GMCforum
For enthusiast of the Classic GMC Motorhome built from 1973 to 1978. A web-based mirror of the GMCnet mailing list.
Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Belated Trip Report (I need either a new MH or a new wife!)
Belated Trip Report [message #261529] Wed, 10 September 2014 19:05 Go to previous message
Neil is currently offline  Neil   United States
Messages: 271
Registered: July 2007
Location: Los Angeles and Magalia, ...
Karma:
Senior Member
Belated trip report

I drove LA to Sturgis towing a small trailer with 2 Harleys. For the trip I had the stock front end completely redone with the exception of the steering column. Added MSD atomic fuel injection. I do the trip in 3 days. LA to Provo, Provo to Casper and Casper to Sturgis.

Day one: Leave LA at 4:30 am with sort of full tanks. Run out of gas while aux is showing ½ tank 20 miles west of Baker. Conclude fuel selector valve isn't working. Put in 5 gallons from jug in trailer and continue on. From here out stopped for gas every 150 miles to be safe. Hate the way the coach handles. Before it had 2-3 inches of play but drove predictably. Now it handles evil and steering wheel isn't straight. Arrive at Provo KOA.

Day two: Leave Provo KOA. Go up highway 189. This is Sunday am. Passing through Sundance (I think) about 8:20am notice only showing 9-10 volts on voltage gauge. Pull over. Check center isolator. Alternator not putting out power. Was a recent O'Riley rebuild. Iphone search shows there is an Autozone one block away that opened 5 minutes ago. Drove there, they had a new 100 amp alternator, replaced that plus adjusted the drag ling so steering wheel straight in their parking lot. Now making electricity, steering improved. Major improvement climbing continental divide with MSD injection even compared to prior Patterson carburetor. Made it to Casper without incident. Still not overjoyed about handling though.

Day three: Drive Casper to Sturgis. No incidents.

Day four. Took bike to Rapid City airport and picked up wife who didn't want to drive out in GMC.

A week later

Left Sturgis for Bozeman. Incident free drive. Coach runs real strong with MSD and 3.70 final drive.

Next day (Thursday): leave Bozeman for west entrance to Yellowstone. The plan was to get there early, unload bike, ride half of the park then pack up and continue to Pocatello. Didn't make it. Driving the canyon to Yellowstone in the am, pulled into a turn out to let cars pass, a big BANG and dead stop. Left axle bolts unscrewed themselves from final drive flange. Thrashed around. Took out trans dipstick tube and shift linkage. Wedged itself and locked left from wheel. All this at 2 mph. (Imagine if going fast...) No cell phone reception. Unloaded motorcycle. Rode back 10 miles to Big Sky Montana. Found garage, they couldn't tow and wouldn't try to fix, but they recommended Mr. T's Towing in Bozeman. (now I do too!) They came out with 2 tow trucks, one for coach, one for trailer, on the way back called Jim K, ordered replacement parts to be federal expressed to Mr. T's. We spend the night in a hotel, go out to eat. Drink to forget.

Friday at 1 the parts arrive, the guys at Mr. T's stay till 7 pm, fix everything. All campgrounds in Bozeman sold out, stay for the first time at Walmart, not bad.

Saturday Leave Bozeman, drive to Pocatello, easy and only a half day drive. My wife who does not trust the GMC, self medicates so as not to freak out during drive ("This thing will kill me")

Sunday leave Pocatello, drive to Las Vegas, stay at KOA with hook ups Go out to really nice dinner. Had stop and go traffic north of Las Vegas for a half hour or more at 100 plus temps, no overheating, no vapor lock at all.

Monday drive Las Vegas to LA, no problems.

Got to work a day later than planned on Tuesday.

The next weekend, did the whole align the steering box routine as published here. Now coach handles dramatically better.

Notwithstanding, the wife announces she will NEVER take another trip in the coach. (To be fair, this was not the first "adventure") So This Christmas I'll be driving the GMC and dog to Santa Cruz while she drives up by herself.

And so it goes.


Neil
76 Eleganza now sold
Los Angeles

Report message to a moderator

[Message index]
 
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Read Message
Previous Topic: Fridge Cooling Issue, Early 90's Norcold 663BK
Next Topic: Now anyone driving by will know what this is.
Goto Forum:
  


Current Time: Thu Jan 16 01:58:28 CST 2025

Total time taken to generate the page: 0.02066 seconds
.:: Contact :: Home ::.

Powered by: FUDforum 3.1.1.
Copyright ©2001-2021 FUDforum Bulletin Board Software