Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » New owner - long drive home..!
| New owner - long drive home..! [message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 01:25  |
Andrew
Messages: 213
Registered: April 2011
Location: Connecticut
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Hello!
I'm about to complete the purchase of my first GMC motorhome. It's a 1976, has been sitting for a couple years, and wasn't used much for a few years before that.
The vehicle is currently located about four hours away from my house in Savannah GA, and an hour or two from Orlando FL where there are a couple of shops that specialize in GMCs. From Savannah, it looks like the nearest specialist is in Atlanta, four hours away.
I haven't driven the GMC yet, but I'm having it inspected by a general RV service shop near its location. So far, they recommend replacing the tires (dry rot), but say the brakes and such check out OK ("you really have to put your leg into it, but that's normal when you don't have power assist" says the service manager). There is also a slow (2-3 day) leak in the airbags on one side.
I would greatly appreciate a sanity check and any recommendations you might have for getting this old girl home safely! Here's my plan:
1. Replace all seven tires (E rated 16.5"s on original rims)
2. Lube, grease, oil
3. Bearings? Ball joints?
4. Drive home (250 miles)
Am I missing any other work that I should get done by the general RV service shop? Are there GMC-specific things I should tell them to do or look for that they might not necessarily know? How much danger is there of the slow airbag leak turning into a roadside failure on the way home?
I've read the buyers guide and safety checklist pages (fantastic info, thank you!), and will go over anything I don't trust myself to inspect with the general RV guys.
I'd like to take it to someone who knows GMCs well, but that would mean a couple additional full days of car driving for the whole family, or a day (or two or three ...) in a hotel for me with not a whole lot to do. Still, if it's important, I will.
Once home, I can deal with average mechanical-ability work myself, though not anything requiring heavy truck tooling. There's a general RV shop nearby. We will be planning to take a long trip starting in late June, and can stop for an extended period at a specialist on the way.
So, sane? Ignorant? Reckless?
Thank you for any advice, and I look forward to joining you on the road!
1973 Sequoia 260 (since 2011)
[Updated on: Thu, 28 April 2011 01:30] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123604 is a reply to message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 01:51  |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Inspect but don't necessarily replace the hoses and belts unless they are bad. Especially look at the heater hoses. They tend to be over looked. If they are in doubt you can take a 2.5 piece of new heater hose and bypass all of the hoses in the coach. Simply remove the heater hose from the back of the intake manifold (passenger side) and from the front of the water pump (also passenger side). Then attach your 2.5' new hose between these two locations. That will get you home (with no heat) and you can replace the heater hoses correctly at a later date.
Try the brakes for yourself. If they are acceptable to you for this trip then go for it. ALL GMC's have power brakes. You can't stop one without the power assist.
If you want to check it out further, take an infrared temperature heat sensor and point it at each of the rear drums and front rotors after making a few hard stops. The front two should be near equal in temperature. The rear 4 should be near equal in temperature.
IN the future if you want easier braking, after you get it home replace the vacuum booster with a sensitized one from Jim Kanomata (Applied GMC) or Jim Bounds (GMC Coop). With this booster my GMC brakes take less effort to stop than my Chevy Blazer does. This is not an off the shelf item. You will have to go to one of the Jims to get the sensitized booster.
The biggest thing people worry about when waking up a stored coach is tires. You have said you are already taking care of that situation.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123605 is a reply to message #123604] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 02:10 |
Craig Lechowicz
Messages: 541
Registered: October 2006
Location: Waterford, MI
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Depending on how long it has been sitting, and how long before that various items were replaced, I would look at the exposed sections of the fuel lines to get an idea of condition, and also the oil cooler lines which run from near the oil filter to the radiator. If there is fuel leaking when the tanks are filled, it will often stop if the tanks are not fully filled. But, neither gas or oil are thinks that are good to have leaking.
Craig Lechowicz
'77 Kingsley, Waterford, MI
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123610 is a reply to message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 07:06 |
C Boyd
Messages: 2629
Registered: April 2006
Karma: 18
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I haven't driven the GMC yet, but I'm having it inspected by a general RV service shop near its location. So far, they recommend replacing the tires (dry rot), but say the brakes and such check out OK ("you really have to put your leg into it, but that's normal when you don't have power assist" says the service manager). There is also a slow (2-3 day) leak in the airbags on one side.
