Trip and a half report

[hal stclair]

I guess you could really call this a trip and a half report. The week of Thanksgiving our daughter and family flew in from Ramona, CA to take
possesion of their new to them from us 1975 ELII that I've been working on since May. We caravanned from here (Rio Rancho, NM) to Elephant Butte Park
about 160 miles south of here where we met with our son and his tribe of 5 girls in their trailer. It was a new experience for her family but they
really took to it with a passion. Thanksgiving was really something special for the entire family. Two GMC's and a pull behind together makes for a
fun time for sure.
Both GMC's headed out for So Ca Friday as son in law was scheduled to fly to Japan Sunday AM for the Navy. Both rigs ran great to my relief and son in
law was especially happy with the brakes. He was also surprised at how easy it was to drive and at how well handled. With them living in CA and that
horrendous traffic, there was no way I would put something together that wasn't the best I knew how to do. One ton front, disc reaction arm in back,
sensitized booster with new master cylinder, prop valve and hoses. It really does stop. With now installed 3.55 differential, headers and old school
Air Sensors EFI it seemed to pull the hills quite easily. It stayed with our 6.5 diesel until the steepest longest grades. Not so much with the
economy though. Seems 8mpg is about where it lands at our 62-64 mph pace. Our 14.93 MPG average during the trip may require a diesel upgrade in their
rig in the future, we'll see.
With the mechanics pretty much complete they are really looking forward to making the inside their own. I hope they will take advantage of the great
folks here on the board for insight and advice.
Our return trip had a small hiccup though. A lost $.10 clip caused way to much angst when it left the house. After climbing the grade out of San Diego
on I8 we suddenly lost all boost. After a cursory look failed to find the culprit we drove on to Quartzsite under MUCH reduced power. After a couple
of false starts I located the problem and was pretty upset with myself for not locating it immediately. I'd looked for it but the littler bugger is so
far hidden under a heat shield that I'd missed it. Things have a way of making you humble don't they.
Anyway, 732 miles on 48.997 gallons of fuel. Not too bad.
Hal
--
1977 Royale 101348,

1977 Royale 101586, Diesel powered,

1975 Eleganza II, 101230,

1974 Eagle Bus 45',w/slideout,

Rio Rancho, NM

 

[Carl Stouffer]

Hal,

I'm happy to hear that your Thanksgiving trip went well. Mine was fun, but...

My son, his wife, my son in law and 15 year old grandson left for the dunes (near Yuma) Thanksgiving afternoon, while my oldest son and I left at 4:30
Friday morning. The trip down went well until we stopped in Yuma for gas. Despite setting my Power Level controls to 'raise', when I got out of the
motorhome at the gas island, the rear end was all the way down. I rechecked the controls, turned the compressor back on...no dice. After filling the
gas tanks, I pulled over to the side of the store to try to fix the problem. It turned out that I blew the line going to the leveling valve on the
right side, right where it crosses the frame above the exhaust (I insulated that area after I fixed it later) My portable Q-max compressor would not
fill the quad bags, even with the system isolated, due to the fact that I evidently didn't get it connected properly to the valve on the air bag
manifold.

Fortunately, a guy in a truck, equipped with air brakes, stopped to chat about my Jeep (on the trailer) and offered his air if I had a hose (I did).
We got the bags aired back up and went on our way, For some reason, the bags and the tank would not pump up pressure with the hole in the leveler
line no matter what position the dash valves were in. Once the pressure was up in the bags, the system pumped up as usual. ???

Once we got to the dunes and unloaded the trailer, we headed out in the sand. After crossing a few miles of "low dunes", we headed up to the high
dunes with me in the lead. I was taking a relatively easy route due to the others not having the traction and power I have, but once we got up near
the top, I noticed they were not behind us. We turned around to see my son, Mark waving us back. As we got a little closer, I said to Johna
(Daughter in law), "are those wheels I see in the air" She said "they sure are" me; "that's not good". Robbie (son in law) had gotten crossed up on
a 'witches eye' and flopped his '11 JK Unlimited Rubicon on it's right side. Fortunately no one was hurt, and damage to the Jeep were relatively
minor (a couple of cracks in the top, a blown out window, and some damage to the plastic fenders) We spent most of the rest of the day getting the
jeep back on its wheels with a lot of help from a group of good Samaritans and Robbie's winch. After Mark (youngest son) ran into Yuma to get fluids,
we got it back to camp in time to make supper.

Saturday morning we went back out into the dunes without issue, although Robbie was understandably a bit gun shy. Mark was having trouble with the
fuel pump on his '67 Jeepster and went back to camp to get a spare electric I had in the motorhome. After fixing that, he suggested I try out his
Yamaha 700-R Raptor (quad) on the big hill. I stupidly thought that was a good idea, strapped on a helmet and proceeded over the crest of the hill.
I must have missed a shift into second gear and started picking up WAY too much speed and in the panicked process of trying to get it back under
control, I must have grabbed the front brake instead of the clutch and flipped it over on myself. Fortunately the 400# bike went over me without
causing any permanent damage, but I saw stars (literally) for a few minutes and got a deep bruise on my left hip and some foot peg rash on my shin. I
guess at almost 62 years old, I need to be a bit more cautious.

We did have a nice rest of the day and decided to head home Sunday morning without another trip out in the dunes. All was good on the way home until
we left Gila Bend and started climbing the long grade on I-8 eastbound in 90+ degree heat. The motorhome didn't like the combination of the heat, the
temperature, winter blend gas, and towing a 4500# trailer, and started to vapor lock. It never got down much below about 45 mph but it was still
annoying. I stopped for gas about 60 miles from home and added ethanol treatment (Lucas), but still had a little trouble on the rest of the trip,
UNTIL, I hit surface streets driving across Tucson, where I had no more fuel delivery problems. Weird. Oh, also, my gas mileage was atrocious.

I spent yesterday fixing the shattered maserator storage tube (from dragging it over something in the Circle-K parking lot when the air was down), and
splicing the leaking air line. Then discovered a broken fitting on the shower diverter under the sink. Today will be spent fixing that and cleaning
the dust, sand, and gravel out of the motorhome to get it ready for the GMCSJ rally in Amado next weekend.

Oh well, better luck next year!
--
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles,
Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member