Motorhome from the GMC Motorhome People A publication dedicated to the preservation of a classic and timeless vehicle by Walt Sener September 1995 PETE THE PIEPERSON Number 5 In the good old days, people would greet vendors born egotists and are easily induced to provide with a friendly smile.The iceman, postman, milk- melodious cadence for any parade. Instead of pol- INSIDE: man and breadman were typical. Gender never ishing fire equipment for the next parade, music- seemed to be an issue. Firemen responded men polish technique with a local band, which is WHAT’S NEW promptly,policemen were ever present, and an most often in dire need of replacement uniforms. endless list of servicemen were available to solve Some method must be employed to raise funds. • 3.42 POWER daily problems, including those related to the Well,how about selling pies? COLORING GMC Motorhome. Accordingly,the pie committee promptly Point in fact.A service manager in Billings, appointed the (only) member with a motorhome BOOK Montana confirmed my suspicion that a “click- — and his muscular friend Pete — to “fetch” SANDUSKY ing” constant velocity (CV) joint needed to be freshly-baked Shoofly pies from a bakery located SERVICE replaced. Since all the service bays were busy,he where else…near Paradise, Pennsylvania. Each pie suggested that new components be obtained from was sealed in a pie box.There were eight boxes COACH TALK the parts counter in the interim.At lunch break, a in each two-cubic-foot shipping carton.Weight mechanic would probably be available. was estimated at thirty-two pounds per carton.At •SEWER ODOR A courteous partsperson identified the GMC this point a quick weight and balance computa- •THROTTLE KICKER Motorhome part number by gazing at a spot on tion seemed to be in order.After all, we had the ceiling. She also suggested a replacement dust promised to pick up two hundred and seventy- •OIL CONSUMPTION cover, citing a different GMC Motorhome part two Shoofly pies! number from the same mysterious source. How In true GMC Motorhome fashion, four cartons •QUICK COUPLER did she know? It seems there had been several were stashed under the bed, sixteen cartons on top •REFRIGERANT intensive GMC Motorhome parts seminars, and of the bed, two under the (now converted) CHOICE she had retained the vital group categories of dinette, eight on top of the dinette bed, two information. Besides, spares were usually in stock. stacked between the barrel chairs, and sixteen R12, R134A, FRIGC, R406A While waiting, I became fascinated by one individual pie boxes carefully nested on the (clean) mechanic whose sole responsibility was to per- floor of the shower. •TRANSFER SWITCH form lube, oil and filter (LOF) service…in thirty There were a number of sobering and nostalgic TODD TS-30 minutes flat! This,coincidentally,was the same moments experienced on our return journey. mechanic who, with a sandwich in one hand and First, the motorhome smelled like a bakery — for •HITCH WEIGHT borrowed tools in the other, asked me to park my weeks! Second, the floor of the motorhome was •RUN ON motorhome outside his LOF bay so the CV joint startlingly close to the ground at the entrance •OIL DILUTION could be replaced.With considerable mental reser- door.Third, on the way to the “cockpit,”I was vation, I complied.The CV joint was installed, the reminded of numerous uphill treks to the “office” •SOOTY VENTS sandwich consumed, a soda swallowed and the of a Douglas DC-3 aircraft. Forward vision was wheel jack removed all during lunch break! now well above the horizon, and the rear-view TIME TO RENEW Fortunate survivors of World War II came home mirror revealed approximately sixteen square feet instilled with a deep sense of discipline, cama- of parking-lot asphalt. CLASSIFIED raderie and need for recognition.To fulfill this There was a slight rise at the access of our busy ADVERTISEMENTS need, practically every fire department in the highway.At an opportune moment, we expedited nation found an excuse for uniformed members PUBLICATION our entrance into traffic, and burned rubber for to engage in parade competition with other fire fifty yards before the front wheels finally settled to ORDER FORMS companies. Musicians, not unlike Presidents, are Continued on Page 12 Page 2 GMC Motorhome News WHAT’S NEW is published quarterly by Cinnabar Engineer- The 3.42 final drive began shipping in July almost shops will not spend the money to get it right. ing, Inc., 116 Orval Street, Sandusky, 20 years after Oldsmobile engineers designed it The 3.42 final drive carries a 12-month, 12,000- Michigan 48471. for the GMC Motorhome.The original 3.07 final mile limited warranty for normal applications. TEL 810-648-2444 drive was the trailering final drive for the Olds- Here are reports from