Check your cargo bay door panels

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by greenjeans1412

I see that I'm not the only Challenger with this issue. I consider myself out of warranty so I will attempt to fix myself (2017 37TB). Clear gorilla tape is holding it on for now, but starting to look like heck....does anyone have any permanent solution suggestions? Thanks

Why don’t you just buy a new door from Winnebago?

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by captmetal

bob he is not stalking you! But working on becoming a #$%%^&

you have always been nice and helpfull

Thanks for the kind words.
The poor guy seems upset about something as meaningless as a post count.
Spyderlovers.com is a much more active forum with well over 25,000 members. There's just a lot more people talking...

[Tony&Sheryl]

Originally Posted by Georger

With 89,000 posts on the Spyder forum and already 3,000 on this one, Bob needs to find something else to entertain himself. I have it, how about taking a vacation in the RV.

Agree

[Maxjr758]

Originally Posted by greenjeans1412

I see that I'm not the only Challenger with this issue. I consider myself out of warranty so I will attempt to fix myself (2017 37TB). Clear gorilla tape is holding it on for now, but starting to look like heck....does anyone have any permanent solution suggestions? Thanks

I found another door Debonding while at the dealership, they took it off, took it to their body shop, completely debonded it, and reattached it with Panel Bond. I have considered using a half inch strip of stainless attached with Stainless Steel self drilling screws, or just the screws themselves, among the Leading Edge of each baggage/basement door, as the Debonding seems to start along the Leading Edge.
In talking with Thor, I've found out they buy the doors from MISHAWAKA SHEET METAL, and It looks like that's where the problem is !
Thor also said they would not replace the doors, and I was welcome to contact MISHAWAKA SHEET METAL myself ! ! !
In understand it's out of warranty, by Four months, but this is a serious, maybe even deadly problem, that needs to be addressed, regardless of if myself, or any of the growing numbers of people having this issue get our doors fixed, before someone is killed, or Injured in an accident caused by a flying door panel !
Thinking about calling a couple of local News Stations to see if they would be interested in shedding some light on the problem !

[greenjeans1412]

I have two doors now partially debonded. Thankful that the panels aren't damaged. Love the Gorilla tape but as noted by others , starting to look like heck. This is an overall design flaw, not enough bonding surface and the lead edge of the door should be bent back on itself, then folded back to provide an edge that can be riveted to the inside panel. Not sure what I'm gonna do to fix this other than try out the Gorilla Epoxy . ( fingers crossed)

[Yaktop]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

I was just trying to give a bit of what I thought was decent advice...

But some folks like to start fights: that's their problem, and not mine!

Should be a like button on posts

[Bob Denman]

There is a "Thanks" button...

[funmoneypit]

Well I am glad the OP posted this a second time. I did not see the first post. I have a Miramar which is a cousin so I will be checking mine once I get it back. It is at the dealer for the 6th time in 10 months. I still have 2 months of warranty so want to catch it before it runs out.

Does anyone know if the Miramar and the Challenger share the same doors?

[Yaktop]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

There is a "Thanks" button...

Not that I see? 🤷*♂️

[Bob Denman]

http://www.thorforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1559254786

[cpmath]

Capt Metal, that's the exact formula I came up with to deciper the stress level. Good job. And Bob, I was thinking the same thing about multiple posts, you just beat me to it.

[Yaktop]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

http://www.thorforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1559254786

Guess not viewable on a phone.

[Bob Denman]

That's probably what's happening...

[K0LCB]

Originally Posted by Maxjr758

Is there a limit?
I sure wish I'd know of this potential before I dolled out the bucks, I'd probably went to a different manufacturer ! And I sure wouldn't have to deal with Someone Trolling my posts !

I have noticed that even million dollar units have problems.

[Maxjr758]

UPDATE:
Received a email from Mishawaka Sheet Metal, Manufacturers of the basement doors for Thor that stated they are aware that there was a group of doors manufacturered using a bad batch of glue, that was causing problems with debonding and separation, after a period of time. And that several had been repaired through Thor's Warranty Program.
I filed a report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and included this email, along with several pictures of the separated door, and the other one I found coming loose .
About 2 months later I get a email from Thor asking me to call Customer Service, I did and was told that "Mishawaka Sheet Metal has agreed to responded to there inquiry about the doors", and that I would be getting a check for the allowed amount of the repair. In a few day I got a check from THOR for a little over 3/4 of what we paid out of pocket for the door Repair.
So far no more doors coming loose, but I check them before each trip.
Last 4 trips we have had 0 issues other than the Remco Aquajet variable speed water pump won't quite completely shut off. We just turn the pump on and off with the switch.
We don't Boondock so not to much of an issue.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Thor RV Forum mobile app

[Bob Denman]

GREAT news! Congratulations!

[Maxjr758]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

GREAT news! Congratulations!

Thanks !
Sorry about the Troll back and forth ! No excuse, but I was quite stressed at that time, thinking I had made a huge mistake buying this coach!
Seem to have gotten all the Gremlins chased out, including finding the power wires for the windshield wipers plugged in backwards, causing the wipers to work only on lowww and only after you searched for a spot that they actually came on. A CW tech found that in about 20 minutes, turned the plug the correct way, they've worked correctly since. And a since then the front power shade has worked correctly as well. It used to loose programming after about 3 uses.
My theory on that is the Incorrect wiring on the wipers, caused a glitch in the system that caused the shade to loose programming.

[Bob Denman]

Fahgetabowtit...
No harm done, and my hide is thick enough to stop anything short of an insult to my Missus...

[jbl7777]

Maxjr758 I just found this thread after experiencing the same problem with a 2017 Thor Challenger 36TL. I contacted Thor citing some of the info you posted on Mishawaka Sheet Metal and the bad glue but their only response was to tell me it was out of warranty which I knew already. I believe a manufactures' defect that is a potentially dangerous road hazard should have extended coverage. Did you get any other info from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or anyone else I could use?
I was able to tape up the worst panel and make it home without further damage or loss of the panel. I'll be taking it in for repairs soon.
Thanks, Jerry

[sroyer]

As an update to my door problem, I ended up having all 15 doors taken apart and re-applied using panel bond. ended up costing almost 5K, including a repaint of the first door that bent back. I sent several letters to Thor, and they were forwarded to their design team. Don't know if they changed the way they are put together with double sided tape.