ATTENTION !! All One Ton Front End Owners

B

bdub1

New member
Feb 6, 2001
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I just heard a horror story and saw the photographic proof about a recent, 3 months, one ton front end installation in California. The cotter pins
were purposely left out of the tie rod ends. The installer reported that he'd used Locktite on the slotted nuts instead. As you might imagine, the
slotted nut came off and the tie rod slipped out of the right, passenger side, steering knuckle.
Luckily, it was at low speed at an intersection with plenty of room to pull over, so no harm or death occurred.

I suggest that everyone with this modification immediately take a look at this connection to be sure that the cotter pins are present.

It is beyond me why anyone would leave out such an important, simple, possibly life saving little device.
--
bdub
'76 Palm Beach/Central Texas
www.bdub.net
www.gmcmhphotos.com
www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com
www.gmcmhregistry.com
facebook.com/groups/classicgmcmotorhomes
facebook.com/groups/gmcmm
 
WOW! Dumb! I don't even want to know who it was. :-)

Ken H.

On Wed, Dec 9, 2020 at 12:59 PM Billy Massey via Gmclist <

> I just heard a horror story and saw the photographic proof about a recent,
> 3 months, one ton front end installation in California. The cotter pins
> were purposely left out of the tie rod ends. The installer reported that
> he'd used Locktite on the slotted nuts instead. As you might imagine, the
> slotted nut came off and the tie rod slipped out of the right, passenger
> side, steering knuckle.
> Luckily, it was at low speed at an intersection with plenty of room to
> pull over, so no harm or death occurred.
>
> I suggest that everyone with this modification immediately take a look at
> this connection to be sure that the cotter pins are present.
>
> It is beyond me why anyone would leave out such an important, simple,
> possibly life saving little device.
> --
> bdub
> '76 Palm Beach/Central Texas
> www.bdub.net
> www.gmcmhphotos.com
> www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com
> www.gmcmhregistry.com
> facebook.com/groups/classicgmcmotorhomes
> facebook.com/groups/gmcmm
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
I once was looking over a new, used car a friend of mine bought that had a loose wheel bearing. He had just driven it from Arkansas (where he bought
it) to Maryland....

As I pulled the dust cover off the hub, there was something inserted into the spindle holding the nut on, but it was not a cotter pin....

As I was trying wipe the grease off to figure out what it was, my friend, who was looking over my shoulder blurts out in anger, "yep, it's a twist
tie..."

He had just driven over a thousand miles on a loose wheel bearing held on only by a wonder bread twist tie... The nut was barely even finger tight,
too, so it really was just the twist tie keeping things together...

It's crazy what some people will attempt when working on a vehicle....

--
Mark S. '73 Painted Desert,
Manny 1 Ton Front End,
Howell Injection,
Leigh Harrison 4bag and Rear Brakes,
Fort Worth, TX
 
On Wed, Dec 9, 2020 at 10:58 AM Mark Sawyer via Gmclist <

> I once was looking over a new, used car a friend of mine bought that had a
> loose wheel bearing. He had just driven it from Arkansas (where he bought
> it) to Maryland....
>
> As I pulled the dust cover off the hub, there was something inserted into
> the spindle holding the nut on, but it was not a cotter pin....
>
> As I was trying wipe the grease off to figure out what it was, my friend,
> who was looking over my shoulder blurts out in anger, "yep, it's a twist
> tie..."
>
> He had just driven over a thousand miles on a loose wheel bearing held on
> only by a wonder bread twist tie... The nut was barely even finger tight,
> too, so it really was just the twist tie keeping things together...
>
> It's crazy what some people will attempt when working on a vehicle....
>
>
> --
> Mark S. '73 Painted Desert,
> Manny 1 Ton Front End,
> Howell Injection,
> Leigh Harrison 4bag and Rear Brakes,
> Fort Worth, TX
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
 
The reason why they left the pin out is as the mis match of the taper that
prevented the hole not to reach far enough.

>
>
> On Wed, Dec 9, 2020 at 10:58 AM Mark Sawyer via Gmclist <

>
>> I once was looking over a new, used car a friend of mine bought that had
>> a loose wheel bearing. He had just driven it from Arkansas (where he bought
>> it) to Maryland....
>>
>> As I pulled the dust cover off the hub, there was something inserted into
>> the spindle holding the nut on, but it was not a cotter pin....
>>
>> As I was trying wipe the grease off to figure out what it was, my friend,
>> who was looking over my shoulder blurts out in anger, "yep, it's a twist
>> tie..."
>>
>> He had just driven over a thousand miles on a loose wheel bearing held on
>> only by a wonder bread twist tie... The nut was barely even finger tight,
>> too, so it really was just the twist tie keeping things together...
>>
>> It's crazy what some people will attempt when working on a vehicle....
>>
>>
>> --
>> Mark S. '73 Painted Desert,
>> Manny 1 Ton Front End,
>> Howell Injection,
>> Leigh Harrison 4bag and Rear Brakes,
>> Fort Worth, TX
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>
>
> --
> Jim Kanomata
> Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
> jimk
> http://www.gmcrvparts.com
> 1-800-752-7502
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
 
