| Re: [GMCnet] Good luck or Bad Luck??? (long) [message #92682] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 12:16  |
Bruce
Messages: 18
Registered: February 2004
Karma: 0
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Junior Member |
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Well... for the past few months I have been chasing a "Rumble" in my coach.
It sounds like the tire rumble when you get on a rougher surface ... like
when it changes from concrete to asphalt. I only hear it when I am sitting
straight up in the driver's seat ... I can tilt my head left or right or
forward or backward and it goes away. Don't hear it at all from the Passenger
seat at all.
I replaced the front bearings ... nothing. Replaced the RH front
driveshaft intermediate bearing and it got much better. Pretty much forgot about
it. Came back slowly so I replaced the entire CV joint / driveshaft assembly
with one from Jim K. Still a slight rumble but not bad. I for got to
mention this happens around 55 mph so I drive 65 and it gets quieter. Posted
here and got a recommendation to check the rear wheel bearings... which I did
... by jacking up and giving them the old "Wobble" test.
We headed North last weekend ... on my birthday ... to compete in a Dog
Agility Show at Quail Lodge in Monterey ... beautiful place. After climbing
the Questa Grade and descending the back side I find I have no brakes and the
Light is on. A couple of pumps gets me enough to stop in a short while
later. I get out and walk around the coach looking for brake fluid or anything
else wrong and notice I am missing all eight Alcoa lug covers from the
middle passenger side wheel. I head inside to use the Men's room telling my
wife the covers are gone. She is leashing up the dogs for a potty break as
well when "BAMMMM" and the coach tilts to the right. She yells "We are on
fire...Get out here!" while I am finishing up in the restroom.
I go out to find the RH middle tire completely blown out and the wheel
hotter than you can believe! What appears to be Fire is brake fluid vaporizing
on the backside of the wheel making all kinds of smoke. Well... problem
found... the wheel bearing is toast. We cool things down and put the spare on
to limp down the road a couple hundred yards to a Tire store I had seen
before. Kept the air out of that bag... I have 4-bag... and made it easy. A
quick call to Jim K's shop for some part number's and we were on the way to
recovery. Inner bearing cone was GONE but spindle was fine. Wheel cylinder
had blown out from the heat as well as the brake springs all lost their
temper and were soft. The tire blew from the excessive pressure built up from
the heat of the brake shoes rubbing on the drum. Guess the lug nut covers
melted off...
The tire store had the bearings and seal in stock as well as some springs
that would work. We got a brake cylinder from Paso Robles just a few miles
away and within a couple of hours we were back on the road.
My wife says jokingly "Happy Birthday" and I think... it really was... We
could have been going down the steep part of the grade or stuck out in the
boondocks somewhere and nobody got hurt.. and I finally figured out what the
rumble was. We both noticed how much quieter the coach is so it has been
coming on for a long time.
Went on to win 3 events at the Agility Show!
Thanks again to the guy's at Jim K's shop for helping out...
Bruce in Sb
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| Re: [GMCnet] Good luck or Bad Luck??? (long) [message #92691 is a reply to message #92682] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 12:50  |
g.winger
Messages: 792
Registered: February 2008
Location: Warrenton,Missouri
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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WOW,I too am speachless!!! Glad it turned out as good as it did. I'd write more, but i got to go check some bearings,,,,,,PL
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| Re: [GMCnet] Good luck or Bad Luck??? (long) [message #92694 is a reply to message #92691] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 13:10 |
Neil
Messages: 271
Registered: July 2007
Location: Los Angeles and Magalia, ...
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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We had a very similar incident on the return from a trip to Sturgis. Less than 10 miles from home, right by JPL (near Pasadena) the high temp alert went off on the "front" right rear wheel (we have a SmarTire System.)
I went to use the "mens room" and asked my wife to take a peek outside. She came running back screaming "its on fire", there was a small flame, the brake fluid was indeed on fire. After finding that 2 (!) fire extinguishers were inoperative, found one that worked, put the fire out. It was the wheel bearing. Didn't damage the air bag. Was able to save the tire, used it for many thousands more miles.
Neil
76 Eleganza now sold
Los Angeles
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| Re: [GMCnet] Good luck or Bad Luck??? (long) [message #92697 is a reply to message #92682] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 13:16 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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""The tire store had the bearings and seal in stock as well as some springs
that would work. We got a brake cylinder from Paso Robles just a few miles
away and within a couple of hours we were back on the road.""
Bruce--I can't believe you got back on the road so quickly. That really was agreat outcome considering what happened. I guess that will motivate me to pull my rear wheels--they are overdue!
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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| Re: [GMCnet] Good luck or Bad Luck??? (long) [message #92713 is a reply to message #92697] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 14:48 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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That's one of the reasons I replaced all four sets of rear bearings last summer. The PO had said they had been "checked". I didn't know if that meant the rear wheels had been jacked up and spun or 'wobbled' or what. I noticed them being a little hotter than I thought they should be after a 90 mile trip, and pulled the hubs the next weekend. All four sets showed some 'bluing' from heat and all were a little rough. A call to Jim K. and all is well. I like having that little extra peace of mind that comes from preventive maintenance.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] Good luck or Bad Luck??? (long) [message #92714 is a reply to message #92682] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 15:00 |
Oldngray
Messages: 544
Registered: August 2009
Location: Punta Gorda Florida
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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The temps of five of my wheels run right at 110 and the sixth 114 degrees after 4 hours at 55-60 mph.
