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Old 05-14-2013, 03:48 PM   #461
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Re: Best Home Yet

Years ago i went to drive pawpaw's ole farm truck, and it had 10 and 2 steering also...I was like crap dotted line to solid line, and repeat.

Turns out he had the mechanic loosen up the steering box so when he drove it........ his "nervous" tick didn't make him leave the road truck is still like that 10 years later

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Old 05-14-2013, 04:28 PM   #462
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Re: Best Home Yet

Quote:
Originally Posted by bansil
Years ago i went to drive pawpaw's ole farm truck, and it had 10 and 2 steering also...I was like crap dotted line to solid line, and repeat.

Turns out he had the mechanic loosen up the steering box so when he drove it........ his "nervous" tick didn't make him leave the road truck is still like that 10 years later
That is an unusual story. Fortunately, I do not have a nervous tick. I do, however, get tics that crawl on me from my dogs.
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Old 05-14-2013, 05:56 PM   #463
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Re: Best Home Yet

We have had several mechanics say that sloppy steering can be tightened up. All my Dad's trucks drove like that. Never have figured out how he did that. Only the 8N didn't. I did discover that there was a rhythm to driving his trucks.
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Old 05-14-2013, 06:01 PM   #464
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Re: Best Home Yet

Quote:
Originally Posted by lornaschinske
We have had several mechanics say that sloppy steering can be tightened up. All my Dad's trucks drove like that. Never have figured out how he did that. Only the 8N didn't. I did discover that there was a rhythm to driving his trucks.
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Old 05-14-2013, 06:03 PM   #465
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Re: Best Home Yet

Quote:
Originally Posted by lornaschinske
We have had several mechanics say that sloppy steering can be tightened up. All my Dad's trucks drove like that. Never have figured out how he did that. Only the 8N didn't. I did discover that there was a rhythm to driving his trucks.
When I can afford $65 an hour just for somebody to look at it, I will take it somewhere.

For now, I will just park it and live in it.
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Old 05-14-2013, 07:11 PM   #466
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Re: Best Home Yet

At that price.......park it .......and enjoy it
.

.
.yeck a few more white knuckles; you be "there" followed with a glass of whatever and quick "snip" a lite. And an hour later you can lean back...............smile.......then smirk......and relax...cheers
I would so....so......celebrate your journeys end at the next "base camp"
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Old 05-14-2013, 09:09 PM   #467
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Re: Best Home Yet

I've experienced a couple vehicles with similar driving characteristics. I had a motorhome once that was almost that bad. I hated driving it. What you experienced could be caused by a combination of things including the bell crank, drag link, tie rod ends, or steering gear. My experience has been the steering gear is the most likely culprit. On my last motorhome, I had to adjust my steering gear and change the bell crank. It only had 60,000 miles on it. Made a world of difference though.

On my current bus, I drove it home and realized that it also had more play in the steering than I like, so I had everything checked. Nothing had any play but the steering gear. So, I had it changed. I think it cost me around $1,000. Unfortunately, this is usually the most expensive part of any I mentioned. But, the new gear made my bus drive like a new one. It was time, as my bus has over 600,000 miles on it. Now its one of the best driving buses I've ever driven. Having the parts checked at a truck alignment shop usually isn't very expensive ----- probably an hours worth of time. At least it will tell you what needs to be replaced so you can get an idea of the cost.
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Old 05-14-2013, 10:30 PM   #468
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Re: Best Home Yet

I'd give a shot at just tightening up the steering box. Look on the box -there will be threaded stud-with a nut on it. Might be a screwdriver slot or use an allen wrench. Losen the nut + turn in the stud. Have someone turn the wheel back+ forth in the "slop zone" while you turn in the stud. You should almost be able to adjust it by fingers. You don't want to crank it in hard.
See if that helps. Free + fairly easy.
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Old 05-15-2013, 01:44 AM   #469
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Re: Best Home Yet

Quote:
Originally Posted by sdwarf36
I'd give a shot at just tightening up the steering box. Look on the box -there will be threaded stud-with a nut on it. Might be a screwdriver slot or use an allen wrench. Losen the nut + turn in the stud. Have someone turn the wheel back+ forth in the "slop zone" while you turn in the stud. You should almost be able to adjust it by fingers. You don't want to crank it in hard.
See if that helps. Free + fairly easy.
Those types of steering boxes I have adjusted before. There is a jam nut and a threaded stud, that when tightened, will mesh the gears closer. I have done that fix on a few cars way back when.

I wish mine was that easy.

Mine is called a Ross cam and lever system.



Apparently, when the knobs on the cams get worn, there is not much you can do.
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Old 05-15-2013, 01:53 AM   #470
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Re: Best Home Yet

Quote:
Originally Posted by Malkieri
When reading your build page I was really taken by the steering system in your bus, I have never taken one of those apart. Since then I have spent quite a bit of time looking at the way it works and what it was designed for. It seems like a pretty good system, for what it is, and looks like it is still in limited use today. What struck me is it's simplicity and the singular point of failure. If you have a buddy that can move the steering wheel while you look under bus for movement you should be able to isolate the issue. After everything I have read on these, I am guessing it is just wearing down those pins. If it were me in your situation, I would park it in my new home base and slide under that thing as soon as it cools down. Look at the markings on it and see if you can locate a replacement or parts list for it. A new replacement would be best, second best would be a parts list and someone willing to crack it. From looking at many diagrams and reading other forums it seems pretty common that the pins wear out. I would venture a guess that the bearings are probably wearing and creating their own slop, but again a parts list would show you these. I would say replace seals, bearings, and pins if you can get them. Good Luck brother!!!

