Jump to content

Toyota Granville


Recommended Posts

I Never see a Toyota Granville for sale! An Amazing rig. Build quality of the coach is Incredible. Does anyone here own one? Am I the only one LOL?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't, but the  87 Nova Star is the same and it's fiberglass with a 9 leaf spring pack and a dually rear with 6 bolt wheels all around I think they only made them one year. Really miss mine but when I retired I needed to reduce the fleet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Maineah your Nova Star is my Favorite Toyota RV! My Granville is not solid fiberglass. Wish it was!  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Just did No results within 1000 miles from me!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

According to NADA the Granville on the Toyota chassis was only made for 2 years, 86 and 87. So few made would explain your not seeing many now. Good chance half of them are no longer on the road for various reasons

Linda S

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Linda! Didn’t know that. Your always a wealth of knowledge Miss!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

I just bought a Granville. :) 

1984 Toyota with 1985 Granville, I think. The owner had no information, has had for just two years. In above post it says they were made just 1986/87? I'm pretty sure mine is an '85.  Interior is amazing. Even the bathroom sink cabinet is beautiful!
 

I would sure appreciate any information about it. No manual, just one for the truck.


Was able to get liability coverage today (upon calling third company.) I'll title tomorrow, then schedule the axle repair.  Other than the five-lug, it's pretty sweet.

I couldn't be happier!

Edited by Jill
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sue Awesome! I just sold my beloved 1985 Toyota Granville to Ben and Amy. Incredible build in the coach! Mine had the door in front. PM me with any questions you may have as I know this rig inside and out! Would love to see interior pictures. Best and Welcome!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

Hi all. I'm brand new to this forum - and frankly - brand new to this whole motor home thing. I realize this is an older thread but I didn't feel right coming in as a newbie and starting a brand new one. 

Yesterday we just purchased a 1986 Granville with 84k miles on it. I believe I'm the third owner and it's recently been sitting for a couple years. But, with a new battery, it started right up and handled the 50+ mile voyage home from where we purchased it without issue. Me, my wife and young son (and crazy small dog) are looking forward to having many adventures in this thing.

Candidly, this whole thing happened pretty fast. Between stumbling upon this in a 'fresh' Craigslist post and buying the flippin' thing I did my best to do some exhaustive research on it - but am realizing just how much I don't know. Which is hilariously a lot. I've dug around a little bit to try and find a manual for this (or something similar) online and, so far, have come up empty. But I'm realizing here there might be quite a few people here who at least know the general guts of the actual "RV" part in these forums. I don't suppose anyone might be willing to orient me on what is what? What to look out for with the onboard systems? Which things should totally be fixed right away and which things are lower priority? Haha, I'm basically looking for not only "RV 101" but "Toyota RV 101". So. I'm either your worst nightmare, or an exciting opportunity for you to mold and enlighten. I like to think I'm a fast learner. But. Pretty much everyone thinks that, right? 

This weekend we're going to clean it out ( the former owner wasn't concerned about the random stuff left in side, and the cupboards are full of...random stuff. Although I did discover a flat screen TV there's a mount for in one of the kitchen seats yesterday. Score!), and I was going to do my initial fiddle with the water system and such (the electric works and the rooftop AC pumps cold air). But I figure before I do that I should have at least some idea of what I'm doing and what I should be looking for. Anyone have any guiding principles for this era?
 

2109657814_meandtheboy.jpg.e4bb92179fd5133312a54730df0a8587.jpg

 

front.jpg.2df6e32aa58405bdff9f58a60d9820a7.jpg

 

driverSide.jpg.d9ba6d6134bcafce9db28466dd60df68.jpg

 

rear.jpg.1610365880b25be1ff63be78e72c992d.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only thing I can offer to the Granville is a brochure. Sorry about the poor quality but it's the best/only I've found.

 

I've yet to come across an Owners Manual that really gives more than a general idea of how things work. I'll attach ones for a Dolphin and Winnebago.

 

The Owners Manuals for the pieces of equipment is what you want. Look here:- http://bryantrv.com/owners.html

 

And of course there's always Google and Youtube.

 

Note:= Your 1986 will have LH thread lug nuts on the driver's side, rear only.

 

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg

4.jpg

1993 Dolphin Owners Manual.pdf 88 Winnebago-Itasca Owners Manual.pdf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This in and of itself is amazing and super helpful. And, sure, low quality, but I very much enjoy seeing this brochure. It's super fun to see it in 'new mode'. Thank you for that. 


And thank you so much for those manuals. Helps me so much to get oriented.
 

33 minutes ago, Derek up North said:

Note:= Your 1986 will have LH thread lug nuts on the driver's side, rear only.


Aaaaand also. Thank you for this tip. I'll admit. I had to google to understand what it meant (I'm clearly not a mechanic, and may be an idiot, but I'm learning :). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/29/2020 at 1:37 PM, Derek up North said:

They don't know about it and end up shearing off your lugs with their mighty rattle guns!

 

This. Makes tons of sense. Thank you so much. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome to these forums. You will find a wealth of information in the archives as well as from the many knowledgeable members. Not meaning to hijack your thread but I have a question regarding Derek's recent advice. I have an '85 Rogue. Does the lefthanded thread advice apply to our vehicle too?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, Rogue Runner said:

 I have an '85 Rogue. Does the lefthanded thread advice apply to our vehicle too?

 

An '85 would have had a 5 lug axle. Assuming yours has been changed to a 6 lug FF axle, you could technically have either. Odds are it's NOT an '86 axle with LH threads and 6 hand-hole rims since they were 1 year only use.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Derek up North said:

 

An '85 would have had a 5 lug axle. Assuming yours has been changed to a 6 lug FF axle, you could technically have either. Odds are it's NOT an '86 axle with LH threads and 6 hand-hole rims since they were 1 year only use.

