marka123
Poland, OH
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Joined: 02/13/2004
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Howdy,
I've got a 26' '84 Sportscoach Pathfinder. According to the brochures from the original owner, the 26' model was the only one built using 16" wheels, and has a GVWR of ~12k lbs. All the others (which were a little longer) had 19.5" wheels, and a GVWR of ~14k lbs.
I'm curious what the chassis differences were, besides the wheels... I'm going to be setting mine up to tow an enclosed car trailer, and if there are heavier duty parts or known weak points that I can address, I'd like to get that done.
I'm wondering if the chassis share any components, if the rear axles were the same, if there are heavier duty rear spring that will work on my chassis (the PO removed the airbags up front and installed heavy duty coils), what parts I'd need to change to run the 19.5" wheels (and if I'd have the clearence necessary, etc.
Basically, I'm wondering what makes up the difference in GVWR between the two chassis and what (if any) of the parts cross over.
I'd also appreciate any other advice related to setting up to tow a good weight. I'm going to be reinforcing the rear frame extentions and fabbing up my own hitch, but if anyone has any other advice I'd be happy to hear it. The MH already has the Super Steer bell cranks and Bilstein shocks & steering stabilizer.
Thanks for any help!
Mark
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Joined: 07/22/2007
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Info on a late 90 P30 as an example.
Mark this does not directly apply to your model but you can see the 12, 14, and 16 sizes and specific factory differences. I know a guy with a 1984 Class C with the 350 engine and he wanted to tow a ski boat but the engine/chassis was about maxed out just from the weight of the motor home. You are starting out with 4K pounds less room to play with as far as the chassis goes.
You should be able to find this on the web I expect or from someone with the P30 Chevy shop manual for 1984.
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Old & Slow
Texas
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Joined: 07/25/2007
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Maybe someone will give us the history of the P30. I have a 1988 with only 16,000 miles and had no idea when the MH was purchased this chassis had been produced in so many different models, types. wheels and G/Wt's.
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tom_kat
way upstate new york/lake george area
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Joined: 02/28/2005
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we could compair mine is a 85 on a 14,000+ frame up graded to 17,000+ by adding a tag axle,around 12,000 gvw and under they had differant brakes they were smaller pads as well as the rotors and hubs ,the front end on mine is 5300 lbs the rear axle is a HD70 with a 4.56 ratio,front axle has 5 lugs on a large hub and rotor,rear axle has 10 lugs same brakes as the front ,disk brakes all around except for tag which is drum and a 1 ton + axle and it uses 1 ton ford rear axle brakes,maybe you can compair what yours has to it.
1985 Class A Holiday Rambler Imperial 33 +1979 Class C Holiday Rambler Statesman 1000 = 24 ft
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Old & Slow
Texas
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Joined: 07/25/2007
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1988 Chevrolet Light Duty Truck P30 11 different Engine Displ./Types. Mine 7.4 V8 4 bbl.........6 different tranny's offered. Mine Auto something? About all I know for sure, it roars like a lion. So not much help here. I was just surprised the P30 was produced in great numbers with many opt's.
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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Floyd while there are many I think it is actually a P3 generation with many suffixes. If a MH was actually built on a motor home chassis there will be a P37 in the VIN. Often the P30 is associated with the Controls Forward units but finding the P37 in the VIN one knows it left GM designed as a MH chassis and not some other form of truck from what I can read.
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Old & Slow
Texas
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Gale Hawkins wrote:Floyd while there are many I think it is actually a P3 generation with many suffixes. If a MH was actually built on a motor home chassis there will be a P37 in the VIN. Often the P30 is associated with the Controls Forward units but finding the P37 in the VIN one knows it left GM designed as a MH chassis and not some other form of truck from what I can read.
Gale:
Ah, The first of the Vin is 1GBJ P37 That's intestesting, so I have the real deal, thanks. Not sure how to find additional info' about my Itasca MH. I do know the tires a 16" not 19.5"
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Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
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I find some weird stuff on page 37 of a Google search.  It might work for you.
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Old & Slow
Texas
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I needed a funny of the day, thanks.
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jenks60
MS. coast
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Joined: 10/27/2001
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Changing the wheel size will not give more weight carrying capacity. I doubt doing any thing to it will help. Economically speaking.
jenks, fulltiming with the DW.
92 Southwind P3(32) 33 ft.
99 Saturn SL2
Rallys attended-TX 2, LA 2, MS 1, AL 2
MA. 1 drop in for visit.
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