Sir: all TZE GMC motorhomes have vacuum assist power brakes. It is obvious if you raise the outside hood and look. I would advise getting someone who is not blind to look at the coach. Maybe check the Black list for a local owner for a check out.
http://www.bdub.net/Black_List/GMCAssist.pdf
C. Boyd
76 Crestmont
East Tennessee
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] New owner - long drive home..! [message #123614 is a reply to message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 07:27 |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Andrew,
Welcome aboard. You've come to the right place for assistance, hopefully in
time to be of real help. We'll get around to inducting you into GMC
Dixielanders, GMC Eastern States, GMC Motorhomes International, etc., later.
:-)
Right now, you need to decide what to do to make the coach road worthy.
Tires: 16.5" tires are hard to come by; old steel rims are probably rusty,
perhaps warped, and definitely HEAVY. You'll eventually want to replace
them with 16" aluminum wheels. If the budget allows it, you should make
that improvement now, before buying tires. 225-75R16 LRE tires are
available 'most anywhere -- BFG Commercial TA's are especially popular.
Don't depend any more than absolutely necesarry on a general RV service
shop. I'd lay dollars to donuts they don't really know anything about the
GMC. While it's mostly "old Detroit iron", there are some peculiarities
which make it very easy for even competent mechanics to really screw things
up and cost you lots of unnecessary expense. Front wheel bearings,
especially should NOT be trusted to a general repair shop -- VERY few will
have the correct tools and knowledge to service them properly.
Similarly, the air suspension system will be a mystery. They may do nothing
hazardous, but they will very likely scramble things so badly you'll have
difficulty recovering. A slight leak is not likely to strand you anywhere,
even if periodic refilling is an annoyance. Probably, with proper
instruction, the on-board system will be able to compensate for it.
Your pick up location is close enough to Orlando that you should schedule an
appointment with Jim Bounds at the GMC Coop and take the coach directly
there. Plan to stay with (in) it for at least a couple of days while Jim
and his crew go through it (and educate you). Leave the family home --
you'll be too busy to go to Disney World with them anyway. That time and
expense will be the best investment you can possibly make at this stage.
You'll leave there understanding most of the peculiarities of the coach and
knowing what you really need to do to get it road-worth. Frankly? June is
an optimistic departure date unless the coach is in exceptional condition
and/or you have lots of time and expertise to devote to getting all the
kinks out -- they are there, whether you see them for a while or not.
Later, you will want to visit Zeb Frady in Atlanta (Buford, actually)
because he's closest to Savannah; but, for now, you need to go to the
closest GMC specialist -- JimB.
Come to see us when you're rolling; after 13 years, I've collected lots of
parts & even a little knowledge. :-)
JMHO,
Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
'76 X-Birchaven w/Cad500/Howell EFI+ & EBL
www.gmcwipersetc.com
On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 2:25 AM, Andrew <reynhout@quesera.com> wrote:
>
>
> Hello!
>
> I'm about to complete the purchase of my first GMC motorhome. It's a 1976,
> has been sitting for a couple years, and wasn't used much for a few years
> before that...
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123618 is a reply to message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 08:02 |
Andrew
Messages: 213
Registered: April 2011
Location: Connecticut
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Thank you all for your replies.
I was pretty sure the service guy was wrong about the power assist brakes, which is why I included his full comment. I suppose it's possible that I misunderstood him, but it is one of the reasons I worry about taking unfamiliar vehicles to general shops. I've had similar experiences with motorcycles and cars of the same era, but those have been easier and safer to get home and figure out on my own.
I'm hoping the general shop guys can get the coach to a point where driving it a few hundred miles is safe for the coach and the driver.
I will definitely take special note of the hoses and belts, and fuel and oil lines. I'm not sure if the service manager's comment about the brakes means that there's something wrong there, or if he's just trying to make sure I understand it doesn't stop like a modern passenger car.
So I'll have them do a standard grease/lube job for a GMC chassis (and checking the bushings, bearings, pins, etc in the process), check fluids, replace the tires of course.
I'll double check the belts, hoses, fuel and oil lines, plus as much of the buyer's guide and safety lists as I can. If things look safe, I'll head out for the 250 mile drive home.
Any concerns about the slow leak in the air bags? And are there any special tools I should bring for my inspection? I've been looking for an excuse to buy an infrared temperature sensor, so thanks for that recommendation. 
Thanks again guys, I feel a lot more comfortable in the presence of experts.
1973 Sequoia 260 (since 2011)
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123620 is a reply to message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 08:28 |
Andrew
Messages: 213
Registered: April 2011
Location: Connecticut
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Oops, missed a couple more posts..!
Ted, I'm in Savannah but the coach is in central FL.