Yes, it has the 6-lug axle. I think it came that way from the Rogue coach factory (i.e. no paperwork axle was ever changed). So, the only way to tell is for me to try removing wheel?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is a 1 ton axle. The axle is bolted to the wheel hub with a 1/2 ton the wheel is bolted to the axle. I cant remark on the hand holds but I believe they were more than one manufacture of 6 bolt wheels if it fits it ships. The latter Toyotas had 6 bolt wheels but only a 1/2 axle. The true description of a 1 ton is a "full floating axle". 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So sorry for hijacking this thread. The original poster should check his axle. It appears from his pictures that he may have the infamous 5-lug axle. Am I seeing correctly?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I say I think there were different 6 bolt wheels so any thing goes as long as it fits it really does not matter your axle is a 1 ton unit and I don't believe they were used in 86 so it most likely was changed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Rogue Runner said:

So sorry for hijacking this thread. The original poster should check his axle. It appears from his pictures that he may have the infamous 5-lug axle. Am I seeing correctly?

The clue is the center, the bolts on the center are for a removable axle as in 1 ton. He is how it works the original axle a one bearing it was on the end of the axle that is where the problem was. The wheel was bolted to the axle not the hub as in the one ton. The axle flange was not strong enough for the weight and they snapped off right at the flange so you lost the wheel and the flange still nicely bolted together. The one ton hub had two bearings that held the weight the axle just drove the hub it is the end of the axle you see with the small nuts holding it to the hub it does not support any weight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...

Greetings, hope this finds this you all well and good spirits!

Looks like there haven’t been much activity here for a bit. Is this thread still active?

I am the lucky new owner of a 1986 Grandville Meadow in excellent condition, with 27k original miles. Have read all previous posts here, but would appreciate any advice on any aspect of owning this classic. 
Thanks for checking this, I’m excited about the adventure that lies ahead!

☮️

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Help I bought a 1986 Toyota Granville. The brakes failed on me while driving down a 13 mile mountain pass in New Mexico and I ended up in a ditch next to someone’s driveway. Thankfully i think I can get her back on the road but I’m just trying to make sure I can get the proper brakes for her. If anyone knew what parts are required for me to get my Granville back on the road that would be huge since I live out of my rv full time. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did they fail because they overheated,  have a  hydraulic failure or just wore out due to lack of maintenance??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok first thing is no more mountains 🤡

Real starting point is NEW rotors and HD brake pads. Ceramic pads and new rotors run $150 and up at Rockauto. Your looking for a set for Toyota 1986 DRW pickup.

IF you have the REAL 1 ton rear axle, if you have doolies then a normal 1/2 pickup

Next is very important the "Engine,Transmission, Drive line section" of the forum has a LONG post titled "Load Sensing Proportional Valve"... This is a very important read.

The factory pickup has a brake bias valve on the rear axle. It thinks your driving an empty pickup so, to stop rear wheel skids, it shifts most of the brake effort to the front.

BUT you have a full MH so you need to fool the valve into thinking you have a fully loaded pickup so it shifts more brake to the rear wheels. With the weight of your house and dual rear wheels you can't shift to much brake effort to the rear. In fact if you read the post about the valve you will find owners who removed the valve completely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did you have any fluid left? Just overheating would leave you with some brake after cooling. No brakes at all mean no fluid. Might need wheel cylinders. You won't know how many till you get in there

Linda S

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, WME said:

Ok first thing is no more mountains 🤡

Real starting point is NEW rotors and HD brake pads. Ceramic pads and new rotors run $150 and up at Rockauto. Your looking for a set for Toyota 1986 DRW pickup.

IF you have the REAL 1 ton rear axle, if you have doolies then a normal 1/2 pickup

Next is very important the "Engine,Transmission, Drive line section" of the forum has a LONG post titled "Load Sensing Proportional Valve"... This is a very important read.

The factory pickup has a brake bias valve on the rear axle. It thinks your driving an empty pickup so, to stop rear wheel skids, it shifts most of the brake effort to the front.

BUT you have a full MH so you need to fool the valve into thinking you have a fully loaded pickup so it shifts more brake to the rear wheels. With the weight of your house and dual rear wheels you can't shift to much brake effort to the rear. In fact if you read the post about the valve you will find owners who removed the valve completely.

Okay so I know nothing about Cars or RV's and I'm just getting my feet wet I'm a 26 year old kid from Connecticut. That being said I'm super appreciative of the insight you've managed to give me thank you!

That being said what kind of traffic do I need to restrict this motorhome to? 

 

- So I'm looking for a 1/2 pickup then because its 4 in the back and two in the front. Also how do I navigate this rock auto site I feel like such a noob. is this the right section? 

 

- Okay awesome ill read that now. that's good to know. really thank you so much. 

 

- I think I may have just put too much continuous stress on the motorhome I was planning on driving it from Connecticut to Los Angeles over 15 days and this happened on the 12th day. 

 

 

 

 

 

Screen Shot 2023-05-27 at 11.14.04 PM.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, linda s said:

Did you have any fluid left? Just overheating would leave you with some brake after cooling. No brakes at all mean no fluid. Might need wheel cylinders. You won't know how many till you get in there

Linda S

I get it checked out at the shop Tuesday. they'll tell me. I'm just concerned they'll tell me they can't find the parts so I'm trying to source them ahead of time to solve any potential hiccups. so what are all the components of the brakes that could potentially need to be replaced (just incase)? and then can I source all of them off rock auto? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...