steering again

The way I do it.. Read all before starting. You may find it easier if you remove the grill.

I start with folding up 2 large garbages bag to put under the front wheels on a hard flat surface. This will make the wheels turn easier at rest. If
the coach has an added adjustable link I prefer to take it off and put the OEM non adjustable back on till later. It is always a plus if you check
tire air pressure and ride height before doing any type of alignments.

First I pull the steering wheel and clock the chisel mark on the steering column with the mark on the steering wheel. Tighten the nut, put the
steering wheel straight with marks at 12 o’clock and lock the steering column with the key in the lock position and removed.

Go to the front of the coach and open drivers side hood. Remove the 6 bolts that hold the top CV joint together. You may have to unlock column and
turn to loosed the back 1 or 2 but lock it back centered before you remove the last 2. With paint mark the high spot between the 2 front bolts so you
can drill and tap for a grease fitting later if you want. Remove the 6 bolts and 3 locks if OEM and move the shaft aside for now. Remove the clamp
bolt on the bottom of the steering column and slide a 29/64 drill bit thru where the clamp bolt goes. If it does you are good. If not (or you want
to drill for grease fitting slide it off; drill and tap and install grease fitting) slide it off and move one or 2 splines till the drill bit slides
thru freely. Install and tighten clamp bolt.

Loosen the lower clamp bolt on steering column and remove bolt and blue shaft assembly. Clean and lube the shaft. Using a small “C” clamp fasten
a 6” steel machinist ruler to the flat spot on the steering box inlet shaft and bump wheels till the ruler is parallel with the machined surface on
the box where the adjustment bolt is. With the machine surface and the flat spot parallel replace the blue shaft and check the spline with the 29/64
drill bit. When the drill bit will go in freely replace the bolt and tighten clamp bolt. Slide the blue shaft under the top cap of the CV joint.
You may have to move the clocking of the shaft to get bolts to line up perfectly. When you do replace 6 bolts and locks and tighten.

Now when the steering wheel is straight the box will be on center. You now need to check alignment with front wheel standoffs and magnetic laser beam
off front wheels to a target at a consistent distance from frame front to rear. My target is a piece of wood on a platform base with lines drawn on
it. My constant is a 18” or so piece of yard stick held on with “C” clamp to keep target same distance from frame so I can move to use for the
specific vehicle . I use a small piece of masking tape to mark laser dot. Adjust tie rods till you get O toe on both sides.

If you are using an adjustable link you can use it to get wheels straight till you can adjust toe with a laser beam or string or ruler to get the
Relay lever and idler arm parallel with the frame and the tie rods equal length.

If you are adding an adjustable link due to worn parts, adjust it till it just drops in where OEM was. If steering wheel isn’t just perfect at
straight ahead use adjustable link to adjust. If done this way when the steering wheel is straight the box will be centered with the coach.

C. Boyd
--
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee
 
> The way I do it.. Read all before starting.

Yes thanks for the detailed description which, in an ideal world with dry indoor workshops and lasers, spare OEM drag links and alignment gizmos etc.
things would be perfect.

Unfortunately, my situation is not that perfect. I live in an apartment many miles away from my coach. The coach is stored in a spot outdoors on a
fairly level patch of grass. My tools consist of some wrenches/sockets, a roll of string, a couple of 2x4's and some measuring tapes so I may not be
able to get things dialed in with the precision required for an ideal result.

That said, I'm hoping that even with the rustic situation and limited tools I may be able to improve the steering and drivabilty enough that I can go
down the road a little better than I did yesterday.

we'll see ...

Larry

--
Larry - Victoria BC -

1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS
exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses
 
Also confirm that you have Positive caster of +3.5--4 degrees.
Lot of the alignment shops say they did but they do not.
Also check your weight distribution by spreading out the heavy parts.
I have experienced the weight issue when we travel back from rally and
convention where we get loaded down with lot of heavy parts.
I now refuse to haul things for people.

