ZaK's Website

zachary zehnacker

New member
Oct 3, 1997
195
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Scott,

Thanks for the "professional" comment :). Those square "shocks" are
exactly that. Square box tubing. We needed to get the front section as
low to the ground as possible to get it back under the GMC, and our Caspro
shocks do not compress that much. We made some replacements from the box
tubing for moving the front section back under the motorhome. We also cut
the tires off the old steel wheels to get them as low as possible. We
still used floor jacks to slide it under (just like we took it out), but
this way, the GMC wheels would stabilize unit which made it easier/less
risky to get it back under. Once it was under, we changed them out for the
Caspro shocks.

It probably would have handled real well and looked pretty cool with the
lowered front and solid front suspension though :). I just thought of
something! Maybe that is the handling solution everyone here is looking
for. I think if we replaced the air bags with solid wood/metal and
replaced all the shocks with metal tubing, the GMC would really handle like
it was on rails. There would be no sway whatsoever. We could make it even
lower to the ground since there would be no suspension travel to worry
about. That would really improve things even more. I think I see a $1000
kit here :). Just don't expect it to glide over bumps like the GMC air
suspension :).

As far as your website.

In IE4, I do get the flying GMC, drop down text, and Home Improvement
sound. I might have been getting that before, but I usually start loading
a site and then go do something else. When I heard the music start, I went
back, but it was probably too late to see the animations. Now that I knew
what to look for, I waited on the page and saw them with no problems.

In Netscape 4, I don't get any of that. The text and GMC clipart just come
up as normal in Netscape. Looking at the text/pic movements, they look a
lot like Microsoft Powerpoint animations, so they may only be made to work
with IE4. I don't know, but I wouldn't doubt it.

Zak

zakz
Seemann Motorsports Home Page http://www.erols.com/zakz/
Seemann Motorsports GMC Frame Off Page http://smsgmc.webjump.com

>Hey Zak!
>
>I visited your website to see how a professional does things. Question, what
>kind of shock absorbers did you put on your frame off motorhome? They look
>square?
> http://smsgmc.webjump.com t=_self]Zak's Project[/url]
>
>Also thank you for the information on my picture problems in my
website--still
>not solved yet--Some GMCers have actually seen the animation and got sound
>-that's encouraging. It takes sometime to load but I think most of that is
the
>spent loading the music clip and not the animation.
>http://members.aol.com/adohen2/index.htm t=_self]GMC HOME IMPROVEMENT[/url]
>I have been loading it through FTP method with better success.
>
>Scott Adohen
>
 
>
> Most polyurethane sway bar end link or bushing companies probably make
> them. Ours are from Energy Suspension. We got them from JEGs, but any
> Energy Suspension dealer should be able to get them. JEGs sells them in
> red or black for $4.00 for 2 tie rod boots or $8.00 for 2 ball joint boots.
> Other places might offer them in other colors.

Zak,

I could use a set of upper ball joint boots. Do you have the JEGs cat.
no. available?

Thanks!
Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailto:patri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
 
Patrick,

Jegs telephone # is 1-800-345-4545

The Energy Suspension ball joint boots are listed as 355-9-13125G and you
would have to specify red or black when ordered ($7.69 for 2). This part
number claims to fit 64-88 Malibu, Cutlass; 67-81 Camaro, Firebird; 68-74
Nova; and 63-82 Corvette. I can't guarantee that these are the same ones
we got. I don't have a record of the part number we used. I know we got
an Energy Suspension one from Jegs, and this is the only one that Jegs
lists in the catalog I have. I am, therefor, assuming this is the same one
we got.

We only replaced the lower ball joint boots, but the boots looked like they
would have worked on the uppers as well. Our upper ball joints were still
in perfect shape and have never been replaced so they are still factory
riveted in. We like the factory rivet fit and think that a lot is lost
when replacements are bolted in, so we didn't replace them. The OEM boot
was installed before the ball joint, and we didn't want to take the joint
out to totally remove the OEM boots, so we left them alone. Later on, we
realized that we probably could have cut the old boot off and put the new
boot on without taking out the joint, but it was a too late. Since the
lowers had already been replaced once, we did replace the lower joints and
the boots.

Zak

PS - Jegs has free shipping but charges for handling. The catalog says $4
handling charge for orders up to $20.00. The charge increases with the
item value from there.

>Zak,
>
>I could use a set of upper ball joint boots. Do you have the JEGs cat.
>no. available?
>
>Thanks!
>Patrick
>--
>Patrick Flowers
>Mailto:patri63
>
>The GMC Motorhome Page
>http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
>
>
>
 
Brings up an interesting point Patrick and one that should be looked at, and
that is riveted versus bolted in ball joints. Does anyone know how to rivet
in new ball joints? Is it possible?

>Patrick,
>
>Jegs telephone # is 1-800-345-4545
>
>The Energy Suspension ball joint boots are listed as 355-9-13125G and you
>would have to specify red or black when ordered ($7.69 for 2). This part
>number claims to fit 64-88 Malibu, Cutlass; 67-81 Camaro, Firebird; 68-74
>Nova; and 63-82 Corvette. I can't guarantee that these are the same ones
>we got. I don't have a record of the part number we used. I know we got
>an Energy Suspension one from Jegs, and this is the only one that Jegs
>lists in the catalog I have. I am, therefor, assuming this is the same one
>we got.
>
>We only replaced the lower ball joint boots, but the boots looked like they
>would have worked on the uppers as well. Our upper ball joints were still
>in perfect shape and have never been replaced so they are still factory
>riveted in. We like the factory rivet fit and think that a lot is lost
>when replacements are bolted in, so we didn't replace them. The OEM boot
>was installed before the ball joint, and we didn't want to take the joint
>out to totally remove the OEM boots, so we left them alone. Later on, we
>realized that we probably could have cut the old boot off and put the new
>boot on without taking out the joint, but it was a too late. Since the
>lowers had already been replaced once, we did replace the lower joints and
>the boots.
>
>Zak
>
>PS - Jegs has free shipping but charges for handling. The catalog says $4
>handling charge for orders up to $20.00. The charge increases with the
>item value from there.
>
>

>>Zak,
>>
>>I could use a set of upper ball joint boots. Do you have the JEGs cat.
>>no. available?
>>
>>Thanks!
>>Patrick
>>--
>>Patrick Flowers
>>Mailto:patri63
>>
>>The GMC Motorhome Page
>>http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
>>
>>
>>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach
 
>
> Brings up an interesting point Patrick and one that should be looked
> at, and that is riveted versus bolted in ball joints. Does anyone
> know how to rivet in new ball joints? Is it possible?

Tom,

I'm sure it's possible, but doubt it's practical. The rivets are
installed red hot. This lets them spread to fill the holes when they're
pressed.

Patrick
- --
Patrick Flowers
Mailto:patri63

The GMC Motorhome Page
http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
 
Why would it be impractical? Its not that complicated to take off the upper
and lower control arms, replace the bushings at the same time. Who can hot
rivet? If the factory can do it why can't we? Is any special equipment needed?

>>
>> Brings up an interesting point Patrick and one that should be looked
>> at, and that is riveted versus bolted in ball joints. Does anyone
>> know how to rivet in new ball joints? Is it possible?
>
>Tom,
>
>I'm sure it's possible, but doubt it's practical. The rivets are
>installed red hot. This lets them spread to fill the holes when they're
>pressed.
>
>Patrick
>--
>Patrick Flowers
>Mailto:patri63
>
>The GMC Motorhome Page
>http://www.gmcmotorhome.com
>
>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach