Eric,
Sorry for being late in replying to your post, I've been trying to catch up
after the Intl. rally, mostly sleep!
Emory hit on the first and main cause (of what I have found) to be the
driveability problem with the coach. The GMC has an inherent
characteristic that will allow it to "wiggle waggle" if there are
mechanical or alignment problems, but if it is set up right the ride will
be superb. I just came back from Myrtle Beach with a coach that has sat
for 10 years and has no after market mods to improve anything, original
bushings, OEM sway bar, Delco shocks (new though), and I even have a bit
more play in one of the rear pins than I would like to see. The coach was
a space ship! I could go any speed with no shakes straight down the road,
honest. I would challenge anyone to drive the beast and agree that it may
look like &5!@# big it drives great.
What is the secret? There is none, I put new tires on the coach, trued and
static balanced them and did a 6 wheel alignment- that is it! The front
end is original with 68K miles so I found no real problems other than
weathered control arm bushings. In checking the rear, I found 1 pin that
had some play and was hard taking grease. I was under the gun to make the
rally so I left it alone, besides I was interested to see if I would feel
anything or wear the tire with it. No feeling and no tire wear!
As soon as I collect a few more aluminum can, I want to put on the 4 air
bag system on my coach. I would strongly recommend the 4 air bag system
because it is safer and totally changes the suspension characteries of the
coach for the better, but you can achieve a super ride by going back to
basics.
I am speaking from the experiences I have had using the equipment here and
seeing many coaches with different driving problems. The set up was
expensive and frankly I do not know if I will every make the process cost
effective for me but it had always bothered me to see the different
combinations on coaches and all the diverse set ups trying to achieve the
"good ride". It always seemed to me we were missing something and to my
thinking it had to be something simple.
Proper mechanical condition and correct alignment is not actually simple to
achieve but it is very basic and it doesn't make sense to go forward before
the basics are covered!
The GMC bud bit me hard many years ago and I will tell you that I
absolutely love driving and even being near a GMC motorhome. You should
get one for yourself and see how nice a trip can be! There is no equal, I
would be willing to bet pink slips!
Hope this helps,
Jim Bounds
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> I have been considering buying a GMC motorhome for a couple of months and
>have driven two so far. The last one I drove suffered from wiggle waggle.
>My question is: "Is it possible that the wiggle waggle comes from twisting
>of the rear frame due to the cantilevered bogie pins?" One unique feature
>of the GMC appears to me to be that there is no rigid rear axle or other
>side-to-side frame reinforcement in the immediate vicinity of the bogie
>pins. Has anyone ever tried reinforcing the frame from side to side to
>cure "wiggle waggle?" Has anyone ever tried to measure twisting of the
>frame due to the bogie pins? If frame twisting is the problem, then 26'
>GMC should be more prone to wiggle waggle than 23' GMC's because of their
>greater weight. Are 26' GMC's more prone to wiggle waggle than 23' GMC's?
> Eric Stewart
> Tidewater Virginia
> Maybe Wannabe
>
>
>
>
Jim Bounds/Co-op Motor Works Orlando
www.gmccoop.com