> > The way I do it.. Read all before starting.
>
> Yes thanks for the detailed description which, in an ideal world with dry
> indoor workshops and lasers, spare OEM drag links and alignment gizmos etc.
> things would be perfect.
>
> Unfortunately, my situation is not that perfect. I live in an apartment
> many miles away from my coach. The coach is stored in a spot outdoors on a
> fairly level patch of grass. My tools consist of some wrenches/sockets, a
> roll of string, a couple of 2x4's and some measuring tapes so I may not be
> able to get things dialed in with the precision required for an ideal
> result.
>
> That said, I'm hoping that even with the rustic situation and limited
> tools I may be able to improve the steering and drivabilty enough that I
> can go
> down the road a little better than I did yesterday.
>
> we'll see ...
>
> Larry
>
> --
> Larry - Victoria BC -
>
> 1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working
> but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS
> exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat
> exchange hoses
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>

--
Jim Kanomata ASE
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
 
Well I had a look at things today, more than a look actually, I dove in and reclocked the blue shaft so that the mid-point of travel of the steering
box (center) matches the steering wheel which now sits at 12 0'clock. I only got part of the job done as it got dark and a bit nippy as I was
finishing up installing the universal joint bolts.
As it sits at the moment, my wheels are off to one side a bit and the relay arm isn't parallel to the frame either.
Only to be expected I guess. In my mind, the first and critical part of sorting out the steering is done.

While I was underneath looking around I noticed a few numbers on the steering box - one looks like a rebuild code stamped in green, reading "REMFG VA
M12" - other numbers in the casting read "7802644" and maybe "261".

It turns out we do have a laser and we can make up alignment targets but first I need to get the correct offset dimension of the front wheels for a
coach with 16" steel wheels. Anybody know?

So, a good day. Progress. Plus we got the coach drained and winterized today too.

Larry


> Also confirm that you have Positive caster of +3.5--4 degrees.
> Lot of the alignment shops say they did but they do not.
> Also check your weight distribution by spreading out the heavy parts.
> I have experienced the weight issue when we travel back from rally and
> convention where we get loaded down with lot of heavy parts.
> I now refuse to haul things for people.
> --
> Jim Kanomata ASE

--
Larry - Victoria BC -

1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS
exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses
 
> Well I had a look at things today, more than a look actually, I dove in and reclocked the blue shaft so that the mid-point of travel of the
> steering box (center) matches the steering wheel which now sits at 12 0'clock. I only got part of the job done as it got dark and a bit nippy as I
> was finishing up installing the universal joint bolts.
> As it sits at the moment, my wheels are off to one side a bit and the relay arm isn't parallel to the frame either.
> Only to be expected I guess. In my mind, the first and critical part of sorting out the steering is done.
>
> While I was underneath looking around I noticed a few numbers on the steering box - one looks like a rebuild code stamped in green, reading "REMFG
> VA M12" - other numbers in the casting read "7802644" and maybe "261".
>
> It turns out we do have a laser and we can make up alignment targets but first I need to get the correct offset dimension of the front wheels for
> a coach with 16" steel wheels. Anybody know?
>
> So, a good day. Progress. Plus we got the coach drained and winterized today too.
>
> Larry

Congrats for getting the centering done! You are way down the road now.

I don't think you need the offset number for alignment; Basically, you want adjust toe so that both wheels are parallel to the frame of the coach
(because in our case, the frame is parallel to the centerline of the vehicle from just behind the front wheel to just after the rear bogie wheel. If
the laser is parallel to the front wheel and pointing down along the coach, then the front wheel will be straight when the laser hits the both front
and rear targets at the same distance from the frame.

I made one target that hooks into the front ride height slot and another with a magnet that sticks to the frame.

