Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Wood Spacer block assembly for towing
| Wood Spacer block assembly for towing [message #306161] |
Tue, 30 August 2016 14:19  |
pzerkel
Messages: 212
Registered: September 2007
Location: Salisbury, IL
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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OK, So I know that it is 2016 and I could just find someone with a flatbed or a wheel lift that can reach far enough back and still lift a 4500 front axle. But has anyone here built the "wood spacer block assembly" shown on page 0-5 of X-7525?
A few weeks ago I had a close call, and was concerned I may have needed a tow (I ultimately did not, as we were able to start the coach).
Anyway, the whole experience led to a very interesting discussion with the tow truck driver at a local shop. This shop mainly caters to the rural farming community here and often works on medium duty farm trucks, They do have a 4-post lift that is capable of lifting the GMC. I have had them replace the exhaust on my coach in the past.
They own/operate one tow truck, a medium duty. While it does have a wheel lift, the wheel lift has a max capacity of 4000 lbs (and probably not enough reach to get to the front axle of the motorhome.) This tow truck also has an old-fashioned "sling lift" (much like the one shown on page 0-5 of X-7525.) The driver told me that they use this truck with the sling lift when towing 2-ton grain trucks. He also told me what the total weight that that truck could tow, while I do not remember the exact number, I know it was well in excess of the 12,000 lbs of a GMC motorhome.
So the tow driver had a chance to peek under my motorhome. He opined that as things were he would not have been able to tow the coach. But I had access to the towing pages of the manual which he was very willing to look at (at this point I think he was just intrigued by the GMC).
So all that to get to this, he strongly encouraged me to build this "wood spacer block assembly". He was confident that if we had that available, he could of safely towed the coach with their truck.
The manual is a little vague on some aspects of construction of the assembly. It says the assembly "should be bolted together with 3 thru-bolts", but does not specify sizes for these bolts; I am guessing they need to be about 9" long, Is 1/2" good enough? Is grade 5 good enough? Hex or are carriage bolts ok?
Also, when it comes to the short 10" pieces near the ends, I also have some questions. The photo shows that the "groove" these pieces fit into is 1 1/2" deep, but it does not show how far from each outside end the 10" 4x4 needs to be.
This is something that I really hope never to have to use, but all things considered I think it would be a good thing for me to have, just in case. So if anyone else has built one I would like to hear from you.
Thanks,
Paul Zerkel
'78 Eleganza II
Salisbury IL (near Springfield)
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing [message #306162 is a reply to message #306161] |
Tue, 30 August 2016 14:29  |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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Paul, might be easier to find the correct tow truck, than to fabricate a
shin buster that will lay around your shop for an indefinite amount of
time. I have never seen one, except in the manual, but I have seen the
correct tow truck hook up a GMC, and that is almost a non event. An
efficient tow truck operator can be hooked up and gone in 15 minutes or
less.
Jim Hupy
On Aug 30, 2016 12:20 PM, "Paul Zerkel" wrote:
> OK, So I know that it is 2016 and I could just find someone with a flatbed
> or a wheel lift that can reach far enough back and still lift a 4500 front
> axle. But has anyone here built the "wood spacer block assembly" shown on
> page 0-5 of X-7525?
>
> A few weeks ago I had a close call, and was concerned I may have needed a
> tow (I ultimately did not, as we were able to start the coach).
>
> Anyway, the whole experience led to a very interesting discussion with the
> tow truck driver at a local shop. This shop mainly caters to the rural
> farming community here and often works on medium duty farm trucks, They do
> have a 4-post lift that is capable of lifting the GMC. I have had them
> replace the exhaust on my coach in the past.
>
> They own/operate one tow truck, a medium duty. While it does have a wheel
> lift, the wheel lift has a max capacity of 4000 lbs (and probably not enough
> reach to get to the front axle of the motorhome.) This tow truck also has
> an old-fashioned "sling lift" (much like the one shown on page 0-5 of
> X-7525.) The driver told me that they use this truck with the sling lift
> when towing 2-ton grain trucks. He also told me what the total weight that
> that truck could tow, while I do not remember the exact number, I know it
> was well in excess of the 12,000 lbs of a GMC motorhome.
>
> So the tow driver had a chance to peek under my motorhome. He opined that
> as things were he would not have been able to tow the coach. But I had
> access to the towing pages of the manual which he was very willing to look
> at (at this point I think he was just intrigued by the GMC).
>
> So all that to get to this, he strongly encouraged me to build this "wood
> spacer block assembly". He was confident that if we had that available, he
> could of safely towed the coach with their truck.
