| Author | Message | ||
| JAMES R. RINK (Fakeguy)
Registered Member Username: Fakeguy Post Number: 18 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 24.33.85.105 Rating: N/A |
hey...I have a 1962 4106 and want to rig a hitch I am told you have to be really carefule how you rig it due to engine weight. does anyone have any pix, plans, ideas to share...thank you | ||
| Laryn Christley (Barn_owl)
Registered Member Username: Barn_owl Post Number: 12 Registered: 10-2006 Posted From: 71.254.45.168 Rating: N/A |
James, Add me to that list also. My 1962 4106 was number 1063, What number do you have? | ||
| Tony Gojenola (Akbusnut)
Registered Member Username: Akbusnut Post Number: 10 Registered: 11-2006 Posted From: 24.237.217.192 Rating: |
Go here: http://www.thebouthilliers.com/4106/index.html click on Exterior, then Receiver Hitch. | ||
| JAMES R. RINK (Fakeguy)
Registered Member Username: Fakeguy Post Number: 19 Registered: 1-2005 Posted From: 24.33.85.105 Rating: N/A |
First off...Tony...thanx for the great pix and infor. BARNOWL: MY SN is 736, was delivered to Sedalia, Marshall, Boonevile Stage Lines in Des Moines Iowa, June 1962. Ran between DesMoines and Sioux City Iowa and interlined with Greyhound and Trailways. Was one of two they bought that year. I have the original schedule for September, 1962 that the bus ran…got it on ebay and framed…cool… | ||
| Steve Krane (Steve_krane)
Registered Member Username: Steve_krane Post Number: 13 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 76.176.33.74 Rating: N/A |
What is the issue? I have a 1961 4106 with a Class III hitch. The coach has a 6V92 and V730. The hitch appears to transfer the load to the same structure that is supporting the engine. I am planning to hang a 550-lb motorcyle off the hitch with some of the vertical load supported by the bumper so will have about 300-400 lb tongue weight and close to zero "tow" weight. | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Registered Member Username: Rjlong Post Number: 1203 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.195.112.181 Rating: |
Steve - The main "issue" is that GMCs were never designed to have a hitch put on them - especially a Class III. Take a look at the vertical stringers that hold up the rear of the powertrain. See those two horizontal bolts? That's all that's holding up all that weight, including the bumper. The powertrain literally "hangs" from the roof on a GMC. Now add your motorcycle to those bolts. Maybe OK statically, but dynamically, when it gets to bouncing up and down while traveling, the "tongue weight" jumps exponentially. Can get rather ugly when the bolts shear. . . Have an aquaintence who went thru three 4106s towing a 10K trailer that had a 500 lb tongue weight when loaded. Two cracked their bulkheads beyond repair, the third sheared the bolts and dropped the powertrain onto the highway at 60 mph. Also tweaked the rear hangers on the body such that it popped out the rear glass, shattering all three pieces. Much as he loved the 4106, he's now using one of those Class 8 truck conversions. . . OTOH, at many of the rallies I've attended, I've seen all kinds of weird hitch arrangements on GMCs, some as simple as bolted strictly to the bumper, to the more elaborate types like on Daris's coach. To each his own, but be aware of the potential consequences. FWIW & HTH. . .  | ||
| Steve Krane (Steve_krane)
Registered Member Username: Steve_krane Post Number: 14 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 76.176.33.74 Rating: N/A |
Oooooo. Thanks for the words to the unwise. I'll take a closer look and think about it. Sounds too involved to actually do the math. I'm guessing the 6V92/V730 is a fair bit heavier than the original powertrain. This coach did tow around a Chrysler mini-van for 50,000 miles or so and seems OK. | ||
| Steve Krane (Steve_krane)
Registered Member Username: Steve_krane Post Number: 15 Registered: 1-2007 Posted From: 76.176.33.74 Rating: N/A |
I'm going to back off on the idea of putting any significant tongue weight on this coach unless I learn anything new. The bike would have been pretty handy on the road trip we're planning. After looking at the picture of the hitch arrangement above, it still looks like most of the tongue weight is on the engine support structure, but the tension is not. I wouldn't have any tensile load carrying the bike so I don't see how that arrangement would help. | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Registered Member Username: Rjlong Post Number: 1204 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 71.195.112.181 Rating: N/A |
Steve - The 6V92/V730 powertrain is approximately 400 lbs heavier than the OEM 8V71/4-spd. Most of the additional weight is the transmission. Flat-towing a vehicle does not induce a significant amount of tongue weight - but it does require the tensile strength, which is why Daris's hitch is a good example. The whole point is that tongue weight is critical with a GMC. The less the better, really. Another solution, for those who pull a heavy trailer, is a Tuff-Tow unit. This gizmo supports the tongue weight, turning the trailer into, in essence, a flat-tow vehicle. www.tufftow.com is the link, if it doesn't work, use Google. Fast Fred, who hasn't been posting recently, has adapted a removable carrier for a small cycle to the front of his 4106, which is another idea that might work for you. He uses two receivers mounted below the bumper, with some tie-down hooks under the wipers. Don't know how he attached the receivers, but can find out, if you're interested. Just don't block the headlights with the bike when it's loaded, and the gendarmes will be happy. . . Finally, search the archives on this board for more info, trailer hitches have been discussed many, many times - almost as much as what oil to use in a two-stroke Detroit!! FWIW & HTH. . . |
