Steering -never, ever got it right.

[boybach]

I began my GMC ownership about 5 or 6 years ago, picking up my coach in the Shuswap area of BC, where I'd fitted all new tires for the trip home to Vancouver Island.
I'm an experienced driver, growing up in my dad's trucking business getting my Class1 at 18 and for a while teaching people to drive semis in London UK. Even so, keeping the coach in a straight line for hundreds of miles through mountain passes on a rainy early March night was a real challenge. I couldn't relax for one second as the coach veered one way or another incessantly. Bit of a nightmare, so you can imagine the buyer's remorse flowing freely.

So naturally, the first priority at home base was to get the steering issues fixed.

I started with the steering shaft, clocking it correctly and replacing the boot. Over time, I centered the steering box, adjusted the torsion bars bringing the coach to spec height and did a laser alignment. Also set rear running height to the specs in the manual. All of these adjustments helped the problem, so over the past 5 or 6 years I've been able to go camping, but the coach still had a mind of its own especially at highway speeds or downhill, where I still had to do quite a bit of correcting.

No matter how snug (not fully snug; if no play driving becomes dangerous/impossible!) the steering box adjuster there seems to be no way to get the coach to track properly.

So yesterday, regrettably, I sold my coach. I gave up trying to remedy the problem. The new owner took it for a test drive and although loved everything about the coach, found the steering to be so "off" that he was skeptical about making a commitment, but his wife convinced him to take it on.

Thanks to all the members here that helped my maintain my coach, systems, Onan and all aspects of ownership.

All the best

Larry

 

[Don Jaksa]

Congratulations on the successful sale of your coach.

 

[Tybalt39]

I began my GMC ownership about 5 or 6 years ago, picking up my coach in the Shuswap area of BC, where I'd fitted all new tires for the trip home to Vancouver Island.
I'm an experienced driver, growing up in my dad's trucking business getting my Class1 at 18 and for a while teaching people to drive semis in London UK. Even so, keeping the coach in a straight line for hundreds of miles through mountain passes on a rainy early March night was a real challenge. I couldn't relax for one second as the coach veered one way or another incessantly. Bit of a nightmare, so you can imagine the buyer's remorse flowing freely.

So naturally, the first priority at home base was to get the steering issues fixed.

I started with the steering shaft, clocking it correctly and replacing the boot. Over time, I centered the steering box, adjusted the torsion bars bringing the coach to spec height and did a laser alignment. Also set rear running height to the specs in the manual. All of these adjustments helped the problem, so over the past 5 or 6 years I've been able to go camping, but the coach still had a mind of its own especially at highway speeds or downhill, where I still had to do quite a bit of correcting.

No matter how snug (not fully snug; if no play driving becomes dangerous/impossible!) the steering box adjuster there seems to be no way to get the coach to track properly.

So yesterday, regrettably, I sold my coach. I gave up trying to remedy the problem. The new owner took it for a test drive and although loved everything about the coach, found the steering to be so "off" that he was skeptical about making a commitment, but his wife convinced him to take it on.

Thanks to all the members here that helped my maintain my coach, systems, Onan and all aspects of ownership.

All the best

Larry

I do understand that frustration; it took a year and finding the right alignment/repair facility to correct my white-knuckle steering issues (originally not safe over 45mph; now drives straight over 70mph). Ride-height front and rear, steering/suspension components, alignment, re-clock/center the Saginaw box, etc. Sorry to see you go, but glad you found a willing buyer.

 

[Richard RV]

I began my GMC ownership about 5 or 6 years ago, picking up my coach in the Shuswap area of BC, where I'd fitted all new tires for the trip home to Vancouver Island.
I'm an experienced driver, growing up in my dad's trucking business getting my Class1 at 18 and for a while teaching people to drive semis in London UK. Even so, keeping the coach in a straight line for hundreds of miles through mountain passes on a rainy early March night was a real challenge. I couldn't relax for one second as the coach veered one way or another incessantly. Bit of a nightmare, so you can imagine the buyer's remorse flowing freely.

So naturally, the first priority at home base was to get the steering issues fixed.

I started with the steering shaft, clocking it correctly and replacing the boot. Over time, I centered the steering box, adjusted the torsion bars bringing the coach to spec height and did a laser alignment. Also set rear running height to the specs in the manual. All of these adjustments helped the problem, so over the past 5 or 6 years I've been able to go camping, but the coach still had a mind of its own especially at highway speeds or downhill, where I still had to do quite a bit of correcting.

No matter how snug (not fully snug; if no play driving becomes dangerous/impossible!) the steering box adjuster there seems to be no way to get the coach to track properly.

So yesterday, regrettably, I sold my coach. I gave up trying to remedy the problem. The new owner took it for a test drive and although loved everything about the coach, found the steering to be so "off" that he was skeptical about making a commitment, but his wife convinced him to take it on.

Thanks to all the members here that helped my maintain my coach, systems, Onan and all aspects of ownership.

All the best

Larry

Sorry that you had to let that one go, Larry. There are other fish in the ocean and other GMCs on the road. Maybe there's another one in your future.

Besides being a nice guy you're an asset to the GMC community and I'd hate to see you leave it behind.

 

[boybach]

Sorry that you had to let that one go, Larry. There are other fish in the ocean and other GMCs on the road. Maybe there's another one in your future.

Besides being a nice guy you're an asset to the GMC community and I'd hate to see you leave it behind.

Well thanks Richard! I'll still be online adding my 2 cents here and there - GMC is a hard habit to break - still hasn't totally sunk in that the coach isn't sitting on the pad out at my mate's place.... Went by yesterday to take the boat out and the yard sure seemed empty.

 

[Bhart]

Curious about the vinyl wrap. How old is it and what condition is in.

 

[boybach]

Curious about the vinyl wrap. How old is it and what condition is in.

Sun faded a bit on one side and a few cracks around tight bends at the rubrails, but overall not bad. Perforated wrap on windows suffered the worst, peeling at corners. Removed window wrap this year and this improved the look. Worst mistake made by wrapping was the covering of the window frames thereby blocking the drains and causing all manner of leaks at windows. Had to repair a lot of interior water damage in main salon and cut away wrap around window frames. Not sure of wrap age, coach brought to Canada around 2014 - must have been wrapped somewhere dry (California/Arizona) as no-one in PNW would block drainage without noticing the effect immediately.

here's the a pic of the coach taken this month.


also, the listing that sold it on facebook marketplace
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1283738637173195