chassis lube

[patrick flowers]

>
> Thanks to Patrick and David for help on my water heater problem, Jim
> DeMaere has me a new one on the way.

Glad to help. Jim makes a real quality product. You'll be pleased.

> This weekends project: lube the rear end.

> My questions:
> -what kind of grease should I use, where can I get it.

I'm fond of the synthetics, Mobil1 grease is widely available(try
autozone) and Redline CV-2 is very good, but hard to find. If you don't
want to use synthetics, I'd get a good "moly" grease.

> -do I just use a standard automotive grease gun.

Yep

> -I see two grease fittings on each side of the rear end, is that all
> there are back there.

That's it. There's an article on the "Tech" page of my web site on
rebuilding the rear suspension. Take a look at it and you'll get an
idea how it works.

> -what is the proceedure for doing the lube, I think I read that you
> are to let air out of the bags and raise the wheels off the ground.
> Is this right, could someone give me a run down on the proceedure or
> direct me to where I read it.

GMC Motorhome News published an article on this a couple months back.
Raise the rear suspension as far as it will go and then use a jack or
blocks under the swingarm mount. Then let the air out of the suspension
and the rear wheels should come slightly off the ground. Pump the
grease gun while a friend uses a lever(the article showed a shovel being
used) to push up and toward the swing arm pivot. This helps insure
grease flows to all areas of the bushing.

> -how should the rear wheels be raised off the ground, under the piece
> between the tires? I do not have the factory jack, should I buy one
> or would a floor jack be better, how big would I need.

See above.

> -by the way, when I see mention of "bogies" is that the entire rear
> end, both axles and all suspension compenents.

The swingarm is sometimes called a "bogie".

Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailtoatri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com

 

[heinz wittenbecher]

I use a 3ton floor jack under the "bump" between the wheels. I then use the
short 3ton jackstands under the frame. I use a 2x4 between jackstand and
frame to distribute the weight some. I use 2 jack stands per side.

A 5ton floor jack would make it a little easier, probably, but I've found
this one to be adequate and handier than the factory chain arrangement
(never actually used it).

Heinz
http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc

FWIW, I also have one of the real short 12ton hydraulic jacks that I take
with me. It's helped a few times when "assistance" didn't have a jack short
enough. Using the 12ton allowed raising the GMC high enough for the other to
take over.


> -how should the rear wheels be raised off the ground, under the piece
> between the tires? I do not have the factory jack, should I
> buy one or
> would a floor jack be better, how big would I need.

 

[patrick flowers]

>
> FWIW, I also have one of the real short 12ton hydraulic jacks that I
> take with me. It's helped a few times when "assistance" didn't have a
> jack short enough. Using the 12ton allowed raising the GMC high
> enough for the other to take over.

Also not a bad idea to carry a couple of short 2x6's to use as ramps.
My father had a rear tire(Dunlop) shred on him once taking out the air
line. With the tire flat and airbag deflated, we couldn't get our jacks
under the frame. The roadside assistance guy had a small ramp that he
could pull up on and it was a breeze from there. We also learned from
that to carry some spare air line, fittings and unions with us.

Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailtoatri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com

 

[h. keith mizell]

Thanks to Patrick and David for help on my water heater problem, Jim
DeMaere has me a new one on the way.

This weekends project: lube the rear end. I live in Tulsa and there just
doesn't seem to be a service facility here that knows the GMCMH. I have
had it to two shops that service alot of motorhomes for a lube and both
times nothing was done to the rear axles. I plan to try and do it myself,
figure if I can learn how to do it right I can keep it done right.

My questions:
- -what kind of grease should I use, where can I get it.

- -do I just use a standard automotive grease gun.

- -I see two grease fittings on each side of the rear end, is that all there
are back there.

- -what is the proceedure for doing the lube, I think I read that you are to
let air out of the bags and raise the wheels off the ground. Is this
right, could someone give me a run down on the proceedure or direct me to
where I read it.

- -how should the rear wheels be raised off the ground, under the piece
between the tires? I do not have the factory jack, should I buy one or
would a floor jack be better, how big would I need.

- -by the way, when I see mention of "bogies" is that the entire rear end,
both axles and all suspension compenents.

As always, any help greatly appreciated.