What should the temps be?
Richard MacDonald
Punta Gorda, Florida
Sold our TZE April 2015
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| Re: [GMCnet] Good luck or Bad Luck??? (long) [message #92716 is a reply to message #92682] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 15:09 |
George Beckman
Messages: 1085
Registered: October 2008
Location: Colfax, CA
Karma: 11
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Senior Member |
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| Bruce wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 10:16 |
Well... for the past few months I have been chasing a "Rumble" in my coach.
It sounds like the tire rumble when you get on a rougher surface ... like
when it changes from concrete to asphalt. I only hear it when I am sitting
straight up in the driver's seat ... I can tilt my head left or right or
forward or backward and it goes away. Don't hear it at all from the Passenger
seat at all.
A quick call to Jim K's shop for some part number's and we were on the way to recovery. Inner bearing cone was GONE but spindle was fine. Wheel cylinder had blown out from the heat as well as the brake springs all lost their temper and were soft. The tire blew from the excessive pressure built up from the heat of the brake shoes rubbing on the drum. Guess the lug nut covers melted off...
Bruce in Sb
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My friend, Randy Van Winkle taught me to use one of the little laser temperature gauges on the drums and tires when getting gas. I did for a few times, and because our coach is such a "cruiser" I have gotten lax. I am thinking this was the lesson I needed and that I will be checking for heat on all six... we are leaving for Oregon tomorrow.
Glad it happened when you were not driving.
'74 Eleganza, SE, Howell + EBL
Best Wishes,
George
[Updated on: Tue, 20 July 2010 15:12] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: [GMCnet] Good luck or Bad Luck??? (long) [message #92736 is a reply to message #92723] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 19:02 |
Larry
Messages: 2875
Registered: January 2004
Location: Menomonie, WI
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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| Surbo wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 17:21 |
| Bruce wrote on Tue, 20 July 2010 12:16 |
Well... for the past few months I have been chasing a "Rumble" in my coach.
It sounds like the tire rumble when you get on a rougher surface ... like
when it changes from concrete to asphalt. I only hear it when I am sitting
straight up in the driver's seat ... I can tilt my head left or right or
forward or backward and it goes away. Don't hear it at all from the Passenger
seat at all.
I replaced the front bearings ... nothing. Replaced the RH front
driveshaft intermediate bearing and it got much better. Pretty much forgot about
it. Came back slowly so I replaced the entire CV joint / driveshaft assembly
with one from Jim K. Still a slight rumble but not bad. I for got to
mention this happens around 55 mph so I drive 65 and it gets quieter. Posted
here and got a recommendation to check the rear wheel bearings... which I did
... by jacking up and giving them the old "Wobble" test.
The tire store had the bearings and seal in stock as well as some springs
that would work. We got a brake cylinder from Paso Robles just a few miles
away and within a couple of hours we were back on the road.
Thanks again to the guy's at Jim K's shop for helping out...
Bruce in Sb
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Bruce;
I hope the tire store had the correct grease seal for the rear hub. We have run into some incorrect seals, the steel outer ring of the seal has the wrong dimensions and when installed, will contact the bearing rollers and the rollers will grind on the steel outer shell and you will have boo-coo filings in the rollers and grease. Dave Lenzi and I both encountered this problem, and found it before we installed the hubs back onto the spindle. The seals will have the same number, but the shell dimension is not correct. Also check the seal surface and see if it contacts the sealing surface of the spindle. Some seals do not.
There is almost the same identical problem with the seals for the front wheel bearings. Same seal number, but different seal dimensions. The wrong seals will have a rolled edge on the seal body and they will also contact the bearing and filings from the seal shell will contaminate the bearing & grease. The bearing will self-destruct, in a short time.
Bob Drewes in SESD
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I had the same observation with my front wheel bearings. Noticed it when I took them apart to check and regrease. Left side came apart clean and white (Amsoil grease). Right side grease was darker in color. Checked the seals to find that the seal was contacting the bearing cage. A little metal in the grease made it turn color.
FYI, here are pics of what the seal should look like (front)
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=5446
Larry 
78 Royale w/500 Caddy
Menomonie, WI.
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| Re: [GMCnet] Good luck or Bad Luck??? (long) [message #92753 is a reply to message #92682] |
Tue, 20 July 2010 21:37 |
fred v
Messages: 999
Registered: April 2006
Location: pensacola, fl.
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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i caught one at a rally when i adjusted the rear brakes. it was caused by over tightening the spindle nut. i watched the GMC mechanic tighten it and now know how to do it correctly.
Fred V
'77 Royale RB 455
P'cola, Fl
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