Ken suggests a definitely-better-but-inconvenient idea to take it down to Orlando for expert evaluation.
I'd like to do that, but the logistics are tricky. It's just far enough to eat a whole day round trip for my wife to deliver me to central FL, at least twice (if I stay in the coach or a hotel for a few days while at GMC Coop...or three times if I don't). And we'd have to bring the kids for the car trips -- the school day isn't quite long enough.
But I would way rather be inconvenienced than break the coach or myself, so I'm very interested in having my logic sanity checked! The more I read, the more I wonder about how much I need to learn before I can safely and mostly-reliably make a go of it.
I was hoping late June was realistic..! I'd say the coach appears to be in OK condition, and as long as it's safe and capable of reliable forward movement, I can prioritize the comfort bits inside over time. Certainly some would need to be done before any trip though (I once towed a 25' Airstream cross country, and back, without functional appliances..basically a 5600 pound tent..won't do that again)
1973 Sequoia 260 (since 2011)
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123622 is a reply to message #123618] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 08:32 |
 |
Michael Leipold
Messages: 318
Registered: April 2011
Location: Greensboro NC
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I just bought a GMC in West Palm Beach and drove it to NC.
I said a few prayers and hit the road.
Made it home without a problem.
As for the leaking air bags, my power valves leaked, and the compressor was shot.
I inflated the bags manually and shut the valve at each air bag.
I am not sure if all coaches have this, but if yours does, it will eliminate the possibility of the leak actually being someplace else.
If you decide to upgrade to Alcoa wheels, I would love to buy a hubcap off you. My coach had brand new tires on it when I picked it up, if it had not, I would have already made a swap.
I do have to admit, I payed a mechanic that worked at the company who owned the coach $150 to change my oil and filter, change all my plugs, grease every fitting, replace the air filter, clean the carb and replace the carb fuel filter,and do the same to the generator. The fuel pump failed after I paid for the coach, but before I picked it up and they replaced it and the in-line fuel filter for free. Plus gave me a "Get-Towed-Anywhere-In-The-State-Of-Florida-For-Free" pass.
I can honestly say the seller was the best of any I have ever dealt with in the past.
One more thing, look into flying to Florida, that is what I did, it cost $150 one way, much better than having someone drive me down and follow me back. The seller was willing to pick me up at the airport, but I had a friend do it that lived nearby.
1973 GMC 26' Glacier - Unknown Mileage - Has a new switch pitch transmission with Powerdrive
[Updated on: Thu, 28 April 2011 08:36] Report message to a moderator |
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123625 is a reply to message #123620] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 08:44 |
Dennis S
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| andrew wrote on Thu, 28 April 2011 08:28 |
Oops, missed a couple more posts..!
Ted, I'm in Savannah but the coach is in central FL.
Ken suggests a definitely-better-but-inconvenient idea to take it down to Orlando for expert evaluation.
I'd like to do that, but the logistics are tricky. It's just far enough to eat a whole day round trip for my wife to deliver me to central FL, at least twice (if I stay in the coach or a hotel for a few days while at GMC Coop...or three times if I don't). And we'd have to bring the kids for the car trips -- the school day isn't quite long enough.
But I would way rather be inconvenienced than break the coach or myself, so I'm very interested in having my logic sanity checked! The more I read, the more I wonder about how much I need to learn before I can safely and mostly-reliably make a go of it.
I was hoping late June was realistic..! I'd say the coach appears to be in OK condition, and as long as it's safe and capable of reliable forward movement, I can prioritize the comfort bits inside over time. Certainly some would need to be done before any trip though (I once towed a 25' Airstream cross country, and back, without functional appliances..basically a 5600 pound tent..won't do that again)
|
Andrew,
If the coach is an hour from Jim Bounds, at the COOP, and you are already commited to the purchase, call Jim and ask if there is anyone local whom you could pay to run up and pick it up for you and take it to him for the work. Or, what is the tow bill to have it trailered to his shop? Those costs would offset you and the family making multiple car trips and staying in motels.
Then you fly down from Savannah and pick it up.
I would not buy new 16.5 inch tires for a coach.
Dennis
Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123677 is a reply to message #123625] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 16:01 |
Andrew
Messages: 213
Registered: April 2011
Location: Connecticut
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I checked into trailering the coach to GMC Coop, and it would cost about $700 for 60 miles ($350 + $6/mi).
Instead, I could get the tires and rims swapped out at the general service place and then drive it down to Orlando myself.
I'm not sure how likely 60 miles of restrained highway driving is to destroy any inspected-OK but possibly marginal parts in the drive/stop systems.