three regional users: FAX 810-648-9858 mobile Toronado passenger car, and it has always [email protected] Copyright 1995 by been considered too high (too low numerically) ncreasing the GMC Motorhome engine speed to more Cinnabar Engineering, and too vulnerable for the GMC Motorhome. Iclosely approximate its originally designed engine Inc.All rights reserved. The 3.42 final drive was designed for the motor- speed provides improved acceleration and hill-climbing Permission to reprint or quote excerpts home’s tire size, frontal area and anticipated tow- ability.This has been accomplished by changing the gear granted only upon ing loads. For these reasons, it is a broader-tooth ratio between the engine and the drive wheels, commonly written request and design than the original 3.07 final drive, which referred to as the final-drive ratio. Originally,the gear then only when full has a 14-tooth pinion and a 43-tooth ring gear. ratio was 3.07:1, which means the engine turns 3.07 credit is given source. Subscription price The 3.42 final drive has a 12-tooth pinion and times faster than the driving wheels. Changing this ratio United States, Canada a 41-tooth ring gear. Its design makes the ring and Continued on Page 14 and Mexico: $10.00 pinion teeth as large as possible to withstand per year.All other countries add $8.00 higher motorhome loads.This is the only way to per year. First Class or numerically increase the ratio and the load carry- GMC MOTORHOME Air Mail postage paid ing capability of the final drive, because its physi- at Sandusky,MI 48471 cal size is fixed. If a GMC Motorhome final drive TELEPHONE NUMBERS & and at other mailing offices. had been designed from scratch, it would have USINESS OURS been larger like the third member (differential) in B H Wes Caughlan a motorhome chassis of similar gross vehicle Editorial Director weight rating (gvwr). 800-GMC-TRUCK (800-462-8782) Lisa Yanagihara The 3.42 ring and pinion gears are manufac- for Recall assistance and general information Art Director tured by Ohio-Richmond Gear, which is the on GMC products. largest supplier of aftermarket, third-member Monday through Friday Lorraine Graham 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Advertising gears in the world. Since General Motors no longer cuts gears, it uses Ohio-Richmond Gear 800-720-CBAR (800-720-2227) Walt Sener to manufacture all of the special gear sets for the for Genuine GMC Motorhome Parts and Contributor GMC Motorsports program, and that’s why the GMC Motorhome Operating and Service company is making the 3.42 gears. Mad Macs Publications. Graphic Consultants The 3.42 gear manufacturing was directed by Monday through Friday John Bachelder who developed third-member GMC Motorhome News 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. does not knowingly gears for Oldsmobile when the 3.07 (E-car) final accept deceptive or drives were made.The 3.42 final-drive assembly 810-648-2444 misleading advertising was supervised by Art Haas who was the general for GMC Motorhome Service. or editorial material. foreman of Oldsmobile’s third-member assembly Monday through Friday If you have a contrary experience with in the 1970s and 1980s. Both of these men are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. respect to anything retired from Oldsmobile, and they joined herein, please contact Cinnabar Engineering, Inc. to oversee the 3.42 810-648-9858 Cinnabar Engineering, final-drive program.Working under Cinnabar for GMC Motorhome FAX and Voice Mail. Inc. immediately. Engineering’s license agreement with General Any day at any time. The GM Emblem, the Motors, Duane McCormack found the original [email protected] GMC Emblem and drawings and coordinated the program in his the GMC Motorhome for GMC Motorhome E-Mail. Parts Emblem are retirement from Oldsmobile engineering. Any day at any time on the Internet. trademarks of General The 3.42 final drive is sold only as an assembled Motors Corporation unit, because very few shops have the E-car tools 231-258-4117 and used under license that are needed to properly assemble one. Fur- for GMC Motorhome Technical Assistance. to Cinnabar Engineer- ing, Inc. thermore, there are more than 60 shim variables Monday through Friday that require substantial investment, and most 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern time. Page 3 shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge in COLORING BOOK San Francisco, and on to Old Faithful in The holidays are coming and Cinnabar Yellowstone National Park. Sun Valley, Engineering, Inc. has just the gift for the Idaho, Mount Rushmore, Sequoia children in your family,both big and National Park, Baraboo,Wisconsin, small. It is the GMC Motorhome Vacation- Williamsburg,Virginia, Philadelphia, land Coloring Book.