- ----- Original Message -----
From: Chuck Blanford
To: Marlene Meineken
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 5:18 AM
Subject: GMC Road Trip, Repairs & Pot Porri
Hi Marlene
Could I get you to forward this to the GMCnet? I'm on the digest now, and
my mailings don't appear to be getting past my company firewall.
Thanks!
Chuck
We left North Idaho last Saturday (4/15) headed for the Oregon Coast,
combining a week's vacation with a GMC repair visit in Bandon, OR.
(Anderson Automotive) Took along the Black List, Tom Warner's bearing tool,
laptop and lots of plastic.
We had a pleasant, uneventful trip along the Washington side of the Columbia
River, and then followed highway 101 down the Oregon Coast. Scheduled
maintenance included install of new front wheel bearings, upper and lower
control arm bushings, 3.55:1 final drive, Performance Friction brake pads,
front brake hoses, and new CV boots and grease. Unscheduled maintenance was
replacement of the steering relay lever (Thanks to Gene Fisher's hot links,
Buskirks, Discover, and overnight Fed-Ex). Estimated repair time was 4
evenings (Richard Anderson works days for the city, and on coaches in the
evening).
We dropped the coach off Monday evening, and used the Toad (94 Geo Tracker)
to travel to the hotel in North Bend/Coos Bay. There we joined friends for
3 days of riding ATV's on the Oregon sand dunes. A real fun time, with 21
machines in our group, and very good weather for riding.
Picked up the coach Friday AM, and headed for home. Made it 75 miles down
the road, and thought I'd do a quick look-see. Found the left front boot
was throwing grease. Called Richard, and arranged to meet him back at his
shop when he was through for the day. We cleaned up the thrown grease, and
he installed a new clamp. Once again we headed out, and my look-see at 25
miles down the road showed new grease being thrown. Headed back to Bandon
again!
Saturday AM (4/22) update: Still sitting in Bandon, after a rainy night in
the coach in Richard's driveway. Recalling what $200 for motel lodging
delivered earlier this week - 4 days/nights of hot showers, TV, telephone
and refrigerator. Seriously wondering if this coach investment is worth the
time and money, and if we'll make it home in time for work Monday AM.
Easter plans are already out the window.
We dropped the left front axle, repacked the CV joint, cleaned the boot, and
installed new clamp. We hit the road again, 24 hours later than planned,
and then next stop to check things revealed no leakage! 3rd time was a
charm for the CV boot, but the starter sounded like it gave it's lost start,
so we drove home non-stop, hot-fueling. Was really glad to get out of
Oregon, where you can't pump your own fuel.
Personal observations to date - I purchased the 3.55 gears, as I sometimes
tow a Jeep Wrangler and it's quite a pull on the long uphill grades we
encounter in our area. The Tracker is 1000-1200 pounds lighter than the
Wrangler, and the trip down with the 3.07 gears behind a 403 was very
satisfactory. My initial observation with the 3.55 is that I've lost more
on the upper end than I gained on the lower, and picked up some differential
whine also. Dropping into S range on the downhill grade really gets things
wound up, but without a tach, I can't give before/after specifics. The
thrust washers in the 3.07 were worn and I was finding metal flakes in each
oil change. Other than labor and 3.55 acquisition cost, this decision is
reversible, as I have a new 3.07 assembly at home that came with the spare
engine and trans.
Replacement of the control arm bushings did not eliminate the clunking feel
that feeds back through the steering wheel. Reading the digest this week,
it sounds like I've got to check out my steering shaft, joint and bearing.
The bushing and spindle on the steering relay lever were worn, as evidenced
by the play in the left wheel while on jack stands. Unfortunately,
replacement of this part ($208) has not eliminated the wander or looseness
in the steering. Would like to have shopped for a rebuild kit, but given
the repair time frame and itinerary, was happy to find the complete new
part. Also, the right wheel bearing was seized to the spindle.
We did find a truck scale on the way down, and recorded these weights:
Front axle - 4,050
Rears - 7,200
Combined - 11,250
Tracker - 2,650 (Included the new 3.55 differential assembly, at 100+ pounds
and other parts/tools/fluids)
Saw 2 Coaches the entire trip, both on Saturday in Oregon. A silver-gray in
Portland, with 2 poodle silhouettes on the side, and a beige with maroon
stripes westbound on I-84.
Glad to be back home, and the CV frustration is fading - looking forward to
replacing the starter, and the next trip. Will be anxious to hear trip
reports after the fall Mt. Hood rally, particularly about some stretches of
I-84. A white-knuckle ride for some of the rutted stretches. I'm running
Alcoa/Michelin E's, with 80
Appreciated Patrick's earlier comments re. those of us using company
resources for accessing the net, as is my situation. I have posed questions
to the net, but have not seen them appear, so assume they are being
firewalled. I have also gone to the digest, to reduce the amount of e-mails
received.
