Dave wrote: But lets not forget that RV stands for Recreational Vehicle.
For some of
us, we get as much recreational pleasure from tinkering and making
improvements as we do from using our beloved GMC's for travel.
This is very much my point. I suspect that for a significant number of the
owners, the tinkering is very much part of the pleasure of owning the GMC.
However, if we're going to tinker, why not be sure that our tinkering is
indeed an improvement.
Tom wrote: Vic the thing that always seems to be left out when discussing
all of these
modifications to the GMC is what are he trade offs. Any modification from
the original design has a tradeoff. General motors did extensive testing
on
this coach and even heavily involved women in the interior design.
I contend that all of these mods do nothing more than customize the GMC to
the individual. Do some of them work, sure but at what tradeoff? Is fuel
injection better than the quadrajet? Maybe.
I would argue that the difference between customizing and improvements is
very significant. A new paint job is a customization. as is a newly chromed
bumper or even a change of taillights. Changing your brakes to improve the
60-0 stopping distance is an improvement. Tweaking your suspension to cut
down on rut wander is also an improvement. These things are clearly
measurable. Is fuel injection an improvement? Only if it clearly meets
defined standards that are agreed upon and are measurable. Otherwise, it is
as you say, a customization.
Heinz wrote: Vic, Please don't take this as throwing cold water on your
post, but
unfortunately the real world differs from what's ideal... in my opinion
anyways. While it sounds great on paper, it's my opinion that it would be
difficult
to put into practice with one's personal coach... at least mine that is.
Speaking only for myself... many mods/enhances I've done in the past were
initiated at downtime making it difficult if not impossible to run
meaningful before/after comparisons.
With reference to brakes... I'm quite satisfied with improvements, any
improvement, so whether it stops 30 feet shorter or 10 after the mod is
irrelevant to me, as long as it stops shorter, better and/or more efficient
than before. And if it doesn't, oh well.... better luck next time. I have
no
plans or desire to stress my coach to the point were a before and after
comparison is useful and/or meaningful.
I always try to keep a return option... return to pre-mod that is so if I'm
not happy I'll revert and pass on my experiences to those interested just
as
I do when I consider a mod/enhance a success.
Yes, I'm going to switch the front rears to Leigh's brakes. Not because I'm
unhappy with TSM's, but because I may be able to do better. The TSM's have
given me a taste for discs and now I'm simply exploring to get best
possible
I'm not a scratch builder and therefore rely on and appreciate the efforts
of the folks like Leigh, Cinnebar, Caspro, Rance and others I've purchased
from to search out and/or build/invent things that are good for my buggy. I
appreciate their pioneering efforts and their ultimate sharing so that I
may
have a better coach. I also rely on them do that initial testing and am
confident that they actually do make sure it is indeed an improvement
they're offereing as in a small community such as ours the word, good and
bad, certainly spreads fast.
I bet that it's unlikely that 2 people will have the same results or
comments about any one mod. Each one will favor it in his/her own way and
be
either happy or grumpy about having done it.
However... good luck on your endeavors, both on your coach and on your post
Heinz: Please excuse me for using an example of your coach and situation
without first asking if you'd like to be "outed" in this fashion. I think
that I owe you one. That said, I'm puzzled by your approach. If you know
that you will be changing the brakes, why not figure out in some kind
measurable fashion if Leigh's brakes really are an improvement over the TSM
product. If 60-0 is too stressful, why not 30-0. As a side note, I think
that most of us should know what our coach's will do when we hit the brakes
at 60 miles an hour. The horror of the 401 accident (where a fog descended
rapidly on a freeway and ended with an 80 car collision and 7 dead) is
unusual but not unique.
There really are times when a rapid stop from high speed is a necessity.
Should we not be prepared? Should we not have figured out which brake
system or modification will probably be the safest? If the TSM product
stops us as quickly as Leigh's for a lot less money, then we should know
it. However, if Leigh's braking system really is superior to the TSM or JA
system, we should know that as well. But this is not information that will
come easily without cooperation and commitment on the part of GMC owners. I
bet that more a quarter of a million dollars has be spent on brake
"improvements" in the last few years and not one of us really know which
system stops us the best under a range of conditions.
My hope is that GMC owners will come to expect this kind of information. If
they expect it, then suppliers such as Caspro, Cinnabar or Leigh Harrison
etc, will assume that it is a necessary part of selling GMC "improvements".
But it will not become a necessity until we made it one.
Vic Marks
Vancouver, BC
