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Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder [message #110583 is a reply to message #110581]

Sun, 02 January 2011 16:23

Byron Songer

Messages: 1912
Registered: August 2007
Location: Louisville, KY

Karma:

Senior Member

Michael,

Thanks for the encouraging report. I say encouraging because you made it
back home in one piece and didn't sell it along the way.

If you're rear end is bad I'd suggest a proctologist look at it. After he
gets through consider the following possibilities.

First, the tires could be terribly out of round or unbalanced or both. When
the tandems get to running over 55 or so, the tires can begin to fight each
other if they're not within some small tolerance of true. You will
experience a bouncing effect that is rather rapid. Chattering teeth comes to
mind. This is caused because while one has the high spot of the tire
touching the road the other tire may be hitting the road at the low spot.
The faster you go the more you exaggerate the problem until you hit the
speed of sound. At that point it goes away. By the way, trued tires will
produce better mileage and wear plus a more pleasurable ride.

Second, are the bushings, spindles, etc. all tight and OK back there?
Weebles wobble but don't fall down. Still, however, they wobble and that can
drive you crazy. You could have one tire bouncing freely as it tries to
figure out what it's supposed to be doing.

Third, if the bogies are out of alignment (one doesn't track with the other
and they both go straight) then you're at the mercy of the ruts interacting
with the tread interacting with the subtle direction of travel bothered just
a tad by the wind and other environmental issues.

Some trucks bother me, especially if they're driving in excess of 70 mph and
have a big air deflector on the cab roof just before the trailer. If they
get within a couple of feet then, of course, a vacuum gets created that will
make you go back and forth as the truck pulls next to you and then moves on.
It sounds like you may drive closer to the center line than others of us.
That makes you susceptible to the vacuum issue.

At any rate, a 23 footer shouldn't be whipping around like you seem to
imply.

Do as Chuck suggested. Get a good, straight stick about five feet long. Put
it about eight inches of the ground so that the front and rear of the stick
are touching from the front side of the tire on the middle axle to the back
side of the tire on the rear axle. If there are four points (two per tire)
that touch the stick then, in general, things are aligned. The next question
would by in which direction do they tend to point. Hopefully, they point the
same direction and parallel to the sides of the coach.

My father-in-law had a wagon that could dance around on the rear end if he
got going at a certain speed and the load on the wagon was just right. Both
wheels on the rear pointed in different directions. If the wagon was fully
loaded then the tires scraped along on the gravel roads. Not much load and a
person or two on one side make the rear end move about. Thank goodness it
was a farm wagon and rear end alignment didn't really matter. Tractors tend
not to go over 35 out in the field.

If someone with a nice-handling GMC drove yours you might get a good
opinion.

I do believe you're on the right path when it comes to learning to relax
while driving. The next task is to figure out the primary source of the
issue. It's beginning to sound like it isn't the front end.

One more question. How old are the shocks and what kind are they.

Welcome to the pursuit for excellence.

Byron Songer
1978 Royale by Coachmen
Louisville, KY
Personal - http://web.me.com/bnsonger
Eastern States - http://www.gmceast.com

Michael wrote:

>
>
> Well not to keep this topic alive but I just got back from my trip. About
> 80-90 miles each way.
> I tried my best to relax, clam down and just drive. However I'm still pretty
> sure my coach needs a professionals touch.
> Relaxing helped a lot. So did lower tire pressure. I adjusted out load so it
> was much more evenly placed inside. But theres something wrong there. Its a
> few different problems.
> Hwy Speeds under 45 it seems pretty darn good. In fact I went down a SUPER
> CURVEY mountain road at 10-30 mph like a champ. Of course it was off the hwy.
> Hwy Speeds over 45-55 "OK, fair I'd say, the slower the better"
> Hwy Speeds over 60 not so great. Many Big trucks still blow me off the road.
> Like someone takes their arm and pushes the coach out of the way. Then it
> feels like I'm going to sway really bad. Calming down helps me not oversteer
> but it can be a little scary.
> It seems to catch every rut and uneven road surface on many parts of the
> interstate. I know I'm a walking contradiction but sometimes when the road
> isn't bad and no big trucks are pushing me it drives at 60 mph fine. Not one
> handed car like driving but not bad.
> Its almost like if you can keep the coach steady it drives fine but one false
> move and you got to correct it.
> A member on the forum said they'd help me look at it. I'm going to take him up
> on it since I'd feel way better knowing someone that knows these will be
> helping me. This was our first full trip with no problems except for one leaky
> pipe and this suspension issue which at least with calming down allowed us to
> stay on the hwy.

