GMC Creaks & Groans

R

robert schoner

New member
Aug 18, 1999
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Hi Folks,

Well my search for a GMC is going slowly but it is still going. Made a
swing through LA/San Diego last month but was disappointed. Now there are
several new ones showing up; oh well.

Today I looked at a PB. The coach was all the way down on the air bags so I
asked to see how the air pump (new) worked and how it pumped up. The pump
seemed to work fine and the coach lifted to normal(?) height; didn't time it
but I would guess about 5 minutes. While it was rising the thing creaked
and groaned off and on; also seemed to lift in small spurts. My question
is: Is this normal for a coach that has bled down and sat low for about two
months or is this a sign that the back suspension has not been lubricated
properly and has some wear. Some indication on the rear well that a tire
has rubbed up against it. Do the tires rub if the air leaks out and it goes
all the way down?
Thanks in advance
Bob Schoner
 
Robert,
The first problem is the fact that the air bags were flat. In 14 years mine
have never gone flat even with extended (6 months) storage. If they do I
think there is a leak in the system. I don't think the creaks and Groans
can be useful unless you can pinpoint them. There are too many
inconsequential things that make these noises. Tires shouldn't rub. Check
to see that the tires are not larger than 8.75 x 16.5 tires. I don't know
if the lurching lift is any indication of the bogies pins not being greased
but you should have them checked before purchase in any case. Good luck.
Bob McLaughlin

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-gmcmotorhome
[mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome]On Behalf Of Robert Schoner
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2000 9:51 PM
To: gmcmotorhome
Subject: GMC: GMC Creaks & Groans

Hi Folks,

Well my search for a GMC is going slowly but it is still going. Made a
swing through LA/San Diego last month but was disappointed. Now there are
several new ones showing up; oh well.

Today I looked at a PB. The coach was all the way down on the air bags so I
asked to see how the air pump (new) worked and how it pumped up. The pump
seemed to work fine and the coach lifted to normal(?) height; didn't time it
but I would guess about 5 minutes. While it was rising the thing creaked
and groaned off and on; also seemed to lift in small spurts. My question
is: Is this normal for a coach that has bled down and sat low for about two
months or is this a sign that the back suspension has not been lubricated
properly and has some wear. Some indication on the rear well that a tire
has rubbed up against it. Do the tires rub if the air leaks out and it goes
all the way down?
Thanks in advance
Bob Schoner
 
If the parking brake is set when you raise or lower, that will make periodic
noises as the pressure in the bags overcomes the friction in the brakes, and
they shift. Normally you should level with the parking brake released . . .

- - Tim

[Charset iso-8859-1 unsupported, filtering to ASCII...]
> Hi Folks,
>
> Well my search for a GMC is going slowly but it is still going. Made a
> swing through LA/San Diego last month but was disappointed. Now there are
> several new ones showing up; oh well.
>
> Today I looked at a PB. The coach was all the way down on the air bags so I
> asked to see how the air pump (new) worked and how it pumped up. The pump
> seemed to work fine and the coach lifted to normal(?) height; didn't time it
> but I would guess about 5 minutes. While it was rising the thing creaked
> and groaned off and on; also seemed to lift in small spurts. My question
> is: Is this normal for a coach that has bled down and sat low for about two
> months or is this a sign that the back suspension has not been lubricated
> properly and has some wear. Some indication on the rear well that a tire
> has rubbed up against it. Do the tires rub if the air leaks out and it goes
> all the way down?
> Thanks in advance
> Bob Schoner
>
>

- --
================================================================================
Tim Dawson (tadawson) Owner/Engineer
TPC Services Bellnet: (972)-221-7385
Lewisville, Texas 75067 FAXnet: (972)-221-0393
"The world is complex. Sendmail.cf reflects this...."
 
> While it was rising the thing creaked and groaned off and on; also seemed to
> lift in small spurts.

I have used the air bags to move the rear up and down for maintenance.
Sometimes, I shrewdly forget to release brakes or transmission from park and
chock one end instead. When the rear comes up, it has to push the rear tires
backwards or the fronts forward, so it hops and lurches pretty good.

Walt Taylor
Austin, TX
'75 Eleganza
 
On Mon, 22 May 2000 19:50:58 -0700 "Robert Schoner"
writes:
> Hi Folks,
snip.......
>
> Today I looked at a PB. The coach was all the way down on the air
> bags so I asked to see how the air pump (new) worked and how it pumped
up.
> The pump seemed to work fine and the coach lifted to normal(?) height;
didn't
> time it but I would guess about 5 minutes. While it was rising the
thing
> creaked and groaned off and on; also seemed to lift in small spurts.
My
> question is: Is this normal for a coach that has bled down and sat low
for
> about two months or is this a sign that the back suspension has not
been
> lubricated properly and has some wear.

Some indication on the rear well that a tire has rubbed up against it.
Do the tires rub if the air leaks out and it goes all the way down?
> Thanks in advance
> Bob Schoner
>
I always let all the air out of my air bags when I park the coach for
storage. 5 minutes to raise the coach to Travel sounds good to me. I
imagine groans will occur if it has been sittiing for a while.

The coach may have had over size tires as that would cause wear or if a
blow out occurred this could also be the result. Proper size tires will
not rub when the coach is lowered.

Happy Hunting. I hope you will share the TZE number, model and owner info
with the Registry for every coach you have looked at.

Rgds,

David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
Dedicated to the preservation of the Classic GMC
http://www.gmcss.com/registry.htm
 
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