabar is closest to me

 

[Matt Colie]

Scott,

If you tried to turn that screw with load on it, I guaranty it blew out and you may not be able to salvage the threads in the pork chop. It is worth a try but don't get your hopes up too high.

Matt

 

[ScottC]

Scott,

If you tried to turn that screw with load on it, I guaranty it blew out and you may not be able to salvage the threads in the pork chop. It is worth a try but don't get your hopes up too high.

Matt

It was still up on the stands, the drivers side was fine, passenger side must have been boogered up before. It was tight either way then I could feel it give way tightening it. was able to remove bolt but again it was tight, threads are trashed near the top. What are my options? Again the coach is still on stands.