pulling a GMC Motorhome

D

doyle todd

New member
Apr 7, 1999
22
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I just bought a GMC that has a dead motor 350 miles away! Any suggestion!
My initial thought was to just pull it with a tow bar but I have concerns
about doing damage to the transmission?

Suggestions Please
 
The prefered method might be using a flat bed. When Jim Bounds had to get
his 'Dumpster' Home he had a regular bed type tow trunk move it. It hung
WAY out the back whith the rear set of wheels just fitting on the end of
the bed.. Jim has taken the picture off his WEB page (GMCCOOP.COM) but
it proved that it could be done!

>Doyle, The GMC Owner's Manual warns that the rig should ONLY be hoisted and
>towed from the FRONT. If you have a FAX machine, I can FAX you the 2 or 3
>pages detailing towing. Let me know.
>Dick 75 PB in Atlanta
>

>>I just bought a GMC that has a dead motor 350 miles away! Any suggestion!
>>My initial thought was to just pull it with a tow bar but I have concerns
>>about doing damage to the transmission?
>>
>>Suggestions Please
>>
>>
>
 
Jim used one of the flat deck tow trucks to get his home. It barely fit with
lots of overhang. If you can get a hold of a tow company that has a three ton
standard wheel lift it will lift your coach by the front wheels with no
problems. There will be nothing connected to the frame or steering gear. I
moved mine 20 miles with one of these. I can't see any problem moving 350 miles
or more. Good luck. Darren

> I just bought a GMC that has a dead motor 350 miles away! Any suggestion!
> My initial thought was to just pull it with a tow bar but I have concerns
> about doing damage to the transmission?>>
>
> Doyle, you may want to ask Jim Bounds how he had his coach brought home.
> 407-857-5777
>
> Manny 73 Custom/ex-Glacier
 
>I just bought a GMC that has a dead motor 350 miles away! Any
>suggestion!
>My initial thought was to just pull it with a tow bar but I have
>concerns
>about doing damage to the transmission?
>
>Suggestions Please
>

Doyle,

One of our members had the neatest solution to this problem.

He rented a U Haul ($19.95/day) and a tow bar. He towed the GMC from NC
to Florida. 350 miles should be a days run for you. You probably would
want to disconnect a shaft or stop every few miles to let the tranny cool
off or something; one of the technical wizards on this net will help you
with the "How To's". Don't forget to place the selector in neutral! [g]

Good luck. Let this be the last problem you ever have.

David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
and Boston Homes, Inc.
800-827-9989
 
Doyle, The GMC Owner's Manual warns that the rig should ONLY be hoisted and
towed from the FRONT. If you have a FAX machine, I can FAX you the 2 or 3
pages detailing towing. Let me know.
Dick 75 PB in Atlanta

>I just bought a GMC that has a dead motor 350 miles away! Any suggestion!
>My initial thought was to just pull it with a tow bar but I have concerns
>about doing damage to the transmission?
>
>Suggestions Please
>
>
 
The 455 is a tough engine. short of a mechanical failure a little work on it
should get it started. If it were mine I would take my tools and get it
started. New plugs, wires, distributer cap and a can of gas.

>The prefered method might be using a flat bed. When Jim Bounds had to get
>his 'Dumpster' Home he had a regular bed type tow trunk move it. It hung
>WAY out the back whith the rear set of wheels just fitting on the end of
>the bed.. Jim has taken the picture off his WEB page (GMCCOOP.COM) but
>it proved that it could be done!
>

>>Doyle, The GMC Owner's Manual warns that the rig should ONLY be hoisted and
>>towed from the FRONT. If you have a FAX machine, I can FAX you the 2 or 3
>>pages detailing towing. Let me know.
>>Dick 75 PB in Atlanta
>>

>>>I just bought a GMC that has a dead motor 350 miles away! Any suggestion!
>>>My initial thought was to just pull it with a tow bar but I have concerns
>>>about doing damage to the transmission?
>>>
>>>Suggestions Please
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
The Maintenance Manual indicates that if the unit is hoisted and towed from
the rear, the shift of most of the coach weight could overload and damage
front suspension components.
Sounds like you don't need MORE stuff to fix.
Dick 75 PB in Atlanta

>In a message dated 4/7/99 4:40:54 PM Central Daylight Time,

>
>>
>> just let the front wheels freewheel. Does anyone out there think that
>this
>> might work for him?
>Free-wheeling front wheels don't sound too smart to me, but then,
>sometimes I drive without both front wheels:>)
>Lanier
>
 
If you are going to do that it would be easier to disconnect at the inboard
joints and remove the whole shaft.

> I just bought a GMC that has a dead motor 350 miles away! Any
>suggestion!
>> My initial thought was to just pull it with a tow bar but I have concerns
>> about doing damage to the transmission?>>
>> >>
>
>Doyle -- I assume you are thinking of towing it yourself to save the cost
>that a commercial tow company would charge. I suppose that you could
>disconnect the front drive axles at the CV joint and at the final drive and
>just let the front wheels freewheel. Does anyone out there think that this
>might work for him?
>
>Emery Stora
>77 Kingsley
>Santa Fe, NM
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
the complete shafts can be easily removed by removing the inner CV bolts,
the axel bolts at the wheel and than removing the complete shaft. It is not
necessary to remove the ball joints etc to do so. You should be able to do
it in 45 minutes for both sides.