>
> The manual is a little vague on some aspects of construction of the
> assembly. It says the assembly "should be bolted together with 3
> thru-bolts", but
> does not specify sizes for these bolts; I am guessing they need to be
> about 9" long, Is 1/2" good enough? Is grade 5 good enough? Hex or are
> carriage
> bolts ok?
>
> Also, when it comes to the short 10" pieces near the ends, I also have
> some questions. The photo shows that the "groove" these pieces fit into is 1
> 1/2" deep, but it does not show how far from each outside end the 10" 4x4
> needs to be.
>
> This is something that I really hope never to have to use, but all things
> considered I think it would be a good thing for me to have, just in case. So
> if anyone else has built one I would like to hear from you.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> --
> Paul Zerkel
> '78 Eleganza II
> Salisbury IL (near Springfield)
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing [message #306169 is a reply to message #306163] |
Tue, 30 August 2016 19:19 |
jimk
Messages: 6734
Registered: July 2006
Location: Belmont, CA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Most tow trucks are designed to lift our coaches from the front wheels and
tow.
What your seeing is from 40 years ago.
When you call a tow truck, tell them you have a 26 ft, 11,000 lbs, front
wheel drive motorhome and want it towed by the front tires.
On Tue, Aug 30, 2016 at 12:55 PM, Paul Zerkel wrote:
>>> might be easier to find the correct tow truck Yeah, Point taken.
> --
> Paul Zerkel
> '78 Eleganza II
> Salisbury IL (near Springfield)
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing [message #306172 is a reply to message #306169] |
Tue, 30 August 2016 19:38 |
k2gkk
Messages: 4452
Registered: November 2009
Karma: -8
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Senior Member |
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And don't forget to raise the rear all the way up before the wrecker driver starts lifting the front end enough to tow the coach safely!
Mac Macdonald in OKC
"The Money Pit"
'76 ex P.B.
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 30, 2016, at 19:20, Jim Kanomata wrote:
Most tow trucks are designed to lift our coaches from the front wheels and
tow.
What your seeing is from 40 years ago.
When you call a tow truck, tell them you have a 26 ft, 11,000 lbs, front
wheel drive motorhome and want it towed by the front tires.
On Tue, Aug 30, 2016 at 12:55 PM, Paul Zerkel wrote:
>>> might be easier to find the correct tow truck Yeah, Point taken.
> --
> Paul Zerkel
> '78 Eleganza II
> Salisbury IL (near Springfield)
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
jimk@appliedairfilters.com
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing [message #306224 is a reply to message #306211] |
Wed, 31 August 2016 14:03 |
Kosier
Messages: 834
Registered: February 2008
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Matt,
Back in the summer of '86 we scattered a CV joint down the interstate down
in South Carolina. We called for Mr. Hook and a truck to
bring our car trailer, along with a four foot 4by4. It was only a one ton
wrecker, so we had to take off the front bumper for clearance.
He scared us to death when he headed up the freeway at 65 MPH. But he made
26 miles that way.
I have raised both of our '77 coaches on that bumper jack with no ill
effects. True confession. I have even worked underneath the
front fender with it supported on that jack. In the middle of the night
holding a flashlight in my teeth! Desperate people have
desperate ways. But I did get home under my own power.
Now, the later coaches have a horizontal piece in the bottom of the front
bumper supports. I seem to recall that they were not on
the early coaches. If your 73 needs them, I do have extras, since I changed
to '78 mounting brackets.
Gary Kosier
77PB w/500Cad
Newark, Ohio
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Matt Colie"
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 11:42 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing
> I (for one) would be interested to know if anybody has tried this and done
> it successfully. I very much doubt it will lift the front without damage
> to the front bumper. I have tried the book's method to jack the front,
> but stopped at the bumper and parts were starting to deform toward
> yielding.
>
>
> While I happen to love the way the OE jack can lift at the bogie casting,
> the only way I have been able to use that jack at the front was to set the
> hook in a hole in the wheel and lift that way. The also required disposal
> dunnage (plywood)to separate the jack from the wheel. I would only do
> this
> with the sort of plate that is secured by the lugs now that I finally have
> six non-ugly wheels and I wouldn't even start with alloy wheels.
>
> Matt
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
> '73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control Arms
> Now with both true Keyless and remote entry
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing [message #306248 is a reply to message #306224] |
Wed, 31 August 2016 19:49 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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Gary,
That is real interesting. We need to compare front ends at Mansfield. Maybe I do want more metal there.
