Rear Suspension Greasing

G

gary miller

New member
Aug 18, 1998
452
0
0
Also I noted in reading back issues of GMC Mortohomes International
Newsletter that there were several articles recommending greasing the
suspension pins very frequently -- one recommended 1000 miles and
another recommended every 500 miles. Seems like overkill to me. Any
comments??
Gary '77 Kingsley North Bend, Oregon Coast
 
The "Pins" are a very delicate piece of equipment. When I am traveling I
suirt mine at the time I stop. I check the oil in the AM and the water
AM and PM "Hot" and "Cold" It may be overkill but I personally feel
"Preventative Maintenance" is good insurance. I also make extra long
turns. Go into the intersection a bit before turning. Don't want to hit
any curbs. Chuck

> Also I noted in reading back issues of GMC Mortohomes International
> Newsletter that there were several articles recommending greasing the
> suspension pins very frequently -- one recommended 1000 miles and
> another recommended every 500 miles. Seems like overkill to me. Any
> comments??
> Gary '77 Kingsley North Bend, Oregon Coast
 
I order to insure that the grease has penetrated the entire pin area you
must unload the suspension. (If you are only getting 2 or 3 pumps of
your grease gun with the bogie loaded your probably not getting much
grease into the pins or if you are your pins are probably worn with a
lot of clearance) The air bags should be inflated and some blocking put
under the bogie, then let out some of the air to take the load off the
pins. This will allow the grease to flow more easily along the entire
length of the pins. Another method is to jackup the bogie with a jack,
(I use a 4 ton bottle jack) and lower the air pressure in your air bag
for that side. I use a short shovel under the wheel to move the wheel
up and down allowing the grease to travel the entire pin length. (Better
with 2 people) This is the method suggested by GMC Motorhome News Dec
1995 page 7. Using this method you should see grease coming out of the
back area of the pins. As for frequency, I do mine before each trip or
no longer than 2000 to 2500 miles.

J.R. Wright
77 Eleganza II
Michigan
 
NAPA has the regular ZIRK red in color covers too. I have two set, one is
cleaned and then after I grease the fitting I replace it with a clean or new one
which might be required, the old ones go into a bottle of solvent and are cleaned
dried in the over with the pilot lite and then put into a plastic self sealing
bag for the next time. I do this so I don't miss one of the fittings. There are
13 total and I usually have to hunt for one of them. Chuck 78 Eleganza II,
Lompoc, CA.

> Justin
>
> If you take a look at the pics on Patrick's page you can see that the seals
> involved are Nylon on the original seals. On the replacement kit that I got
> from Gateway the seals are rubber O rings. I would say it would be very
> easy to break the nylon seals with high pressure grease if they were
> a snug fit. By the time I saw mine they did not fit very tight. I am
> sorry I cant give you a yes or no answer. I honestly just dont know.
> I am a bit of a prude when it comes to grease. I want only Synthetic
> in there so I only let me do it.
>
> While on the subject bogie grease here is a tip for you. Since it sounds
> like people do this a lot, try getting the little "bolt protectors" from
> your local hardware store. They are little caps that are put on the ends
> of bolts on playground equipment to keep kids from scratching themselves
> on the bolts. The 1/4 size fits the zerks perfectly. Keeps them clean and
> you know your not forcing any dirt in there. Patrick has a pic of it.
>
> Take Care
> Arch 76 GB IL
>
> > Arch
> > Since you have had your boggie pins out, maybe you can answer a question
> for
> > me. Are there 'seals' involved in the set up? I was told several years ago
> > not
> > to let anyone use a pneumatic grease gun on the pins because the extra
> > pressure could blow the seals. Fact or fiction?
> > Justin
 
Happay Trails Again! I'd still grease them when I stopped not a lot just a couple
pumps on the hand gun. Chuck

> Thanks for the tip on bolt protectors. I'll get some. Since there are seals
> on the pins, then I'm going to say the information is correct that you
> shouldn't use pnuematic grease guns......but you what can freeze over before
> I'm going to suggest that on the web page here!
> Arch, a friend and I have a standing joke. One of our water supply lakes
> nearby is 11.5 miles around. There is a walking trail around it. I walk two
> to three miles a day. Charlie, (my friend) has an old class C camper he drives
> out nearly every day to a certain spot and puts out fishing lines. then he
> retreats inside, drinks coffee, and plays solitaire, regales anyone who
> happens by etc. When I'm going to be out of town for a few days, I tell him
> I'm putting him in charge of the fishermen and walkers. When he is going to
> be gone, he informs me of my additional responsibilities. So in that light
> vein, I'm putting you in charge of the GMC Web page for the next week. We
> plan to leave in the morning for Colorado to help some friends celebrate their
> anniversary.
> Justin
 
Yes, 9 in the front. Three on the drivers side wheel, one each upper and lower,
and one streering link, two on the steering colum, 3 on the right side, uppper
and lower wheel and one steering and two each on the rear boggies, left and right
sides. Chuck

> Chuck:
>
> Reference the number of Zert Grease Locations.
>
> Your idea for the grease control locations is a real winner. In regard to the
> number of 13 mentioned-does this include the 4 rear wheel bogies?
>
> Also is there a place which I can find the listings for all of these greasing
> points?
>
> Don Martin
> 76 Eleganza II
> Portage, MI
 
While at a GMC Heritage Cruisers rally in Canada I noticed that one of the
members had installed grease fittingsa to a plate behind the front bumper
with lines going from there to each grease point on the coach. He could
very quickly grease the whole coach from one point. Very neat. Anyone else
have something similar?

