Alcoas

[blank]

>
> I've changed the front tires from Cooper Load Range D to
> Michelin XPS Rib LRE. Still the same problem. I took
> them to a place that had the Hunter 9700 machine last
> week. They did NOT use the roller and I'm not sure what
> adapter they had. They seemed to be worse when I left.

David, take them back and have them spin them again. I'll betcha a do-nut
that they'll still be out of balance. With a cone adaptor it's impossible
to properly center these wheels. A good check is to demount and remount the
wheel(some say turn them a half revolution, but I don't think that's
necessary) and spin again. 9.5 times out of ten, they'll be out of balance.
You gotta' have a hub-centered adaptor to properly balance these.

> The idler arm has a little bit of play in it.
> If I'm going to have the same difficulty with balancing the
> Alcoas why spend the money????

Better appearance, lower unsprung weight, better tire availability and no
more disposable curb feelers(hub caps).

Patrick

 

[wayne nesbitt]

: DavidHShipley wrote

Thank you for your reply. I've changed the front tires from Cooper Load
Range
D to Michelin XPS Rib LRE. Still the same problem. I took them to a place
that had the Hunter 9700 machine last week. They did NOT use the roller and
I'm not sure what adapter they had. They seemed to be worse when I left. I
have replaced the rotors, hubs and bearings, and some of the tie-rod ends. I
replaced the steering stabilizer shock absorber. I thought that might do
some
good because the old one was very easy to move in and out when I got it off.
I put new bushings in the relay arm but it still has a little wiggle in it.
The idler arm has a little bit of play in it.
If I'm going to have the same difficulty with balancing the Alcoas why spend
the money????

Wayne Nesbit writes

First you have to be sure it is tires. Then which one. I had a new Goodyear
G159 E that was bad from day1. You couldn't balance it out. It showed fine
on the machine and I couldn't tell which one was causing the vibration. When
it blew up I put the old spare on and we were smooth from there on with
steel wheels.It was on the middle wheel of the curb side but you would have
thought the vibration was coming from the front wheels. I now use Equal the
balancing powder that goes in the tire. No lead weights and no machine. It
keeps the tire balanced as it seats and as it wears. I wouldn't take a free
lead weight balance rather than pay for the equal. I am smooth at all speeds
up to 90 on steel rims. Equal is available at truck tire centres and has
been used on trucks for years.

You could keep changing a good balanced spare with each tire to check
whether you have a bad one.

Do you have play in your steering wheel? Are you constantly steering just to
stay in the lane? Is there a delay when you turn the steering wheel before
you change direction? Do you have a taping in the wheel as you drive on
smooth pavement? Are all your ball joint bolts tight? Are your drive shaft
bolts tight. I guess you wouldn't have any growling like a wheel bearing
going. Is there any difference in and out of gear, turning etc. Does the
vibration go away after 65?

It is hard to diagnose from thousands of miles away so these questions may
sound stupid but I always hate to think someone is looking in the wrong
place and may be driving with a major failure about to occur. I know you
replaced the bearings but some have failed shortly after so I do mention it
but if you are OK up to 55 it probably isn't bearings. I had a loose ball
joint with two missing bolts that didn't shake till 60 though.
It wouldn't hurt to get under there with a set of wrenches and a light.
check everything for tightness, look it over well then try switching out one
tire at a time. If you had a buddy with a balanced set on his coach you
could swap them all and know if it is tires right away. I know alot of work
but a final solution hopefully. You could get back to the balance shop to
check how they attached them to the machine. I always hang over the machine
when they were doing them to see how good the tires were and how much weight
they had to put on where. It is not a problem now with Equal powder. Good
luck. Let us know what you find.

 

[robert neeb]

David, I agree with Patrick. When they balance the tires; #1 ask them to
let you see the run out. (If the tire shakes from side to side.) Then ask
them to spin the tire on the balancer by hand (You can see if your rims
aren't true. If the runout is bad have them rotate the tire one-half turn
and rebalance. If the runout is still bad they should then rotate the tire
1/4 turn. balance again. If still not good. turn the tire again 1/4 turn.
This process takes them time but any GOOD tire shop will be glad to do it.
If they dont balance after that the tire is defective, and believe me alot
are.