If your toe was adjusted fairly close, then I'd just adjust the drag link to make the relay arms point correctly and then adjust the tie rods to
straighten the wheels, and finally adjust for toe. I added extensions to my wheel brackets to twice the diameter of the tires so that if I wanted 1/8"
toe I'd look for 1/4" difference between the ends of the extensions. I found I could hook two tapes at the ends of the extension on one side and read
the toe at the ends of the other.

--
Bill Van Vlack
'76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath, Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o mid
November 2015.
 
Larry,

This may be useful:
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g5634-wheel-alignment-jigs.html

To make alignment jigs, it's not necessary to know the wheel offsets -- you
just need to make them extend beyond the hub and tires. The alignment
procedure doesn't depend upon a certain distance from the frame rail to the
laser beam.

Ken H.

Ken H.

> Well I had a look at things today, more than a look actually, I dove in
> and reclocked the blue shaft so that the mid-point of travel of the steering
> box (center) matches the steering wheel which now sits at 12 0'clock. I
> only got part of the job done as it got dark and a bit nippy as I was
> finishing up installing the universal joint bolts.
> As it sits at the moment, my wheels are off to one side a bit and the
> relay arm isn't parallel to the frame either.
> Only to be expected I guess. In my mind, the first and critical part of
> sorting out the steering is done.
>
> While I was underneath looking around I noticed a few numbers on the
> steering box - one looks like a rebuild code stamped in green, reading
> "REMFG VA
> M12" - other numbers in the casting read "7802644" and maybe "261".
>
> It turns out we do have a laser and we can make up alignment targets but
> first I need to get the correct offset dimension of the front wheels for a
> coach with 16" steel wheels. Anybody know?
>
> So, a good day. Progress. Plus we got the coach drained and winterized
> today too.
>
> Larry
>
>

> > Also confirm that you have Positive caster of +3.5--4 degrees.
> > Lot of the alignment shops say they did but they do not.
> > Also check your weight distribution by spreading out the heavy parts.
> > I have experienced the weight issue when we travel back from rally and
> > convention where we get loaded down with lot of heavy parts.
> > I now refuse to haul things for people.
> > --
> > Jim Kanomata ASE
>
>
> --
> Larry - Victoria BC -
>
> 1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working
> but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS
> exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat
> exchange hoses
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
 
I check wheel alignment the same way as Bill VanV by checking for parallelism with the frame. I have some photos to go along with it on the GMC photos
site.

I use two measurement sticks mounted on magnets to stick on the frame. It allows to to do both front and back wheels. In all cases you want to laser
to show the same measurement on the front and back sticks. Then you know all the wheels are parallel with the frame and zero toe on the front.

More detailed description under the photos.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g7365-alignment.html
--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
 
I decided that I needed to add the ability to do toe-in/out at home (for the GMC, but for other cars as well, especially my Jeep since I am hard on
the "alignment bits" using it off-road).

I decided that something like this was a good solution for my meager needs:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133826227140

Looks pretty fool-proof, though I haven't actually used it yet.
--
Mark Hickey
Mesa, AZ
1978 Royale Center Kitchen
 
Well thanks everyone for the support and great ideas!

My next step will be making up the jigs, looks like I may be able to get things dialed in pretty well with these tips!

One more question, (not about the jigs) but the adjustment of the track rods and the adjustable link.

At the moment, with the ign key out, the steering wheel is locked at 12 o'clock position/steering box on centre, wheels akimbo, right?

I read earlier that the adj drag link can be used to make minor corrections to the steering wheel position, so theoretically adjusting the link
changes the position of the steering wheel ...however the plan is to use the drag link to reposition the idler arm ...so if the steering wheel is
locked what happens when I start that adjustment?