Chuck
77 Kingsley
North Idaho
From: Chuck Blanford
To: Marlene Meineken
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 5:18 AM
Subject: GMC Road Trip, Repairs & Pot Porri
Hi Marlene
Could I get you to forward this to the GMCnet? I'm on the digest now, and
my mailings don't appear to be getting past my company firewall.
Thanks!
Chuck
We left North Idaho last Saturday (4/15) headed for the Oregon Coast,
combining a week's vacation with a GMC repair visit in Bandon, OR.
(Anderson Automotive) Took along the Black List, Tom Warner's bearing tool,
laptop and lots of plastic.
We had a pleasant, uneventful trip along the Washington side of the Columbia
River, and then followed highway 101 down the Oregon Coast. Scheduled
maintenance included install of new front wheel bearings, upper and lower
control arm bushings, 3.55:1 final drive, Performance Friction brake pads,
front brake hoses, and new CV boots and grease. Unscheduled maintenance was
replacement of the steering relay lever (Thanks to Gene Fisher's hot links,
Buskirks, Discover, and overnight Fed-Ex). Estimated repair time was 4
evenings (Richard Anderson works days for the city, and on coaches in the
evening).
We dropped the coach off Monday evening, and used the Toad (94 Geo Tracker)
to travel to the hotel in North Bend/Coos Bay. There we joined friends for
3 days of riding ATV's on the Oregon sand dunes. A real fun time, with 21
machines in our group, and very good weather for riding.
Picked up the coach Friday AM, and headed for home. Made it 75 miles down
the road, and thought I'd do a quick look-see. Found the left front boot
was throwing grease. Called Richard, and arranged to meet him back at his
shop when he was through for the day. We cleaned up the thrown grease, and
he installed a new clamp. Once again we headed out, and my look-see at 25
miles down the road showed new grease being thrown. Headed back to Bandon
again!
Saturday AM (4/22) update: Still sitting in Bandon, after a rainy night in
the coach in Richard's driveway. Recalling what $200 for motel lodging
delivered earlier this week - 4 days/nights of hot showers, TV, telephone
and refrigerator. Seriously wondering if this coach investment is worth the
time and money, and if we'll make it home in time for work Monday AM.
Easter plans are already out the window.
We dropped the left front axle, repacked the CV joint, cleaned the boot, and
installed new clamp. We hit the road again, 24 hours later than planned,
and then next stop to check things revealed no leakage! 3rd time was a
charm for the CV boot, but the starter sounded like it gave it's lost start,
so we drove home non-stop, hot-fueling. Was really glad to get out of
Oregon, where you can't pump your own fuel.
Personal observations to date - I purchased the 3.55 gears, as I sometimes
tow a Jeep Wrangler and it's quite a pull on the long uphill grades we
encounter in our area. The Tracker is 1000-1200 pounds lighter than the
Wrangler, and the trip down with the 3.07 gears behind a 403 was very
satisfactory. My initial observation with the 3.55 is that I've lost more
on the upper end than I gained on the lower, and picked up some differential
whine also. Dropping into S range on the downhill grade really gets things
wound up, but without a tach, I can't give before/after specifics. The
thrust washers in the 3.07 were worn and I was finding metal flakes in each
oil change. Other than labor and 3.55 acquisition cost, this decision is
reversible, as I have a new 3.07 assembly at home that came with the spare
engine and trans.
Replacement of the control arm bushings did not eliminate the clunking feel
that feeds back through the steering wheel. Reading the digest this week,
it sounds like I've got to check out my steering shaft, joint and bearing.
The bushing and spindle on the steering relay lever were worn, as evidenced
by the play in the left wheel while on jack stands. Unfortunately,
replacement of this part ($208) has not eliminated the wander or looseness
in the steering. Would like to have shopped for a rebuild kit, but given
the repair time frame and itinerary, was happy to find the complete new
part. Also, the right wheel bearing was seized to the spindle.
We did find a truck scale on the way down, and recorded these weights:
Front axle - 4,050
Rears - 7,200
Combined - 11,250
Tracker - 2,650 (Included the new 3.55 differential assembly, at 100+ pounds
and other parts/tools/fluids)
Saw 2 Coaches the entire trip, both on Saturday in Oregon. A silver-gray in
Portland, with 2 poodle silhouettes on the side, and a beige with maroon
stripes westbound on I-84.
Glad to be back home, and the CV frustration is fading - looking forward to
replacing the starter, and the next trip. Will be anxious to hear trip
reports after the fall Mt. Hood rally, particularly about some stretches of
I-84. A white-knuckle ride for some of the rutted stretches. I'm running
Alcoa/Michelin E's, with 80
Appreciated Patrick's earlier comments re. those of us using company
resources for accessing the net, as is my situation. I have posed questions
to the net, but have not seen them appear, so assume they are being
firewalled. I have also gone to the digest, to reduce the amount of e-mails
received.
Chuck
77 Kingsley
North Idaho
