>
> GMCers
>
> Well, its been 4 days since I ask for any reports on front wheel bearings.
> I was surprised that most comments came in the back door. I will now
> try to put together a summary of what I have learned. Most of you
> should have seen the one reported problem this time. It was:
>
> In regards to a "major" front wheel bearing failure, I know of one. My
> father owned a 77 Birchhaven with ~ 85K on it. He was trying to sell The
> Birchhaven, and had it on a lot (he had "upgraded" to a 74 Sequoia with only
> 43 K on it).
>
> We went to pick it up, and I was following the coach and observed from a
> "normal" distance (I first noticed it from nearly 200 feet) back that one of
> the front wheels had a major wobble to it. Stopped checked it out, the tire
> was worn rather severely from the wobble. Nursed it home, and proceeded to
> rip the front end apart.
>
> We found that one of the front wheel bearings had a cracked race. The
> bearing was totally destroyed. For that matter we had a real fun time of
> pulling what was left of the bearing out of the carrier.
>
> We believe someone either dropped a wheel into a deep pothole at speed, or
> hammered a curb.
>
> And remember Les and Des had a problem last time that may have been
> caused by bad bearings.
>
> NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
>
> My coach has 75k miles on it. Still had original bearings when I had them
> replaced at 68k Slight frosting on the original
> bearings. Coach had been used by an entertainment company in So. Cal. in the
> late 70s with a heavy load of people. The last
> owner DID NOT have the bearings serviced for at least 35k miles. Grease
> appeared to ordinary type.
> >
> I've talked to 5 different companies that have serviced GMCs since at least
> the early 80s (one just started recently) I'd
> guess that all told they have serviced a few hundred GMCs - no bearing
> failures, but some bearings needed to be replaced.
> >
> Bought '78 Kingsley in '92. Had no idea what was going on, no books, no
> nutin'. Drove about 20K, then found out "the front wheels come of if you
> touch them wrong". (That was at 42K miles.)
>
> Tore 'em down, they'd been replaced before, and the hubs were worn down, but
> not it was old news. Built 'em up, which didn't take much, put in Cinnabar
> 'super good, exceeds-specs-of-brand-new' bearings. Regular grease, new
> superboots. Thought that would last 40K miles.
>
> Kept hearing about 20K replacement REQUIREMENT, or you'd be walking. This
> year at 76K thought the world would end if they weren't changed. Checked for
> play. No slop. Decided to take them off anyway. Couldn't see a single thing
> wrong! Put the whole thing back together and put the spare set of bearings
> in a zip-lock with desiccant.
> >
> Looked at a coach in Watsonville Ca, 74k miles. Original bearings. NEVER
> serviced to spec. Repacked at 25k intervals.
> >
> >The head mechanic for the local GMC dealership lives in one of my rental
> >units. His assessment was the "Toro front end was built like a tank."
>
> That's what I heard from every mechanic I talked to. My buddy said he never
> saw a problem that couldn't be traced to serious
> abuse.
> >
> Arch I think you have exposed one of the biggest myths surrounding the GMC
> motorhome. I heard the same thing about the Toronados in the late 60's
> early 70's, but when I tried to get more information found out it was just
> rumors. These bearings are large and very well made. They may seize up and
> cause some real problems but we know how to solve that problem.
>
> Well, folks this aint no fancy survey but it honestly is all I got. Either
> nobody wants to talk of the problem just aint happening.
> That's what I know.
>
> Take Care
> Arch
Maybe not fancy Arch,
but very informative! Certainly more logical than I had previously
percieved. GOOD JOB!
Tim Timothy
'73 ?Glacier?
Pensacola, Fl.
> GMCers
>
> Well, its been 4 days since I ask for any reports on front wheel bearings.
> I was surprised that most comments came in the back door. I will now
> try to put together a summary of what I have learned. Most of you
> should have seen the one reported problem this time. It was:
>
> In regards to a "major" front wheel bearing failure, I know of one. My
> father owned a 77 Birchhaven with ~ 85K on it. He was trying to sell The
> Birchhaven, and had it on a lot (he had "upgraded" to a 74 Sequoia with only
> 43 K on it).
>
> We went to pick it up, and I was following the coach and observed from a
> "normal" distance (I first noticed it from nearly 200 feet) back that one of
> the front wheels had a major wobble to it. Stopped checked it out, the tire
> was worn rather severely from the wobble. Nursed it home, and proceeded to
> rip the front end apart.
>
> We found that one of the front wheel bearings had a cracked race. The
> bearing was totally destroyed. For that matter we had a real fun time of
> pulling what was left of the bearing out of the carrier.
>
> We believe someone either dropped a wheel into a deep pothole at speed, or
> hammered a curb.
>
> And remember Les and Des had a problem last time that may have been
> caused by bad bearings.
>
> NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
>
> My coach has 75k miles on it. Still had original bearings when I had them
> replaced at 68k Slight frosting on the original
> bearings. Coach had been used by an entertainment company in So. Cal. in the
> late 70s with a heavy load of people. The last
> owner DID NOT have the bearings serviced for at least 35k miles. Grease
> appeared to ordinary type.
> >
> I've talked to 5 different companies that have serviced GMCs since at least
> the early 80s (one just started recently) I'd
> guess that all told they have serviced a few hundred GMCs - no bearing
> failures, but some bearings needed to be replaced.
> >
> Bought '78 Kingsley in '92. Had no idea what was going on, no books, no
> nutin'. Drove about 20K, then found out "the front wheels come of if you
> touch them wrong". (That was at 42K miles.)
>
> Tore 'em down, they'd been replaced before, and the hubs were worn down, but
> not it was old news. Built 'em up, which didn't take much, put in Cinnabar
> 'super good, exceeds-specs-of-brand-new' bearings. Regular grease, new
> superboots. Thought that would last 40K miles.
>
> Kept hearing about 20K replacement REQUIREMENT, or you'd be walking. This
> year at 76K thought the world would end if they weren't changed. Checked for
> play. No slop. Decided to take them off anyway. Couldn't see a single thing
> wrong! Put the whole thing back together and put the spare set of bearings
> in a zip-lock with desiccant.
> >
> Looked at a coach in Watsonville Ca, 74k miles. Original bearings. NEVER
> serviced to spec. Repacked at 25k intervals.
> >
> >The head mechanic for the local GMC dealership lives in one of my rental
> >units. His assessment was the "Toro front end was built like a tank."
>
> That's what I heard from every mechanic I talked to. My buddy said he never
> saw a problem that couldn't be traced to serious
> abuse.
> >
> Arch I think you have exposed one of the biggest myths surrounding the GMC
> motorhome. I heard the same thing about the Toronados in the late 60's
> early 70's, but when I tried to get more information found out it was just
> rumors. These bearings are large and very well made. They may seize up and
> cause some real problems but we know how to solve that problem.
>
> Well, folks this aint no fancy survey but it honestly is all I got. Either
> nobody wants to talk of the problem just aint happening.
> That's what I know.
>
> Take Care
> Arch
Maybe not fancy Arch,
but very informative! Certainly more logical than I had previously
percieved. GOOD JOB!
Tim Timothy
'73 ?Glacier?
Pensacola, Fl.