>
>Chuck:
>
>Reference the number of Zert Grease Locations.
>
>Your idea for the grease control locations is a real winner. In regard to the
>number of 13 mentioned-does this include the 4 rear wheel bogies?
>
>Also is there a place which I can find the listings for all of these greasing
>points?
>
>Don Martin
>76 Eleganza II
>Portage, MI
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
If it was good enough for the best car that was ever built (Packard) than it
should be good enough for the second best one. to answer your question with
high pressure lines connected it has to go to the proper place.

>> While at a GMC Heritage Cruisers rally in Canada I noticed that one of the
>> members had installed grease fittingsa to a plate behind the front bumper
>> with lines going from there to each grease point on the coach. He could
>> very quickly grease the whole coach from one point. Very neat. Anyone else
>> have something similar?
>
>A really nice idea, but is there any way to know that grease goes to all
>the grease points connected, rather than to only some of the necessary
>grease points?
>
>Tim Timothy
>'73 ?Glacier?
>Pensacola, Fl.
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
> While at a GMC Heritage Cruisers rally in Canada I noticed that one of the
> members had installed grease fittingsa to a plate behind the front bumper
> with lines going from there to each grease point on the coach. He could
> very quickly grease the whole coach from one point. Very neat. Anyone else
> have something similar?

A really nice idea, but is there any way to know that grease goes to all
the grease points connected, rather than to only some of the necessary
grease points?

Tim Timothy
'73 ?Glacier?
Pensacola, Fl.
 
Tom's note indicates "fittings" and "lines", so perhaps the owner had a
separate zerk and line to each grease point. It sounds like the plate is a
central point for accessing the individual zerks. A lot of the grease
points on large off-road rolling stock are accessed this way. I'm curious
as to how you would link these lines to the grease points that have a large
range of travel, i.e.. tie rods, drag link, and the steering column with
rotary movement!

Chuck
77 Kingsley
North Idaho

- ----------
> From: Jim Davis
> To: 'gmcmotorhome'
> Subject: RE: GMC: Rear Suspension Greasing
> Date: Monday, November 09, 1998 7:22 PM
>
> Tim.......Many of the expensive automobiles during the 20's and 30's had
> single point greasing, but the main problem with all of them was the part

> that had the least clearance allowed the grease to ooze out and the other

> fittings stayed dry. That's why, when I grease a U joint, I put grease
in
> each cup before I put it together in the yoke. If you try pumping grease
in
> by the zerk fitting, you'll notice that many times the grease will squirt

> out of one seal on the trunion but not the others.
> Jim Davis, 77 Coca Cola
> Bandon, Oregon
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: LARRY DTIMOTHY [SMTP:ltim]
> Sent: Sunday, November 08, 1998 8:02 PM
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Subject: Re: GMC: Rear Suspension Greasing
>

> > While at a GMC Heritage Cruisers rally in Canada I noticed that one of
> the
> > members had installed grease fittingsa to a plate behind the front
bumper
> > with lines going from there to each grease point on the coach. He
could
> > very quickly grease the whole coach from one point. Very neat. Anyone

> else
> > have something similar?
>
> A really nice idea, but is there any way to know that grease goes to all
> the grease points connected, rather than to only some of the necessary
> grease points?
>
> Tim Timothy
> '73 ?Glacier?
> Pensacola, Fl.
 
Tim.......Many of the expensive automobiles during the 20's and 30's had
single point greasing, but the main problem with all of them was the part
that had the least clearance allowed the grease to ooze out and the other
fittings stayed dry. That's why, when I grease a U joint, I put grease in
each cup before I put it together in the yoke. If you try pumping grease in
by the zerk fitting, you'll notice that many times the grease will squirt
out of one seal on the trunion but not the others.
Jim Davis, 77 Coca Cola
Bandon, Oregon

- -----Original Message-----
From: LARRY DTIMOTHY [SMTP:ltim]
Sent: Sunday, November 08, 1998 8:02 PM
To: gmcmotorhome
Subject: Re: GMC: Rear Suspension Greasing

> While at a GMC Heritage Cruisers rally in Canada I noticed that one of
the
> members had installed grease fittingsa to a plate behind the front bumper
> with lines going from there to each grease point on the coach. He could
> very quickly grease the whole coach from one point. Very neat. Anyone
else
> have something similar?

A really nice idea, but is there any way to know that grease goes to all
the grease points connected, rather than to only some of the necessary
grease points?

Tim Timothy
'73 ?Glacier?
Pensacola, Fl.
 
>
> Tom's note indicates "fittings" and "lines", so perhaps the owner had a
> separate zerk and line to each grease point. It sounds like the plate is a
> central point for accessing the individual zerks. A lot of the grease
> points on large off-road rolling stock are accessed this way. I'm curious
> as to how you would link these lines to the grease points that have a large
> range of travel, i.e.. tie rods, drag link, and the steering column with
> rotary movement!
>
> Chuck
> 77 Kingsley
> North Idaho

Perhaps the central point greasing for "selected" points, rather than
all the grease points, is worthy of consideration.
Tim Timothy
'73 ?Glacier?
Pensacola, Fl.
 
I will have to ask.

>>
>> Tom's note indicates "fittings" and "lines", so perhaps the owner had a
>> separate zerk and line to each grease point. It sounds like the plate is a
>> central point for accessing the individual zerks. A lot of the grease
>> points on large off-road rolling stock are accessed this way. I'm curious
>> as to how you would link these lines to the grease points that have a large
>> range of travel, i.e.. tie rods, drag link, and the steering column with
>> rotary movement!
>>
>> Chuck
>> 77 Kingsley
>> North Idaho
>
>Perhaps the central point greasing for "selected" points, rather than
>all the grease points, is worthy of consideration.
>Tim Timothy
>'73 ?Glacier?
>Pensacola, Fl.
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
GMCMI Fall 2026 Rally
Get your shine on at www.cruzingear.co

Share this page

Share this page
Top Bottom
Back