Wandering steering/response/fishtailing

[74_Coach]

When it was all said and done, I added a "Tru-Track" device to the forward tandem wheels and pretty much most of the wonky steering direction went
away. I also replaced all 6 tires with new Michelins (prior Michelins were 7 years old) and control over the steering was significantly improved. I
am now thinking of installing Tru-Track to the rear tandem wheels to end some highway wiggling in the rear.
--
Ed Clerkin | 1974 GMC Canyon Lands 26’
Central Coast CA

 

[Jim Hupy]

Much of the "wonky" steering is not coming from the front in these coaches,
but from worn components in the rear. Ever been passed on good roads by a
semi truck and trailer? Next time that happens, take note of when it
happens. Is it from the bow wake? Or is it the stern wake? If it happens
from the bow wake, your bogies are steering the coach. Not the front
steering gear. You feel your coach move or wiggle through the seat of your
pants, and move the steering wheel to compensate for it, and you assume
that because you had to correct tracking with the steering wheel that the
problem exists in the steering. YES, REMEMBER THIS! THE BACK END OF THESE
COACHES CAN AND DO STEER THE COACH!. And they do respond to alignment. My
78 Royale has 130,000 plus miles on the clock. I have taken the lower
steering shaft and C.V. joint apart and made that whole assembly as tight
as possible. If you turn the steering wheel even the slightest bit, it
results in movement at the input shaft of the steering box. Every tie-rod
type part from the pitman arm to the knuckles has been replaced, as well as
the sway bar links and bushings. It helped some, but not perfect. Still had
an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach at high speed. Both hands on the
steering wheel, with white knuckles.
So, I looked at the back. I found that it was in need of an alignment,
and the passenger side forward bogie arm was bent, causing a toe-in
condition. So I built an adapter for my porta-power and bent it back out.
It takes a whole bunch of pressure to do that. My smaller 4 ton unit won't
do it, but my 10 ton unit does. Those bogie arms are forged out of some
really tough stuff. You have to overbend them , and they spring back. I use
a dial indicator when I do them. It gets them spot on. When the bogies are
right, then it drives with one relaxed hand on the steering wheel on good
roads. The Tru-Traks work well also after everything else is right. Never
tried them on quadrabag setups with disc brakes, though. Don't know if they
fit in with that setup.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

> When it was all said and done, I added a "Tru-Track" device to the forward
> tandem wheels and pretty much most of the wonky steering direction went
> away. I also replaced all 6 tires with new Michelins (prior Michelins
> were 7 years old) and control over the steering was significantly
> improved. I
> am now thinking of installing Tru-Track to the rear tandem wheels to end
> some highway wiggling in the rear.
> --
> Ed Clerkin | 1974 GMC Canyon Lands 26’
> Central Coast CA
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>

 

[john r. lebetski]

I did not see the centering of the steering box mentioned. If not centered, there will slop in the box AND the entire steering linkage will be off to
one side going straight. This will cause your symptoms.
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II

 

[Jim Hupy]

Goes ALMOST without saying, the first trick out of the box must be to
center the steering box. They almost NEVER are correct. I sent mine to
Seattle to Redhead. Had it back, correct, in about 48 hours. They are no
job for someone who does not know what they are doing. And many have been
replaced with a GM box from the same era. Not the best idea. Coach boxes
are something special.
Sorry, I forgot to mention that.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Thu, Mar 25, 2021, 3:53 PM John R. Lebetski
wrote:

> I did not see the centering of the steering box mentioned. If not
> centered, there will slop in the box AND the entire steering linkage will
> be off to
> one side going straight. This will cause your symptoms.
> --
> John Lebetski
> Woodstock, IL
> 77 Eleganza II
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>

 

[jim kanomata1]

Contact me and I will send pages of instruction on centering the gear box.

> Goes ALMOST without saying, the first trick out of the box must be to
> center the steering box. They almost NEVER are correct. I sent mine to
> Seattle to Redhead. Had it back, correct, in about 48 hours. They are no
> job for someone who does not know what they are doing. And many have been
> replaced with a GM box from the same era. Not the best idea. Coach boxes
> are something special.
> Sorry, I forgot to mention that.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Oregon
>
> On Thu, Mar 25, 2021, 3:53 PM John R. Lebetski

>
> > I did not see the centering of the steering box mentioned. If not
> > centered, there will slop in the box AND the entire steering linkage will
> > be off to
> > one side going straight. This will cause your symptoms.
> > --
> > John Lebetski
> > Woodstock, IL
> > 77 Eleganza II
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>

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

 

[Jim Hupy]

Centering the box is not difficult. It can be and probably should be
accomplished while bolted in to the coach.
But, adjusting for wear is a bird of a different color. Very exacting
work here. If any parts are needed, OTHER THAN SEALS, they are not commonly
available. That's why I recommend professionals to do this. They have most
of the pieces needed.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

> Contact me and I will send pages of instruction on centering the gear box.
>
>

>
> > Goes ALMOST without saying, the first trick out of the box must be to
> > center the steering box. They almost NEVER are correct. I sent mine to
> > Seattle to Redhead. Had it back, correct, in about 48 hours. They are no
> > job for someone who does not know what they are doing. And many have been
> > replaced with a GM box from the same era. Not the best idea. Coach boxes
> > are something special.
> > Sorry, I forgot to mention that.
> > Jim Hupy
> > Salem, Oregon
> >
> > On Thu, Mar 25, 2021, 3:53 PM John R. Lebetski

> >
> > > I did not see the centering of the steering box mentioned. If not
> > > centered, there will slop in the box AND the entire steering linkage
> will
> > > be off to
> > > one side going straight. This will cause your symptoms.
> > > --
> > > John Lebetski
> > > Woodstock, IL
> > > 77 Eleganza II
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > GMCnet mailing list
> > > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> >
>
>
> --
> Jim Kanomata
> Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
> jimk
> http://www.gmcrvparts.com
> 1-800-752-7502
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>