Should I also have them do a full lube/grease job? Will it need to be redone at the COOP anyway?
Thanks again for all of your advice. It's all kind of daunting but still exciting.
1973 Sequoia 260 (since 2011)
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123682 is a reply to message #123677] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 16:17 |
Dennis S
Messages: 3046
Registered: November 2005
Karma: 2
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| andrew wrote on Thu, 28 April 2011 16:01 |
I checked into trailering the coach to GMC Coop, and it would cost about $700 for 60 miles ($350 + $6/mi).
Instead, I could get the tires and rims swapped out at the general service place and then drive it down to Orlando myself.
I'm not sure how likely 60 miles of restrained highway driving is to destroy any inspected-OK but possibly marginal parts in the drive/stop systems.
Should I also have them do a full lube/grease job? Will it need to be redone at the COOP anyway?
Thanks again for all of your advice. It's all kind of daunting but still exciting.
|
Andrew, with what information we have on your new coach it is difficult to give you the best advice. If however, it has been driven some in recent years -- I assume it was driven to the local rv dealer without incident -- I might just have the oil and filter changed and the other fluids checked and then drive the 60 miles to the COOP. You or someone you trust needs to look at the tires and say they are ok -- I just wouldn't want to spend the money on new 16.5 tires. That size is not inexpensive and I would want to change to 16 inch asap in order to take advantage of the benefits of better wheels.
Do you have any pictures of the coach? What information did you rely on to buy it? Have you seen it first hand? (I know you have not driven it)
And I would still suggest a quick call to Jim Bounds. There are one or two GMC owners who frequent his shop to hang out and they might like to go and pick up the coach for you. Or they might like to meet you when you pick it up -- lots of comfort in having someone local accompany you,
Dennis
Dennis S
73 Painted Desert 230
Memphis TN Metro
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123687 is a reply to message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 16:41 |
Larry
Messages: 2875
Registered: January 2004
Location: Menomonie, WI
Karma: 10
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Don't fret so much about this over a 5 hr trip. Fire it up and test drive it. If the brakes seem to work to your satisfaction, the engine runs smooth, all of the fluids are at normal levels, no major leaks, and hoses and belts are OK...then air the tires to 65lbs and drive it at 55-60mph, on the interstate, to your home. Constant speed conservative interstate driving is the easiest driving you can do for a coach. No stop and go, no steep hills stressing things, minimal turning corners stressing old tires...just a boring ride. If nothing happends in the first 60 miles (distance to Jim B's) chances are it will last till you get home. (250 miles). Then get a knowledgeable GMC'r to help you assess it's real needs, and do it at your leisure.
Just My Humble Opinion.... that's all.....
Larry
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123688 is a reply to message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 16:45 |
pbrownsd
Messages: 56
Registered: December 2010
Location: Hayden,ID
Karma: 0
|
Member |
|
|
I bought my GMC in January with the prospect of a 400 mile trip home. It also had 16.5 inch tires that I wanted to replace before heading out. I found that this size tire is nearly impossible to find anymore. Only one shop would be able to supply them but on special order which was much more expensive than the widely available 16" tires.
I would call around to see is you can even locate any 16.5" tires near where the GMC is parked. You may not have much choice than to replace with 16" right away. Just means more cash outlay at the beginning, but probably an upgrade you will do anyway.
Thanks to this forum, I was able to find a local GMC'er who had 16in steel wheels that he was willing to sell. I am now slowly replacing with Eagle wheels.
1976 Glenbrook
Hayden, ID
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123692 is a reply to message #123682] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 17:33 |
Andrew
Messages: 213
Registered: April 2011
Location: Connecticut
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| Dennis S wrote on Thu, 28 April 2011 16:17 |
Andrew, with what information we have on your new coach it is difficult to give you the best advice. If however, it has been driven some in recent years -- I assume it was driven to the local rv dealer without incident -- I might just have the oil and filter changed and the other fluids checked and then drive the 60 miles to the COOP. You or someone you trust needs to look at the tires and say they are ok -- I just wouldn't want to spend the money on new 16.5 tires. That size is not inexpensive and I would want to change to 16 inch asap in order to take advantage of the benefits of better wheels.
Do you have any pictures of the coach? What information did you rely on to buy it? Have you seen it first hand? (I know you have not driven it)
And I would still suggest a quick call to Jim Bounds. There are one or two GMC owners who frequent his shop to hang out and they might like to go and pick up the coach for you. Or they might like to meet you when you pick it up -- lots of comfort in having someone local accompany you,
Dennis
|
I know I've veered well off into the "not enough information" questions now, sorry. I appreciate your patience.