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-- Byron Songer
Full-timing to enjoy the USA
Former owner but still an admirer
GMC paint schemes at -
http://www.songerconsulting.net

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[Message index]

		Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 26 December 2010 18:40
		Re: Road Wonder By: tphipps on Sun, 26 December 2010 19:06
		Re: Road Wonder By: Oldngray on Sun, 26 December 2010 19:08
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: James Hupy on Sun, 26 December 2010 19:39
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Charles on Sun, 26 December 2010 19:06
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 26 December 2010 19:38
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 26 December 2010 19:47
		Re: Road Wonder By: C Boyd on Sun, 26 December 2010 20:14
		Re: Road Wonder By: fred v on Mon, 27 December 2010 08:59
		Re: Road Wonder By: George Beckman on Mon, 27 December 2010 09:44
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: hnielsen2 on Mon, 27 December 2010 10:58
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 26 December 2010 20:25
		Re: Road Wonder By: Ken Burton on Sun, 26 December 2010 21:05
		Re: Road Wonder By: C Boyd on Sun, 26 December 2010 21:13
		Re: Road Wonder By: WD0AFQ on Sun, 26 December 2010 21:32
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 26 December 2010 21:24
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 26 December 2010 21:41
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: jimk on Sun, 26 December 2010 22:11
		Re: Road Wonder By: mike miller on Sun, 26 December 2010 22:23
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 26 December 2010 22:24
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Mon, 27 December 2010 00:32
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: peter bailey on Mon, 27 December 2010 06:23
		Step by Step Procedure Was: Road Wonder By: mike miller on Mon, 27 December 2010 09:01
		Re: [GMCnet] Step by Step Procedure Was: Road Wonder By: USAussie on Mon, 27 December 2010 15:32
		Re: Road Wonder By: Luvn737s on Mon, 27 December 2010 00:56
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Steven Ferguson on Mon, 27 December 2010 06:34
		Re: Road Wander By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 08:49
		Re: Road Wonder By: fred v on Mon, 27 December 2010 09:10
		Re: Road Wander By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 09:18
		Re: Road Wander By: fred v on Mon, 27 December 2010 17:56
		Re: Road Wonder By: RF_Burns on Mon, 27 December 2010 12:16
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Charles on Mon, 27 December 2010 12:49
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: RF_Burns on Mon, 27 December 2010 16:16
		Re: Road Wander By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 13:03
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wander By: James Hupy on Mon, 27 December 2010 13:47
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wander By: Byron Songer on Mon, 27 December 2010 14:28
		Re: Road Wander By: fred v on Mon, 27 December 2010 18:00
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wander By: Steven Ferguson on Tue, 28 December 2010 06:34
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 13:09
		Re: Road Wonder By: C Boyd on Mon, 27 December 2010 15:12
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Mon, 27 December 2010 15:32
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Mon, 27 December 2010 15:19
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 13:53
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 14:40
		Re: Road Wander By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 15:35
		Re: Road Wander By: Hardie Johnson on Wed, 29 December 2010 20:59
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 17:27
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: emerystora on Mon, 27 December 2010 17:34
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Steven Ferguson on Tue, 28 December 2010 06:05
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Tim Conway on Tue, 28 December 2010 08:52
		Re: Road Wonder By: RF_Burns on Mon, 27 December 2010 17:44
		Re: Road Wonder By: 1977Production#0001 on Mon, 27 December 2010 17:50
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 17:57
		Re: Road Wonder By: C Boyd on Mon, 27 December 2010 18:28
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 20:08
		Re: Road Wonder By: C Boyd on Mon, 27 December 2010 20:14
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: jimk on Mon, 27 December 2010 20:27
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: ljdavick on Tue, 28 December 2010 00:17
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Adrien G. on Tue, 28 December 2010 01:58
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Tue, 28 December 2010 04:13
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: jayrabe on Tue, 28 December 2010 12:41
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Ken Henderson on Tue, 28 December 2010 13:05
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: 980 on Tue, 28 December 2010 13:05
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: ljdavick on Tue, 28 December 2010 13:17
		[GMCnet] Tru-tracks . Was: Re: Road Wonder By: 980 on Tue, 28 December 2010 14:21
		Re: [GMCnet] Tru-tracks . Was: Re: Road Wonder By: WD0AFQ on Tue, 28 December 2010 15:51
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: mike miller on Tue, 28 December 2010 15:44
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Tue, 28 December 2010 16:25
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Byron Songer on Tue, 28 December 2010 13:14
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 20:25
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 20:34
		Re: Road Wonder By: Keith V on Mon, 27 December 2010 21:08
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 27 December 2010 21:11
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Dennis S on Mon, 27 December 2010 21:26
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Tue, 28 December 2010 10:13
		Re: Road Wonder By: WD0AFQ on Tue, 28 December 2010 10:34
		Re: Road Wonder By: roy1 on Tue, 28 December 2010 11:47
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Steven Ferguson on Thu, 30 December 2010 05:56
