GMC Motorhomes and the People that Own Them
Look at this sunrise. No, I did not see it. Teri took the picture this morning long before I got up.Hey, do you recall the GMC Motorhome that was on the blog yesterday, the white one that we stopped to visit the owners?
Well, here is how I found it this morning, just west of Deming in a truckstop parking lot. Got the call, via email, last night that they broke shortly after we stopped to meet them. Great, I have the parts you need with me. The owner, Dan, had already called our good friend Jim Kanomata, near San Francisco, and he overnighted the part. I could have saved them money but did not know in time. Anyway I told Dan to drop the header and pull the governor, call me Saturday morning. He called this morning and I took off. I also contacted our friend, Jeff in Silver City, and he started toward Deming also.
Here is what we found. The governor gear had broken off clean. The gear still in tranny when governor was pulled. I got the roll pin out using my ratchet (hammer) and an allen wrench (punch). Smacked my thumbnail good. Oh well, now I can prove to Teri what I was doing, in case she does not see the grease on my jeans.
Look at this. UPS showed up 30 minutes after I did. My part went back in my "spare" bag and we used this one. Who can get a part delivered this fast? Only Jim Kanomata I suppose. Judi is signing for it and off the guy goes.
Here is my friend Jeff, an ex GMC owner. Great friend to Teri and me. So, here is what happened next: Jeff took Dan and the broken governor to his Silver City place and they got broken part out and new part installed. I stayed with Judi and tried to fish the broken gear out of the transmission. I worked and thought about it for 2 hours. Could not get it out. When Jeff and Dan got back Jeff had grease. I put grease on a stick to stick to the gear. It lifted the broken gear and then dropped it. Darn, so I get online and get intouch with Wally in Omaha. I tell him where the gear went, he says put the new parts in and go. So, we did. I also had lots of help from GMC owners all over the USA via our email and forum. I know there is no group of motorhome owners like the GMC owners. Instant help and advice.
A look at the stretched GMC. The frame was cut and I liked the way it was done. The guy also raised the coach 2 inches off the frame. A killer set of rollers on the back of the frame. You can see where the Onan lives now. Coach needs some bondo work and a new paint job but I think it will make a nice coach when finished.
Take a look at this alternator bracket. I have heard of this but first time I have seen it first hand. The 455 was gone from the coach and a 403 now lives under the deck. I am not wild about a 403 in a 29 1/2' coach but it seems to run ok. There was lots of oil blown all over the passenger side of engine and down under. We told Dan to check the valve cover bolts. Really loose. The coach has not had the owner attention it needed in the last 3-4 years, that is obvious.
Everything is back together and Jeff is looking at the oil that is leaking from somewhere. We hope most was coming from the loose valve cover. Told Dan to keep a check on it. Dan tried to get Jeff and me to push the coach forward 6 feet to get out of some spilled oil. Hey, I am no dummy. I told Dan to get behind the wheel and drive it 6 feet if he wanted it moved. He laughed and said he just did not think about it being able to run on its own power again. I told him that I had used enough energy today and I was not pushing a 14,000 pound coach 6 feet forward.We buttoned things down and Dan took off for a test ride. Transmission shifted perfect. Came back and started getting ready to roll. Jeff and I left.
I just now got a call from Dan and Judi. They are safe in a KOA in Lordsburg, NM, 60 miles west of where they were last night.
Thanks to all of my GMC friends for the help today. I really appreciated the emails, notes on the forum, and the 2 phone calls I received. We might not have been able to get the coach rolling without you.
Life is really good when you own a GMC Motorcoach, now you see why.
Dan
posted by Dan & Teri Gregg @ 5:29 PM
4 Comments:
It absolutely amazes me the support that is in the GMC family. I followed this on the GMCnet and I take my hat off to all of those who helped in real time or by way of the internet especially the vendors who did an overnight Saturday delivery of the part that was needed.
Way to go! You guys rock! I didn't think I had much to contribute, so I stayed quiet.
Thanks to Jim K and UPS. I hope Mike from Nova Scotia reads this blog (inside joke:). Dan "YOU are the Man" from a retired UPS man.
They're still up and running! Saw that coach on the 101 freeway tonight in Scottsdale.
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