I did speak to Jim Bounds earlier today, and we talked about the trailering vs driving ideas. Trailering is safe but an expensive option if the tires are passable or if the local shop can replace the tires and rims with equivalent skill and time/cost as Jim.
I have not seen the coach yet, except for a couple dozen very high res photos, which show no surprises. I do trust the seller is being entirely forthcoming, to the limit of his knowledge. He drove it 1500 miles or so to Florida a couple years ago, but hasn't used it at all since then and doesn't have much specific experience with it.
If I get the wheels done before driving to Orlando, it would be new 16" rims and tires. I am not expert in assessing tire quality. The existing ones are low mileage but more than 5yrs old, and I don't know what 60 more miles will do. I could follow the general RV service guy's lead on these. He won't be entirely impartial, but probably doesn't have the rims in stock, either. The risk is mine, at the end of the day.
Mostly what I don't want to do is have the general RV service guy do a bunch of "probably good idea" work that Jim will have to re-do later.
Also, since home is half a day away, I'd prefer to consolidate the waiting and/or driving as much as possible. The first trip will be for the first-hand inspection and purchase, the second or extension of the first would be to get it to Jim, and the last would be to drive it home. Flying in to Orlando for the final leg makes sense.
So the only question I'm left with, which I know no one can answer with certainty, is whether a coach that ran 1500 miles a couple years ago and sat since then would probably be OK limping the 60 miles to Jim's shop, assuming the tires are passable or replaced. I'll have to make a best guess on that when I get down there.
Getting an expert (or at least seasoned, or even just a second!) opinion on any step of the process would be amazing. The GMC community has a reputation of outsized helpfulness, which I hope to be able to contribute to in the future -- but I'm starting out with a zero balance here, and I know that. Thank you again!
1973 Sequoia 260 (since 2011)
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123694 is a reply to message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 18:07 |
Craig Lechowicz
Messages: 541
Registered: October 2006
Location: Waterford, MI
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Well, mine had sat about 3 or 4 years (other than being shuttled to the lot where it was sold from) with what I didn't know at the time were probably 10+ year old tires on it. Fuel lines that leaked as soon as I went up to the corner gas station and got it about 1/2 full of gas. (That's more than I needed to get it the also 60 miles or so home, so I stopped filling). It also had a barely functioning air suspension compressor, and a bad alternator. Still drove surprisingly well for a nervous 1 -1/2 hours of mostly 50 mph expressway driving. The battery was dead by the time I got back, but other than that, no worse for wear. I did lots of work before driving it again, and one of the tires blew out while it was laying in the corner of my garage the next summer. But, 5 years is a lot better than 10+. And, Jim Bounds is famous for going long distances to just hop in and drive a long standing coach back to his shop. Not saying you should do it, but 60 miles isn't all that far (and it isn't as cold in FL as it was over Thanksgiving in MI,) I did it once, and probably would again, even though I know a lot more about what can go wrong now, than I did then.
Good Luck,
Craig Lechowicz
'77 Kingsley, Waterford, MI
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123698 is a reply to message #123601] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 18:48 |
Owen
Messages: 44
Registered: January 2008
Location: KS
Karma: 0
|
Member |
|
|
60 miles doesn't seem very far. Bring a cell phone and a Visa card. If you don't make it all the way to Bounds Resort, call for a tow.
Owen in KS
1969 UltraVan #500
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: New owner - long drive home..! [message #123700 is a reply to message #123692] |
Thu, 28 April 2011 18:57 |
roy1
Messages: 2126
Registered: July 2004
Location: Minden nevada
Karma: 6
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I'm a gambling kind of guy. Assuming you are pretty good at maintaining older cars and light trucks and knowing the coach made a 1500 mile trip a couple of years ago with no problems. I would air up the tires if they look OK check the oil and hoses start the engine make sure it had oil pressure and didn't overheat . See if it stopped OK then head for Jim's shop .Keep the speed down a bit in case the tires have a problem. They would be less apt to be a problem at 40 mph rather then 65. Since you bought towing insurance before you left (right) you will get towed to Jim's shop if you don't make it by your tow service . You should make it OK but if you only make 30 miles the tow is 30 miles. Just be very observant if you blow an oil or water hose.
Roy
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
Current Time: Mon Nov 18 15:38:29 CST 2024
Total time taken to generate the page: 0.05545 seconds
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
