MOTORHOME SWAY

[larry & kaye kepple]

I have recently purchased a 73 26' GMC MH which I have partially
restored this past six months. I love the soft ride but I don"t like the

handling at speeds above about 40 mph. The coach seems to wallow. There
isn't much play in the steering wheel but I have to really pay a lot of
attention to the wheel, making lots of tiny corrections. It seems easy
to drift off the road, catch the paving ridge, then have to fight it to
get back into lane. It makes the driving kind of uneasy. The shocks are
Billstein and fairly new, but they may not be doing their job. I think
its a combination of something wrong in either the steering or the
suspension or both. My question is: is this normal? The wheels have been

aligned(although they may not have done it correctly).The wheels are
new Alcoas with new radials and seem well balanced. Wheel bearings are
all new. Air bags are fairly new and are maintained at proper
level(Pressure).Is my next step to check shocks? Gearbox play? Double
check alignment? Front ball joints? If this is a characteristic of the
GMC MH is there a sway bar or something that can help? Is there anybody

out there who can help?
Larry Kepple
Redding Ca.

 

[heinz wittenbecher]

Another suggestion as to possible cause. Short story on what helped me a
while back.

http://www.bytedesigns.com/gmc/tidbits.htm

See the heading that starts with: Steering 101

Heinz
'76 Transmode

- -----Original Message-----
From: Larry & Kaye Kepple
To: GMC NET
Date: Monday, January 04, 1999 7:17 PM
Subject: GMC: MOTORHOME SWAY

>I have recently purchased a 73 26' GMC MH which I have partially
>restored this past six months. I love the soft ride but I don"t like the
>
>handling at speeds above about 40 mph. The coach seems to wallow. There
>isn't much play in the steering wheel but I have to really pay a lot of
>attention to the wheel, making lots of tiny corrections. It seems easy
>to drift off the road, catch the paving ridge, then have to fight it to
>get back into lane. It makes the driving kind of uneasy. The shocks are
>Billstein and fairly new, but they may not be doing their job. I think
>its a combination of something wrong in either the steering or the
>suspension or both. My question is: is this normal? The wheels have been
>
>aligned(although they may not have done it correctly).The wheels are
>new Alcoas with new radials and seem well balanced. Wheel bearings are
>all new. Air bags are fairly new and are maintained at proper
>level(Pressure).Is my next step to check shocks? Gearbox play? Double
>check alignment? Front ball joints? If this is a characteristic of the
>GMC MH is there a sway bar or something that can help? Is there anybody
>
>out there who can help?
> Larry Kepple
> Redding Ca.
>
>

 

[thomas g. warner]

Larry I would check the front steering shock absorber first. I found that to
have more effect than any thing else on my coach. It is a Moog MD SSD-55.
than I would check the ball joints. when the wheel bearings were replaced
did they check the hubs and knuckles for wear and loosness? Have you checked
the coach for proper level between the front and back?

Just a couple of thoughts

>I have recently purchased a 73 26' GMC MH which I have partially
>restored this past six months. I love the soft ride but I don"t like the
>
>handling at speeds above about 40 mph. The coach seems to wallow. There
>isn't much play in the steering wheel but I have to really pay a lot of
>attention to the wheel, making lots of tiny corrections. It seems easy
>to drift off the road, catch the paving ridge, then have to fight it to
>get back into lane. It makes the driving kind of uneasy. The shocks are
>Billstein and fairly new, but they may not be doing their job. I think
>its a combination of something wrong in either the steering or the
>suspension or both. My question is: is this normal? The wheels have been
>
>aligned(although they may not have done it correctly).The wheels are
>new Alcoas with new radials and seem well balanced. Wheel bearings are
>all new. Air bags are fairly new and are maintained at proper
>level(Pressure).Is my next step to check shocks? Gearbox play? Double
>check alignment? Front ball joints? If this is a characteristic of the
>GMC MH is there a sway bar or something that can help? Is there anybody
>
>out there who can help?
> Larry Kepple
> Redding Ca.
>
>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[mike finnicum]

Larry,

It is NOT normal, but many of these old "girls" have the same problem as
yours. There are many reasons for the problem. I had the same problem when I
bought my 78. It was especially scarry on a windy day.

What I did may or may not help you but my 78 will go down the
expressway at 70-75 hands off now. Not that I recommend that.

1. I replaced the steering stablizer (a black shock absorber)
very near the engine oil pan. Sirum, Bounds, Golby, all carry
it (about $50??). Two bolts (requires a long breaker bar) took
me about 15 min to replace mine. Cured about 30% of my problem.

2. Replace front shocks (KYB's are a good choice) and front
bearings. Cured another 30% of my problem.

3. Replaced every piece of rubber in my front end. All bushings,
bolts, etc. A kit is available from Sirum (probably others) with
all the parts (about $30-50??). Also replaced the CV boots and the
steering boot. Had Sirum do all the work as the entire front end
had to come off the coach.

4. During the #3 install, found one bad front hub ($125) and
replaced. 3 & 4 got me to about a 90% cure.

I am now planning to get my tires trued as the last 10% is just
a little vibration at about 60mph.

Also - your problems can also be alignment or even in your rear
boggies. When I had my boggies and alignment checked they were
OK so I consentrated on the front end.

Hope this helps. It cost me about $500-700 to get my coach back
to fun to drive. You can fix your driving problems though if
you are persistant.

Mike F

>> I have recently purchased a 73 26' GMC MH which I have partially
>> restored this past six months. I love the soft ride but I don"t like the
>>
>> handling at speeds above about 40 mph. The coach seems to wallow. There
>> isn't much play in the steering wheel but I have to really pay a lot of
>> attention to the wheel, making lots of tiny corrections. It seems easy
>> to drift off the road, catch the paving ridge, then have to fight it to
>> get back into lane. It makes the driving kind of uneasy. The shocks are
>> Billstein and fairly new, but they may not be doing their job. I think
>> its a combination of something wrong in either the steering or the
>> suspension or both. My question is: is this normal? The wheels have been
>>
>> aligned(although they may not have done it correctly).The wheels are
>> new Alcoas with new radials and seem well balanced. Wheel bearings are
>> all new. Air bags are fairly new and are maintained at proper
>> level(Pressure).Is my next step to check shocks? Gearbox play? Double
>> check alignment? Front ball joints? If this is a characteristic of the
>> GMC MH is there a sway bar or something that can help? Is there anybody
>>
>> out there who can help?
>> Larry Kepple
>> Redding Ca.
>>
>>
>>

 

[robert shimanek]

Larry:

Had the same problem. Lower ball joints were worn and steering box plus
the splined shaft were all replaced. If you hold the steering wheel steady
but it tries to follow the ruts in the road it is up in the front
steering system.

Bob 77PB