Kosier wrote on Wed, 31 August 2016 15:03Matt,
Back in the summer of '86 we scattered a CV joint down the interstate down in South Carolina. We called for Mr. Hook and a truck to bring our car trailer, along with a four foot 4by4. It was only a one ton wrecker, so we had to take off the front bumper for clearance.
He scared us to death when he headed up the freeway at 65 MPH. But he made 26 miles that way.
I have raised both of our '77 coaches on that bumper jack with no ill effects. True confession. I have even worked underneath the front fender with it supported on that jack. In the middle of the night holding a flashlight in my teeth! Desperate people have desperate ways. But I did get home under my own power.
Now, the later coaches have a horizontal piece in the bottom of the front bumper supports. I seem to recall that they were not on the early coaches. If your 73 needs them, I do have extras, since I changed to '78 mounting brackets.
Gary Kosier
77PB w/500Cad
Newark, Ohio
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Matt Colie"
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 11:42 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing
> I (for one) would be interested to know if anybody has tried this and done
> it successfully. I very much doubt it will lift the front without damage
> to the front bumper. I have tried the book's method to jack the front,
> but stopped at the bumper and parts were starting to deform toward
> yielding.
>
>
> While I happen to love the way the OE jack can lift at the bogie casting,
> the only way I have been able to use that jack at the front was to set the
> hook in a hole in the wheel and lift that way. The also required disposal
> dunnage (plywood)to separate the jack from the wheel. I would only do
> this
> with the sort of plate that is secured by the lugs now that I finally have
> six non-ugly wheels and I wouldn't even start with alloy wheels.
>
> Matt
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
> '73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control Arms
> Now with both true Keyless and remote entry
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
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| Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing [message #306307 is a reply to message #306248] |
Thu, 01 September 2016 11:33 |
Kosier
Messages: 834
Registered: February 2008
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Matt,
My coach won't help, since I bought Peter Huber's '78 bumper brackets. I
needed to replace the bumper
shocks as I needed their space for a set of frame jacks. In the parts book,
in Group 11.006, check item 9.
That's the piece I'm referring to. I THINK I remember an early Service
Bulletin saying they weren't on
some of the early coaches.
Gary Kosier
77PB w/500Cad
Newark, Ohio
--------------------------------------------------
From: "Matt Colie"
Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 8:49 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing
> Gary,
>
> That is real interesting. We need to compare front ends at Mansfield.
> Maybe I do want more metal there.
>
> Kosier wrote on Wed, 31 August 2016 15:03
>> Matt,
>>
>> Back in the summer of '86 we scattered a CV joint down the interstate
>> down in South Carolina. We called for Mr. Hook and a truck to bring our
>> car
>> trailer, along with a four foot 4by4. It was only a one ton wrecker, so
>> we had to take off the front bumper for clearance.
>> He scared us to death when he headed up the freeway at 65 MPH. But he
>> made 26 miles that way.
>> I have raised both of our '77 coaches on that bumper jack with no ill
>> effects. True confession. I have even worked underneath the front
>> fender
>> with it supported on that jack. In the middle of the night holding a
>> flashlight in my teeth! Desperate people have desperate ways. But I did
>> get
>> home under my own power.
>> Now, the later coaches have a horizontal piece in the bottom of the front
>> bumper supports. I seem to recall that they were not on the early
>> coaches. If your 73 needs them, I do have extras, since I changed to '78
>> mounting brackets.
>>
>> Gary Kosier
>> 77PB w/500Cad
>> Newark, Ohio
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Matt Colie"
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2016 11:42 AM
>> To:
>> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Wood Spacer block assembly for towing
>>
>>> I (for one) would be interested to know if anybody has tried this and
>>> done
>>> it successfully. I very much doubt it will lift the front without
>>> damage
>>> to the front bumper. I have tried the book's method to jack the
>>> front,
>>> but stopped at the bumper and parts were starting to deform toward
>>> yielding.
>>>
>>>
>>> While I happen to love the way the OE jack can lift at the bogie
>>> casting,
>>> the only way I have been able to use that jack at the front was to set
>>> the
>>> hook in a hole in the wheel and lift that way. The also required
>>> disposal
>>> dunnage (plywood)to separate the jack from the wheel. I would only do
>>> this
>>> with the sort of plate that is secured by the lugs now that I finally
>>> have
>>> six non-ugly wheels and I wouldn't even start with alloy wheels.
>>>
>>> Matt
>>> --
>>> Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
>>> '73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control
>>> Arms
>>> Now with both true Keyless and remote entry
>>> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
>
>
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
> '73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control Arms
> Now with both true Keyless and remote entry
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
_______________________________________________
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Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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