My first approach would be to replace that cam and lever steering box. If that would fix it, I would be getting away cheap. If that did not fix it, Then i would have to check tie rod ends, ball joints, and drag link.

Regardless, It will be some time before I can address this situation since I have to pay back the money that I borrowed to make this move back to Tennessee.
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Old 05-15-2013, 10:58 AM   #471
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Re: Best Home Yet

Quote:
Originally Posted by Accordion
Quote:
Originally Posted by lornaschinske
We have had several mechanics say that sloppy steering can be tightened up. All my Dad's trucks drove like that. Never have figured out how he did that. Only the 8N didn't. I did discover that there was a rhythm to driving his trucks.
When I can afford $65 an hour just for somebody to look at it, I will take it somewhere.

For now, I will just park it and live in it.
You need to find you a Bubba who is a backyard mechanic.
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Old 05-15-2013, 10:25 PM   #472
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Re: Best Home Yet

Diagnosing what's loose or worn isn't that hard if you have someone to help. Just have them wiggle the wheel back and forth, just till they hit slight resistance, while you are under it. Watch it from the steering shaft all the way to the knuckle. You are looking for where something is moving and what it is connected to isn't Definitely no need to throw parts at it, or pay someone to diagnose. IMHO
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Old 05-16-2013, 12:27 AM   #473
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Re: Best Home Yet

Thank you all for the mechanical advice. Some day, I will do some checking around under there.
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Old 05-16-2013, 06:00 AM   #474
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Re: Best Home Yet

are you in TN yet?
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Old 05-16-2013, 07:13 AM   #475
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Re: Best Home Yet

Quote:
Originally Posted by bansil
are you in TN yet?
That brings about the final leg of my journey.

I have reached my destination.

It was three harrowing days and 540 miles.

First day was the scariest. 270 miles to a Walmart. It totally wore me out. I bought a squeegee like they have at gas stations. I also bought a gallon of bug removing window wash. I cleaned the bugs off of my windshield. I enjoyed walking to the Chinese Buffet. I got a little of everything. I have no idea of what the stuff was. It did taste good. I ate half of it.

Second day was a little easier in terms of being somewhat more comfortable driving this beasty bus. However, my batteries were dead. I had to ask someone to give me a jump. While driving the bus, I could do nothing but keep my eyes on the road and try to keep the bus in my lane. I could not even take my eyes off the road to pour some tea out of my thermos. I drove only 120 miles. I stayed at an RV park where I had electricity. I put my battery charger on. I reheated the other half of my Chinese food in my microwave. The RV park was only $25 for the night. I parked my bus next to two fancy expensive big RVs. I took a picture. I will post it soon.

Third day was 140 miles to reach my destination. I am staying on my friend of 20 years amongst several buildings that I helped build. I am parked under two giant trees. There is shade all day long. I spent an hour leveling the bus with boards. I have a thirty amp electrical feed. There is a water feed with which I can fill my gallon jugs. I have access to a toilet. I will install a shower enclosure in one of the buildings.

This place where I am is beautiful. It is 15 acres. There are many fruit trees, a greenhouse with hundreds of trays of vegetables. There are also outside plots of vegetables. There is a running stream.

My deal is to mow the lawn with a zero turn mower and do weed eating. That gets me electricity and bathroom.

I will take some pics and post them.

The best part of being here is that I do not have to drive this bus for a long while.
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Old 05-16-2013, 07:20 AM   #476
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Re: Best Home Yet



congrates...sounds like a great place
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Old 05-16-2013, 08:22 AM   #477
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Re: Best Home Yet

Glad you finally made it. That place does sound awesome!
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Old 05-16-2013, 11:10 AM   #478
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Re: Best Home Yet

Quote:
Originally Posted by Accordion
That brings about the final leg of my journey.

I have reached my destination.

It was three harrowing days and 540 miles.

First day was... 270 miles...

Second day was... 120 miles...

Third day was 140 miles...
We found that traveling in shorter legs to be easiest on us. I do the route planning for our trips. I pick three stops (early, target and late). I start planning the target stop around 150 miles. We have found that 150 - 175 miles is best for us. We don't travel at night due to poor night vision. We're getting old! Unfortunately good locations to park overnight get spread out too far at times. We prefer to not overnight in a big city in the parking lots so that pushed us a little on our way out west. We've decided that we have gotten too old (or smarter) and no longer have to run 200 miles (Whitwell, TN to Franklin, NC) to 250 miles (Franklin, NC -Cordele, GA) in one day because we HAVE TO due to work and other time constraints.

Our stops vary a bit because we are cheap and stay either in parking lots or in public CHEAP campgrounds. Not all public campgrounds are cheap. We try to keep overnight stops at or under $25 (with full hookups) with the help of Don Wright's campground directory. It's amazing how many city parks on the US highway system (NOT THE INTERSTATES) are free (the first night) and have full hookups included. I'm sure that has probably changed a bit. We will be replacing the old Don Wright's directory with a new one before we head out to eastern Texas in a couple of years. Perhaps it will be digital by that time.
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Old 05-16-2013, 01:27 PM   #479
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Re: Best Home Yet

CONGRATS & Welcome back to Tennessee........
Glad you made it home!!!!!!
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Old 05-16-2013, 01:35 PM   #480
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Re: Best Home Yet

Thank you all for your concern about my journey. Skoolie people are great.
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