		Re: Road Wonder By: Keith V on Tue, 28 December 2010 11:15
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Tue, 28 December 2010 11:51
		Re: Road Wonder By: Ernest Dankert on Tue, 28 December 2010 12:32
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Tue, 28 December 2010 21:32
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Tue, 28 December 2010 21:56
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Tue, 28 December 2010 22:13
		Re: Road Wonder By: 1977Production#0001 on Tue, 28 December 2010 23:38
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Wed, 29 December 2010 16:55
		Re: Road Wonder By: 1977Production#0001 on Wed, 29 December 2010 17:11
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Wed, 29 December 2010 17:39
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: jayrabe on Wed, 29 December 2010 18:07
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Wed, 29 December 2010 19:48
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Wed, 29 December 2010 20:42
		Re: Road Wonder By: 1977Production#0001 on Thu, 30 December 2010 07:54
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Wed, 29 December 2010 20:55
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Wed, 29 December 2010 21:48
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Thu, 30 December 2010 09:15
		Re: Road Wonder By: LNelson on Thu, 30 December 2010 09:24
		[GMCnet] Why GM quit the GMCMH... Re: Road Wonder By: 980 on Thu, 30 December 2010 10:01
		Re: [GMCnet] Why GM quit the GMCMH... Re: Road Wonder By: jimk on Thu, 30 December 2010 14:15
		Re: [GMCnet] Why GM quit the GMCMH... Re: Road Wonder By: Bryan Davies on Thu, 30 December 2010 17:46
		Re: [GMCnet] Why GM quit the GMCMH... Re: Road Wonder By: Byron Songer on Thu, 30 December 2010 17:49
		Re: [GMCnet] Why GM quit the GMCMH... Re: Road Wonder By: emerystora on Thu, 30 December 2010 18:09
		Re: [GMCnet] Why GM quit the GMCMH... Re: Road Wonder By: Steven Ferguson on Fri, 31 December 2010 06:48
		Re: [GMCnet] Why GM quit the GMCMH... Re: Road Wonder By: Byron Songer on Fri, 31 December 2010 08:10
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Steven Ferguson on Thu, 30 December 2010 09:49
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Dennis S on Thu, 30 December 2010 10:06
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Carl S. on Thu, 30 December 2010 11:15
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Dennis S on Thu, 30 December 2010 11:59
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Thu, 30 December 2010 19:09
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Steven Ferguson on Fri, 31 December 2010 06:46
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Thu, 30 December 2010 19:06
		Re: Road Wonder By: kingd on Fri, 31 December 2010 08:27
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 02 January 2011 15:50
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Byron Songer on Sun, 02 January 2011 16:23
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 02 January 2011 18:15
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Kosier on Sun, 02 January 2011 19:57
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 02 January 2011 20:44
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Sun, 02 January 2011 21:34
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Sun, 02 January 2011 22:02
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Sun, 02 January 2011 23:19
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 03 January 2011 08:29
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Charles on Mon, 03 January 2011 08:31
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: powerjon on Mon, 03 January 2011 09:34
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Mon, 03 January 2011 20:25
		Re: Road Wonder By: gbarrow2 on Mon, 03 January 2011 11:28
		Re: Road Wonder By: Ken Burton on Mon, 03 January 2011 12:32
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Mon, 03 January 2011 15:22
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: gbarrow2 on Mon, 03 January 2011 16:02
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Steven Ferguson on Wed, 05 January 2011 05:37
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: gbarrow2 on Wed, 05 January 2011 08:55
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Steven Ferguson on Wed, 05 January 2011 14:08
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Mon, 03 January 2011 20:49
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Mon, 03 January 2011 23:29
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Charles on Tue, 04 January 2011 07:54
		Re: Road Wonder By: RF_Burns on Tue, 04 January 2011 08:08
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: emerystora on Tue, 04 January 2011 09:25
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: gbarrow2 on Tue, 04 January 2011 11:22
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: WD0AFQ on Tue, 04 January 2011 12:22
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: emerystora on Tue, 04 January 2011 13:52
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: USAussie on Tue, 04 January 2011 18:15
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: ljdavick on Tue, 04 January 2011 19:54
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: kincaid76royale on Wed, 05 January 2011 06:52
		Re: Road Wonder By: shawnee on Tue, 04 January 2011 10:39
		Re: Road Wonder By: RF_Burns on Tue, 04 January 2011 10:04
		Re: Road Wonder By: RF_Burns on Tue, 04 January 2011 11:13
		Re: Road Wonder By: Bob de Kruyff on Tue, 04 January 2011 12:42
		Re: Road Wonder By: RadioActiveGMC on Tue, 04 January 2011 12:58
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Richard Denney on Tue, 04 January 2011 13:30
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Bob de Kruyff on Tue, 04 January 2011 18:17
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Richard Denney on Tue, 04 January 2011 22:43
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Bob de Kruyff on Wed, 05 January 2011 01:31
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Ken Henderson on Wed, 05 January 2011 18:23
		Re: [GMCnet] Road Wonder By: Byron Songer on Thu, 06 January 2011 22:04
		Re: Road Wonder By: Bob de Kruyff on Tue, 04 January 2011 18:13

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