Every darn time we think we have "idiot proofed" something, along comes a
new group of idiots. Do not ever, ever fail to install cotter keys. Lives
depend upon you doing your due diligence.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Wed, Dec 9, 2020, 10:28 AM Ken Henderson via Gmclist <

> WOW! Dumb! I don't even want to know who it was. :-)
>
> Ken H.
>
>
> On Wed, Dec 9, 2020 at 12:59 PM Billy Massey via Gmclist <

>
> > I just heard a horror story and saw the photographic proof about a
> recent,
> > 3 months, one ton front end installation in California. The cotter pins
> > were purposely left out of the tie rod ends. The installer reported that
> > he'd used Locktite on the slotted nuts instead. As you might imagine,
> the
> > slotted nut came off and the tie rod slipped out of the right, passenger
> > side, steering knuckle.
> > Luckily, it was at low speed at an intersection with plenty of room to
> > pull over, so no harm or death occurred.
> >
> > I suggest that everyone with this modification immediately take a look at
> > this connection to be sure that the cotter pins are present.
> >
> > It is beyond me why anyone would leave out such an important, simple,
> > possibly life saving little device.
> > --
> > bdub
> > '76 Palm Beach/Central Texas
> > www.bdub.net
> > www.gmcmhphotos.com
> > www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com
> > www.gmcmhregistry.com
> > facebook.com/groups/classicgmcmotorhomes
> > facebook.com/groups/gmcmm
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
How could the hole not reach far enough? In that case a drill would have been the best fix then the cotter pin for safety sake rather then lock
title? Maybe I misunderstood stood
--
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook
 
This helps illustrate the problem.

--
Bill Wevers GMC49ers, GMC Western States
1975 Glenbrook - Manny Powerdrive, OneTon
455 F Block, G heads
San Jose
 
Problem comes from a mis-matching of pieces. The outer part of the
passenger side tie rod must be inverted to match up with the 1 ton tie rod
arm, which tapers from the top, and the stock gmc tapers from the bottom.
The 1 ton arm is thicker than the stock one sometimes. So when the tie rod
end seats in the 1 ton arm, the threaded end does not extend the correct
distance for the cotter key to be inserted. Some need a bit of "custom
fitting" before all matches up correctly. Never, never leave those cotter
pins out. And do not use thread locker in their place, either.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Wed, Dec 9, 2020, 11:23 PM Bill Wevers via Gmclist <

> This helps illustrate the problem.
>
> --
> Bill Wevers GMC49ers, GMC Western States
> 1975 Glenbrook - Manny Powerdrive, OneTon
> 455 F Block, G heads
> San Jose
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
Loctite was an oversight?

Ken H.

On Thu, Dec 10, 2020 at 2:03 PM Billy Massey via Gmclist <

> In speaking with the installer, it was not done on purpose but simply an
> oversight. It happens to all of us. He is assisting the owner in
> replacement parts to get him back on the road.
>
> Be vigilant about making sure all the parts are in place as they should
> be.
>
> --
> bdub
> '76 Palm Beach/Central Texas
> www.bdub.net
> www.gmcmhphotos.com
> www.gmcmotorhomemarketplace.com
> www.gmcmhregistry.com
> www.facebook.com/groups/classicgmcmotorhomes
> www.facebook.com/groups/gmcmm
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
Even simpler/safer buy the parts (in kit form) from one of the GMC suppliers. This person wasn't aware of the environment that part lives in, nor
what was/is important in keeping it there. Blind lucky nobody busted their ass.

--johnny
--
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
 
Those of us who have lots of experience with "re-purposed" parts, know most
of those pitfalls like mis matched tapers, and torsion bar sockets that are
worn, and upper control arms that need reinforced, and lower shock mount
studs on the lower control arms, and, and, and so on. That is kinda part of
what you are paying for when you buy a kit. EVEN WHEN YOU DO THAT, stuff
still happens. I had a reinforced lower control arm torsion bar socket
split recently on a 1 ton kit. The torsion bar unwound, and that side took
a sudden drop. Again, thanks to the slow speeds involved, not much harmed
except my pride.
But if "bad stuff" can happen, it will. And at the most inopportune
time imaginable, too. Best to dot your "I's" and cross your "T's" every
time out.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Sun, Dec 13, 2020, 8:54 AM Johnny Bridges via Gmclist <

> Even simpler/safer buy the parts (in kit form) from one of the GMC
> suppliers. This person wasn't aware of the environment that part lives in,
> nor
> what was/is important in keeping it there. Blind lucky nobody busted
> their ass.
>
> --johnny
> --
> Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
> Braselton, Ga.
> I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me
> in hell
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
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