Bogey Arms

[steven d. ferguson]

Wish I could heal your trouble by rubbing a copy of this post on the
tire
but I think you would do better to stop by next time you come to visit
Mickey. Come on down and leave some of those tax dollars, we need some
road improvements!
Do not fear, your trouble can be fixed pretty easily. Just for grins,
have
you checked your pins for wear?
Jim,
I wasn't going to bug you with this one because I know from the
postings lately that you've been far too busy for one person.
The problem is that I'd kill the (new) tires getting it to you for the
fix. I'm seeing considerable scuffing for just 1,500 miles. 2,300
would be disastrous.
I haven't checked the pins but based on the rest of the suspension
maintenance I'd say their time has come. However, if it was a worn pins
problem I don't think it would be so pronounced on just one tire. I'd
like to just exchange them for a rebuilt/straight set. The one place
around here that will even take on a 6-wheel alignment only has a
caster/camber gauge for the rears, not the setup it sounds like you
have.
In any event, do you sell a kit for rebushing & new pins? Please give
me an off-line response for prices if you will
TIA,
Steve F.

 

[scott shean]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-gmcmotorhome
>[mailtowner-gmcmotorhome]On
>Behalf Of Steven D.
>Ferguson
>Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2000 7:31 AM
>To: gmcmotorhome
>Subject: GMC: Bogey Arms
>
> The one place
>around here that will even take on a 6-wheel
>alignment only has a
>caster/camber gauge for the rears, not the setup
>it sounds like you
>have.
> In any event, do you sell a kit for rebushing &
>new pins? Please give
>me an off-line response for prices if you will
>TIA,
>Steve F.
>
Steve, have you tried a truck alignment shop. As you know,
most tractors (of tractor trailer rigs) have two rear axles,
and the alignment people are accustomed to dealing with
them.

Scott Shean
Baton Rouge, LA
78 Royale

 

[steven d. ferguson]

Question for anyone. I've heard in the past that heating the boggies to
bend
them is a NO NO. The truck alighment place I've used through the years
for
front end alignment said they would heat boogies to align if I had them
do
it. I declined to have them do it (decided afterwards that I don't need
them
aligned anyway) What about it. Have I heard correctly re the heating?
Justin

Justin,
I got a response from JB & Buskirks on this topic. Both of them bend
the arms on the coach using the frame (if not rusted) for backup for the
portapower. They were adamant about not using heat as this will ruin
the bogey arm. You decided wisely.
Steve

 

[claude brousson]

A few further thoughts on my recent do-it-myself rear alignment:

While I have now, I think successfully,just completed aligning the rear
wheels, I certainly would not profess to know what would be the best
way.
I have over a period of time asked various ones and got different
answers. I spoke to one mechanic at a GMC shop and was told that one can
very carefully heat the arms up to cherry red, bend them and very
carefully bring the heat down again.That kind of scared me, but I am not
skilled in heating metals.Perhaps if one knew what one was doing , this
would work. I'v been told that one could use chains and maybe one can,
but what does one do with the brake backing plate if one is chaining
them up to the outside of the boggey. I suppose one could put a length
of steel behind the end of the boggey so one would clear the backing
plate with the chain.It seems most choose to take them to a shop which
does it and thats all there is to it. Another place suggested I ship the
whole works from the west coast to the east coast and they would do it.
Those are heavy brutes to ship and I wasn't prepared to face that cost
plus their work of doing it.

So the alternate was to try it myself.Was I concerned about the
possibility of bending the frame, or dimpling the areas where the
attaching bolts go into the frame? You bet I was. On the other hand, if
one hits a curb and the arms bend, the same forces, perhaps four or a
lot more, tons of pressure bend them in the first place.

What I did: First of all, my frame has absolutely no rust in it so
there is no weakening there.However I had a short piece of heavy truck
spring which I shaped to go around the bottom attachement point of the
shock absorber, and I used this as a backup for the Porta Power against
the frame.I applied absolutely no more power than necessary to move the
arm as one needs to be very careful one does not bend them too far. Also
, while the pressure was still on, I tapped with a brass hammer along
the arm. The idea was to try and realign the steel molecules to the new
position. Does this do any good? I have no idea, maybe it doesn't.

Measurements were done using the late CO Richards string method on
Gene's web site, except I used very fine wire for better measuring
accuracy. I used a straight edge square across the flat face of the hub
area of an Alcoa wheel, measuring, taking readings 15" out horizontally
from the centre of the hub each way. This is close to the almost 30"
dia. of the tire.To help keep accuracy I used also a small hand held
level as moving ones measuring tape or straight edge up or down off
level easily changes ones readings, just as it does if one is not
visualy looking at the ruler directly over head. It is not easy to keep
accuracy to 1/32" !

Steve asked if I took any photos- sorry I didn't. I was concentrating on
trying to get it right and it took a long time with out my taking
pictures. Also I found that to stop confusion I kept track of each
measurement on paper Lastly, if I had a rusted frame I likely wouldn't
do it this way,although there is double framing in this area of the
frame.

I hope this answers some of the questions. Others, however, may have
better methods of doing it.

Claude