Bob Neeb
Cooper Tire Dealer
78 Eleganza II
- -----Original Message-----
From: Patrick.Flowers

To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Friday, April 21, 2000 12:11 PM
Subject: RE: GMC: Alcoas

>
>

>>
>> I've changed the front tires from Cooper Load Range D to
>> Michelin XPS Rib LRE. Still the same problem. I took
>> them to a place that had the Hunter 9700 machine last
>> week. They did NOT use the roller and I'm not sure what
>> adapter they had. They seemed to be worse when I left.
>
>David, take them back and have them spin them again. I'll betcha a do-nut
>that they'll still be out of balance. With a cone adaptor it's impossible
>to properly center these wheels. A good check is to demount and remount
the
>wheel(some say turn them a half revolution, but I don't think that's
>necessary) and spin again. 9.5 times out of ten, they'll be out of
balance.
>You gotta' have a hub-centered adaptor to properly balance these.
>
>> The idler arm has a little bit of play in it.
>> If I'm going to have the same difficulty with balancing the
>> Alcoas why spend the money????
>
>Better appearance, lower unsprung weight, better tire availability and no
>more disposable curb feelers(hub caps).
>
>Patrick
>

 

[peter brandt]

Wayne,

In your post you mentioned a "tapping in the (steering?)wheel" on smooth
pavement. What causes that noise?

Thanks,

Peter
77 Eleganza II
Colorado

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Nesbitt"
To:
Sent: Friday, April 21, 2000 1:09 PM
Subject: GMC: Alcoas

>
> : DavidHShipley wrote
>
> Thank you for your reply. I've changed the front tires from Cooper Load
> Range
> D to Michelin XPS Rib LRE. Still the same problem. I took them to a place
> that had the Hunter 9700 machine last week. They did NOT use the roller
and
> I'm not sure what adapter they had. They seemed to be worse when I left. I
> have replaced the rotors, hubs and bearings, and some of the tie-rod ends.
I
> replaced the steering stabilizer shock absorber. I thought that might do
> some
> good because the old one was very easy to move in and out when I got it
off.
> I put new bushings in the relay arm but it still has a little wiggle in
it.
> The idler arm has a little bit of play in it.
> If I'm going to have the same difficulty with balancing the Alcoas why
spend
> the money????
>
> Wayne Nesbit writes
>
> First you have to be sure it is tires. Then which one. I had a new
Goodyear
> G159 E that was bad from day1. You couldn't balance it out. It showed fine
> on the machine and I couldn't tell which one was causing the vibration.
When
> it blew up I put the old spare on and we were smooth from there on with
> steel wheels.It was on the middle wheel of the curb side but you would
have
> thought the vibration was coming from the front wheels. I now use Equal
the
> balancing powder that goes in the tire. No lead weights and no machine. It
> keeps the tire balanced as it seats and as it wears. I wouldn't take a
free
> lead weight balance rather than pay for the equal. I am smooth at all
speeds
> up to 90 on steel rims. Equal is available at truck tire centres and has
> been used on trucks for years.
>
> You could keep changing a good balanced spare with each tire to check
> whether you have a bad one.
>
> Do you have play in your steering wheel? Are you constantly steering just
to
> stay in the lane? Is there a delay when you turn the steering wheel before
> you change direction? Do you have a taping in the wheel as you drive on
> smooth pavement? Are all your ball joint bolts tight? Are your drive shaft
> bolts tight. I guess you wouldn't have any growling like a wheel bearing
> going. Is there any difference in and out of gear, turning etc. Does the
> vibration go away after 65?
>
> It is hard to diagnose from thousands of miles away so these questions may
> sound stupid but I always hate to think someone is looking in the wrong
> place and may be driving with a major failure about to occur. I know you
> replaced the bearings but some have failed shortly after so I do mention
it
> but if you are OK up to 55 it probably isn't bearings. I had a loose ball
> joint with two missing bolts that didn't shake till 60 though.
> It wouldn't hurt to get under there with a set of wrenches and a light.
> check everything for tightness, look it over well then try switching out
one
> tire at a time. If you had a buddy with a balanced set on his coach you
> could swap them all and know if it is tires right away. I know alot of
work
> but a final solution hopefully. You could get back to the balance shop to
> check how they attached them to the machine. I always hang over the
machine
> when they were doing them to see how good the tires were and how much
weight
> they had to put on where. It is not a problem now with Equal powder. Good
> luck. Let us know what you find.
>
>

 

[wayne nesbitt]

From: "Peter Brandt" writes

In your post you mentioned a "tapping in the (steering?)wheel" on smooth
pavement. What causes that noise?

Wayne Nesbit writes
You will notice a little from the movement of the chassis of the coach
moving up and down as you go along the road. It pushes up on the steering
column spline area and exerts a force on the lower steering column bearing.
With time the small bearing in the bottom of the steering column wears and
the taping gets worse.

Alex Sirum had them in Florida. He would probably mail you one if needed.
They aren't hard to put in.