Larry
--
Larry - Victoria BC -

1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS
exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses
 
> Well thanks everyone for the support and great ideas!
>
> My next step will be making up the jigs, looks like I may be able to get things dialed in pretty well with these tips!
>
> One more question, (not about the jigs) but the adjustment of the track rods and the adjustable link.
>
> At the moment, with the ign key out, the steering wheel is locked at 12 o'clock position/steering box on centre, wheels akimbo, right?
>
> I read earlier that the adj drag link can be used to make minor corrections to the steering wheel position, so theoretically adjusting the link
> changes the position of the steering wheel ...however the plan is to use the drag link to reposition the idler arm ...so if the steering wheel is
> locked what happens when I start that adjustment?
>
> Larry

Look at the steering linkage diagram (on the 75/76 maintenance manual it is on page 9-1 and 543 on the PDF). You'll see that if you fix the steering
wheel (which fixes the Pitman Arm) and turn the link, the relay arms and everything down stream will move.

--
Bill Van Vlack
'76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath, Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o mid
November 2015.
 
Thanks Bill, that's just what I needed to know.

Onward!

Thanks again for all your help

Larry
--
Larry - Victoria BC -

1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS
exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses
 
> Thanks Bill, that's just what I needed to know.
>
> Onward!
>
> Thanks again for all your help
>
> Larry

You're welcome; Make sure that the wheels are free to turn - raised, or on slip pads.
--
Bill Van Vlack
'76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath, Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o mid
November 2015.
 
Well the wheels were free to move, mud was the lube today!

Yesterday I took a page out of Bruce's book and basically duplicated (copied?) his system. I found a used laser level on the local used stuff site and
picked up a couple of clamps from Canadian Tire.
The indicators I made up from telescopic magnet tool retrievers from the dollar store. Used 2" white duct tape to mark a bunch of random scale marks
and telescoped the indicators out to the range I needed. Taped them at the joints to stop any movement then holding them side by side, laid the marked
strip of tape on top of both. Slitting the tape down the middle so each indicator got a 1" wide marked strip, effectively made two identical scales.

Placed them on the frame rails, popped the hubcaps and set the laser in place at the wheel. Turned the drag link until the idler arm was parallel to
the frame then checked the alignment. The wheels looked pretty straight ahead and so close that we just tweaked the drag link slightly again and the
laser points lined up. So I figured there was no need to go dicking around with the tie rods as we were on the money already.

Tightened up the adjuster bolts and went for a test drive. No more wandering! :)

Thanks everyone for your help, nothing wrong with the steering box it was just the dummy behind the wheel all the time!

Larry
--
Larry - Victoria BC -

1977 ex-Palm Beach "Ol' Leaky" 40,000 miles, PO said everything working but forgot the word NOT. Atwood helium fridge, water heater & furnace. SS
exhaust system, Onan, Iota Converter, R134A, New fuel lines & heat exchange hoses
 
Congrats! Must feel good to get a great result.
--
Bill Van Vlack
'76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath, Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o mid
November 2015.
 
My mother, who raised 3 kids by herself, on $138.00 a month, in a 3 room
house with an outhouse and woodstove for cooking, used to say "Well, Jimmy,
poor folks have poor ways".
Sounds like you improvised a solution and made it work for you. Good
job! Glad you made some progress. Nothing satisfies like a job well done.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Fri, Nov 19, 2021, 9:12 PM Bill Van Vlack
wrote:

> Congrats! Must feel good to get a great result.
> --
> Bill Van Vlack
> '76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath,
> Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner a/o
> mid
> November 2015.
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
 
A boss once had a saying "It's not the machine but the nut behind the
wheel".

