I'll try to answer your questions one by one and in the same order.
David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
200 MacFarlane Drive
Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
On Wed, 8 Jul 1998 05:58:33 +0100 "Donald W. Miller"
writes:
>David,
>
Snip!
>
>Have you noticed any improvement in handling after you removed the aft
>AC
>and roof box?
Actually, I haven't noticed any appreciable difference, either in gas
economy or in handling. I had the coach weighed, by the wheel, a year ago
and will have it weighed again to see where the weight distribution is.
>
>The genset, propane tank, aft AC, spare tire, and house battery are
>all
>located aft of the rear wheels and this 700+ pounds of weight would
>seem to
>contribute "heavily" to the swinging and swaying back there.
My rear end does sway when I am not level or am riding at near to lowest
level ( this happens occasionally when you get older and forgetful!)
>
>An all electric, inverter powered, GMC with a 1000+ pound weight
>reduction
>is our goal. Too easy.
I would like to get ridof the propane tank but my "boss" won't hear of
it, soooo.
>Maybe, just maybe, this weight reduction will reduce the need to buy
>so many
>after market parts to improve handling, performance, braking, etc.
>
>BTW, care to comment on how many flat tires you have had in 500,000+
>GMC
>miles?
My first Palm Beach, purchased new in 1976 went thru tires as if I worked
for Goodyear! It was a bias ply/ bias wheel set up and I lost track of
how many times I was stuck along some remote Interstate in west Texas or
Arizona, in sweltering heat, standing on that long wrench trying to break
loose what some moron in a tire shop torqued to kingdom come! This was
before road insurance! I went thru 3 sets of tires in the first 5 years.
However the number of flats, on my current Eleganza II (nee palm Beach)
since I installed Bridgestone R265 series tires 40,000 miles ago is easy
to recall. The number is ZERO!
Why? I haven't a clue. I do know I used to run my first GMC over weight
far too often. In 1977 when I had most of the tire problems we were on a
one year sabbatical with two kids and books for a couple of semesters and
clothes for three seasons plus the kids collected rocks and other heavy
things. But in my opinion tires are better and radial tires are much
better. Perhaps that plus watching the weight may have made a significant
difference.
Dave
David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
200 MacFarlane Drive
Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
On Wed, 8 Jul 1998 05:58:33 +0100 "Donald W. Miller"
writes:
>David,
>
Snip!
>
>Have you noticed any improvement in handling after you removed the aft
>AC
>and roof box?
Actually, I haven't noticed any appreciable difference, either in gas
economy or in handling. I had the coach weighed, by the wheel, a year ago
and will have it weighed again to see where the weight distribution is.
>
>The genset, propane tank, aft AC, spare tire, and house battery are
>all
>located aft of the rear wheels and this 700+ pounds of weight would
>seem to
>contribute "heavily" to the swinging and swaying back there.
My rear end does sway when I am not level or am riding at near to lowest
level ( this happens occasionally when you get older and forgetful!)
>
>An all electric, inverter powered, GMC with a 1000+ pound weight
>reduction
>is our goal. Too easy.
I would like to get ridof the propane tank but my "boss" won't hear of
it, soooo.
>Maybe, just maybe, this weight reduction will reduce the need to buy
>so many
>after market parts to improve handling, performance, braking, etc.
>
>BTW, care to comment on how many flat tires you have had in 500,000+
>GMC
>miles?
My first Palm Beach, purchased new in 1976 went thru tires as if I worked
for Goodyear! It was a bias ply/ bias wheel set up and I lost track of
how many times I was stuck along some remote Interstate in west Texas or
Arizona, in sweltering heat, standing on that long wrench trying to break
loose what some moron in a tire shop torqued to kingdom come! This was
before road insurance! I went thru 3 sets of tires in the first 5 years.
However the number of flats, on my current Eleganza II (nee palm Beach)
since I installed Bridgestone R265 series tires 40,000 miles ago is easy
to recall. The number is ZERO!
Why? I haven't a clue. I do know I used to run my first GMC over weight
far too often. In 1977 when I had most of the tire problems we were on a
one year sabbatical with two kids and books for a couple of semesters and
clothes for three seasons plus the kids collected rocks and other heavy
things. But in my opinion tires are better and radial tires are much
better. Perhaps that plus watching the weight may have made a significant
difference.
Dave