>
>> I suppose that you could
>> disconnect the front drive axles at the CV joint and at the final drive
>and
>> just let the front wheels freewheel. Does anyone out there think that
>this
>> might work for him?
>
> I don't think you can disconnect the axles from the CV joints. You
>certainly don't want to try towing it with the outer CV joints removed from
>the hubs: it damages wheel bearings. (Sometimes just moving across the yard
>with no outer joints will damage the bearings.)
> Also, don't try attaching a tow bar to the front bumper. You're likely to
>arrive with just a bumper in tow. ;-(
> There have been several good suggestions so far. (Wheel lift, etc) I'm
>partial to a low-boy flatbed trailer (safest), though I admit never having
>been towed on the highway. Trying to get it running is also a good idea.
> HTH.
>
>Rick Staples
>'75 Eleganza
>Louisville, CO
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
If you do remove the shafts, you will need to disassemble the outer CV's and
insert the stub axles(be sure to torque to 140ftlb). As Rick wrote below,
they support and hold the bearings in place. If you tow it without stub
axles properly torqued in place the bearings will be damaged and the hubs
will likely go into "automatic disassembly" mode. Without the stub axle in
place, the only thing holding the hub in place is the outer seal retainer,
and it won't last long under that stress.

Of the many possibilities suggested, I think towing with the front wheels
down is the least desireable.

Patrick

>
> the complete shafts can be easily removed by removing the
> inner CV bolts, the axel bolts at the wheel and than
> removing the complete shaft. It is not necessary to
> remove the ball joints etc to do so. You should be able
> to do it in 45 minutes for both sides.
>

>
> > I don't think you can disconnect the axles from the CV
> >joints. You certainly don't want to try towing it with
> >the outer CV joints removed from the hubs: it damages
> >wheel bearings. (Sometimes just moving across the yard
> >with no outer joints will damage the bearings.)
> > Also, don't try attaching a tow bar to the front bumper.
> >You're likely to arrive with just a bumper in tow. ;-(
> > There have been several good suggestions so far. (Wheel
> >lift, etc) I'm partial to a low-boy flatbed trailer (safest),
> >though I admit never having been towed on the highway.
> >Trying to get it running is also a good idea.
 
Emery you are of course right. I only commented on how easy it is to remove
the axle shafts. One could than install the outer CV race(an old one), and
nut to hold in the bearings and brake rotors. Even though it could be done I
sure would not tow it.

Back to the original question, can't the engine be started?

>

>
>the axle bolts at the wheel and than removing the complete shaft. It is not
>necessary To remove the ball joints etc. To do so. You should be able To do
>it in 45 minutes for both sides. >>
>
>Tom - see Rick Staples message. Damage will result To the wheel bearings and
>hubs if the stub axle isn't tightened into the bearings. So the only way
>this could be done would be To disconnect the inner shaft at the CV joint.
>Quite a job. I wouldn't recommend it over the other alternatives of towing
>or hauling the GMC on a flatbed truck or trailer.
>
>Emery Stora
>77 Kingsley
>Santa Fe, NM
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
Much to my amazement I received a call yesterday. The coach is running and
the owner is going to meet me part way. Wow! What a change in attitude from
a week ago! The coach was completely dead, no batteries, the engine head
were off and it had very droopy but.

I guess the owner just took pity on a new GMC Owner.

Thanks for all of your suggestion! I will have more questions I know. Will
let you know when the coach is home.

Thanks
Jack Todd

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-gmcmotorhome
[mailto:owner-gmcmotorhome] On Behalf Of Thomas G. Warner
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 1999 5:03 PM
To: gmcmotorhome
Subject: Re: GMC: pulling a GMC Motorhome

Emery you are of course right. I only commented on how easy it is to remove
the axle shafts. One could than install the outer CV race(an old one), and
nut to hold in the bearings and brake rotors. Even though it could be done I
sure would not tow it.

Back to the original question, can't the engine be started?

>

>
>the axle bolts at the wheel and than removing the complete shaft. It is
not
>necessary To remove the ball joints etc. To do so. You should be able To do
>it in 45 minutes for both sides. >>
>
>Tom - see Rick Staples message. Damage will result To the wheel bearings
and
>hubs if the stub axle isn't tightened into the bearings. So the only way
>this could be done would be To disconnect the inner shaft at the CV joint.
>Quite a job. I wouldn't recommend it over the other alternatives of towing
>or hauling the GMC on a flatbed truck or trailer.
>
>Emery Stora
>77 Kingsley
>Santa Fe, NM
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
>What do you tow the Motorhome with? A semi?
>I wouldn't tow a Motorhome for 350 miles on all six; its a long way.
>Putting it on a lowboy flatbed or on a trailer with brakes is the
>safest way
>to move it if the engine is not working.
>

As I said the other day, one owner towed his back with a $19.95 per day U
Haul RentaTruck. I guess about 800-900 miles!

David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
200 MacFarlane Drive
Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
 
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