> My mother, who raised 3 kids by herself, on $138.00 a month, in a 3 room
> house with an outhouse and woodstove for cooking, used to say "Well, Jimmy,
> poor folks have poor ways".
> Sounds like you improvised a solution and made it work for you. Good
> job! Glad you made some progress. Nothing satisfies like a job well done.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>
> On Fri, Nov 19, 2021, 9:12 PM Bill Van Vlack

>
> > Congrats! Must feel good to get a great result.
> > --
> > Bill Van Vlack
> > '76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath,
> > Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner
> a/o
> > mid
> > November 2015.
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>

--
Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
LaGrange, Wyoming
GMC=Genetically Modified Chevy
 
Larry, Bill, Jim, Jim, Matt, C.Boyd and Bruce, et.al.,
This thread has been a feast for us lurkers.
A common problem solved (but for Bruce) with specific, sequential instructions, description of homemade tools to do the job, and alternate methods
that work.
SOB owners should be so lucky to have such a wealth of knowledge on their specific coach. Bruce W., I truly hope that when your world thaws out you
can go through and find something that you might have missed. Your efforts thus far have been heroic but not successful enough to keep you from
letting go of the coach. Please don't give up. I can fly down the road all day with relatively little effort and my coach is a '73.
To the gang of contributors, someone just had to say thanks for your careful, thoughtful and generous help.
Doug
--
Douglas & Virginia Smith,
dsmithy18 at gmail,
Lincoln Nebraska,
’73 “Sequoia” since ‘95: "Wanabizo";
Quadrabag/6 wheel disks/3:70 final/Paterson QuadraJet/Thorley’s/Alloy wheels/Sundry other
 
Well, like I have said here several times, Steering is a "System". From the
seat of your pants to the tire patch on the pavement. No part is more
important than any other. If any part of the system is shot, the entire
system is adversely affected.
Jim Hupy
Salem,Oregon

> A boss once had a saying "It's not the machine but the nut behind the
> wheel".
>

>
> > My mother, who raised 3 kids by herself, on $138.00 a month, in a 3 room
> > house with an outhouse and woodstove for cooking, used to say "Well,
> Jimmy,
> > poor folks have poor ways".
> > Sounds like you improvised a solution and made it work for you. Good
> > job! Glad you made some progress. Nothing satisfies like a job well done.
> > Jim Hupy
> > Salem, Oregon
> >
> > On Fri, Nov 19, 2021, 9:12 PM Bill Van Vlack

> >
> > > Congrats! Must feel good to get a great result.
> > > --
> > > Bill Van Vlack
> > > '76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath,
> > > Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new owner
> > a/o
> > > mid
> > > November 2015.
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> >
>
>
> --
> Bruce Hart
> 1976 Palm Beach
> LaGrange, Wyoming
> GMC=Genetically Modified Chevy
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>
 
Check the wheel alignment for Caster of 3-4 degrees positive.
The data in the Alignment machine is for Bias Belt tires.
With out proper caster , you'll still not have full ease of steering.

> Well, like I have said here several times, Steering is a "System". From the
> seat of your pants to the tire patch on the pavement. No part is more
> important than any other. If any part of the system is shot, the entire
> system is adversely affected.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem,Oregon
>

>
> > A boss once had a saying "It's not the machine but the nut behind the
> > wheel".
> >
> > On Fri, Nov 19, 2021 at 10:58 PM James Hupy

> >
> > > My mother, who raised 3 kids by herself, on $138.00 a month, in a 3
> room
> > > house with an outhouse and woodstove for cooking, used to say "Well,
> > Jimmy,
> > > poor folks have poor ways".
> > > Sounds like you improvised a solution and made it work for you.
> Good
> > > job! Glad you made some progress. Nothing satisfies like a job well
> done.
> > > Jim Hupy
> > > Salem, Oregon
> > >
> > > On Fri, Nov 19, 2021, 9:12 PM Bill Van Vlack >

> > >
> > > > Congrats! Must feel good to get a great result.
> > > > --
> > > > Bill Van Vlack
> > > > '76 Royale; Guemes Island, Washington; Twin bed, full (DS) side bath,
> > > > Brazilian Redwood counter and settee tops,455, 6KW generator; new
> owner
> > > a/o
> > > > mid
> > > > November 2015.
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Bruce Hart
> > 1976 Palm Beach
> > LaGrange, Wyoming
> > GMC=Genetically Modified Chevy
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>

--
Jim Kanomata ASE
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.gmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
 
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