GMC Motorhome: Frame Damage and repairs

I figured out the problem… that is how to plunk here as I have before.  With the smart phone camera so smart it still will not talk to the lap top….sounds like a small hindrance to life but for me…. having pics I took easy to process and post is just a real creative problem for me.  I have all this stuff happening and no way to show it…..SO, thinking through the problem, for now we can get back up on the proverbial stick by me using my old… cracked screen…. brick like phone (doesn’t seem like every new phone makes you feel that way about your “ole war horse” that you loved as life itself… once but hey, the ole war horse camera still works…. so for the short term I hope all I have to do is carry 2 smart phones… I hope they don’t start to argue.. one is in one pocket and the other in another!  .

Hey, sometimes there are risks that are worth it….. so lets get back to before being able to throw pics up and verbiage together…..

So. since our next mechanical patient has finally made it to the lift   First, let me give you a little history…. This coach had been purchased by Steve M. Dad with Steve having many happy memories on the road as he grew up.  In the later years of his life, Steve and his Dad started the project of putting the ole girl back together.  It was an awesome bonding time for both of them.  During the project Steve’s Dad passed away leaving Steve more than ever wanting to put the coach back together.  They did a great job on the base/clear metallic paint    Looks like the did a “tribute” to the tailgate coach I did @ 15 years ago    alote of folks have used the layout, it’s very popular actually it’s lifted from an original Royale with metallic  .Which BTW is here again at the shop and for sale  $26,000, come see it.  Here’s another one we did about the same time back then  Like I said, pretty popular……. so Steve has that going for this project… he brought it to us though for some pretty serious mechanicals….  Now on the lift for a better view we can see our challenges.  From years of being “up north” the years have not been good to the underside of the coach.  We had already gotten brake work done before   Oh and here’s an interesting pic we found when doing the brake work that all of you should check out…. Here you see the “knock-out” to give access to the manual brake adjusters.  In the “ole days” SOP was to slam the shoes and stuff on and if the knockout was too hard to punch out you would simply spin the wheel backwards and tap the brakes to internally adjust the brakes….Brother you just can’t do that today.  You must physically adjust the brakes before you can call it done.  These backing plates had never been punched out! so take a look at yours….. if the plugs are still in the backing plates the brakes have never actually been properly adjusted……..  now we are at undercarriage right now and here we go:

First thing we see is an original holding tank still doing it’s best… most start their decline at the outlet pipe, this one is dry  There is “holding tank” on the punch list but before that, we need to address some frame issues…. like I said, years up north has taken it’s toll and in some cases this would be a deal breaker on any further progress on this project.  Since we will be dropping the fuel tanks, installing a quad bag system and maybe the holding tank…. we can take care of some significant frame issues, hang on Steve… it will be OK….      The gap between the subframe and the front to back ladder rail is caused by rust.  There is close to rust through around the bogys   First thing we’ll drop the fuel tanks to see if there’s anything we can’t see……  Steve, it’s on the lift now… it has our undivided mechanical attention…. “the operating table is always the priority”…….    Stay tuned for more on this mechanicals with a rusty frame project……. If you have rust as pictured, you need to really pay close attention to this project…..

That’s a good place to stop for the day…… I do have however something to say to those folks looking to purchase a GMC soon.  I talk with a great many and the first thing I discuss is always “What are your expectations” and “what it will TRULY take to have one of these coaches in known reliable condition.  Now listen, for a 40 year old man msde machine of any kind… brother THAT’S a tall order!  So if you have a mind to read some ranting about folks who buy and sell these critters.. go over to the “For Sale” page on the web site….. see ya tomorrow…..

See, that was soooo much easier to express myself and do this …. how was it for you?  Let me know with a comment……  OK, we’re good and even progress in technology will stop us!…… Carry on…..

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