Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Thor Forums > Thor Tech Forums > Modifications and Updates
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 09-30-2014, 06:10 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
aa9zz's Avatar
 
Brand: Still Looking
Model: 2016 Newmar
State: Indiana
Posts: 323
THOR #1075
Axis/Vegas Mods...1,2,3 Go.

What mods have you done or are thinking of doing on your Axis/Vegas?

__________________
aa9zz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 06:53 PM   #2
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
So far I installed a home-brew sewer hose storage spot. The Axis doesn't really have a good spot for the sewer hose that drains and/or is outside and I didn't like the idea of just throwing a "freshly used hose" into one of the outside compartments.

Got the idea from a friend: Went to the home depot and got some plastic 4" fence post, sawed it down to fit under the chassis at the rear, painted it black, and screwed it to the frame a few feet in front of the hitch. Its only accessible from the passenger side as the generator blocks it on the other side.

Since you really can't see it unless you crawl underneath I just used an eyebolt with a nut it to secure the end. There is enough room under there to put two side-by-side for extra hose.



The original idea used a gutter as a shelf to slide in and out, but the drop side of the Axis was too low to allow the shelf to pull out enough so I just store the sewer pipe directly in the fence post pipe.




In addition to that I had my dealer install a brake controller for the hitch. Good thing I had them do that because the 7-wire plug at the hitch was wired all wrong from the factory.

I've also removed the TV attempting to put a 2nd HDMI cable in from the TV to the cabinet but the current HDMI wire is routed all over the place and I couldn't get my 2nd wire to follow. So instead I just plugged a spare Chromecast I had lying around into the empty HDMI 2 spot on the TV (also had to remove the microwave to look at the wiring). (I have pictures of this somewhere as well--most likely on my phone.)

We connect up my son's Play Station to the HDMI input to the TV and with the cabinet doors closed the PS heats up and shuts down after about an hour of use. A project I may tackle is how to add some ventilation there without changing the appearance of the cabinet.

Another thing I've had to do: When I've had the rear-passenger bed top apart to winterize and unwinterize I noticed that the generator crossover switch was just sitting there not really secured to anything. So I screwed that to the wall next to the water heater.

Next up: We've noticed that the key lock for the outside shower is really loose and it tends to pop open when driving down the road. I'm either going to replace that lock or find some other way of tightening it up so it doesn't open.
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 07:03 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Larry's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1
State: Georgia
Posts: 844
THOR #1123
What a great idea! I may have to try that also. Thanks for the picture. Will you cap it on the end or feel pretty sure it won't worm its way out on trips?
__________________
Larry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 07:16 PM   #4
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
You can't see it in the picture but there is a bolt through the holder to keep the hose in--if you look at the generator side picture I also put one there to keep the hose from hitting the generator. You can also see the bolt in the last picture above.

I put this on before we took our St. Louis trip this past summer. Everything held tight for that 1000 mile trip.
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 07:23 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
aa9zz's Avatar
 
Brand: Still Looking
Model: 2016 Newmar
State: Indiana
Posts: 323
THOR #1075
Great idea!!! I'll get the parts tomorrow.
__________________
aa9zz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 01:45 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
aa9zz's Avatar
 
Brand: Still Looking
Model: 2016 Newmar
State: Indiana
Posts: 323
THOR #1075
JamieGeek,

Have you done anything to the inside or has your wife requested any mods?
__________________
aa9zz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 01:58 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Larry's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1
State: Georgia
Posts: 844
THOR #1123
Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
You can't see it in the picture but there is a bolt through the holder to keep the hose in--if you look at the generator side picture I also put one there to keep the hose from hitting the generator. You can also see the bolt in the last picture above.

I put this on before we took our St. Louis trip this past summer. Everything held tight for that 1000 mile trip.
A smart way to contain the hose. Thanks for passing this on. Have you had any problems with the Captain's chairs? The left arm on the passenger seat in mine has come completely loose and off the seat. Going to have to figure out how to lock it back on. At First it started locking on the swivel about 3/4 way up and on our recent trip it came completely off.
__________________
Larry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 02:16 AM   #8
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
So far both captains chairs are intact and working well.

The only inside mod we've done (other than the few I mentioned earlier) is we put 3 towel hooks in the bathroom on the front wall. The 3M 5lb ones.

I did read on IRV2 today of several people who removed the bathroom door and put an accordion door on the front of the bathroom (a shame since the bathroom configuration was one of the things that sold the unit for us).
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 02:23 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Larry's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1
State: Georgia
Posts: 844
THOR #1123
I like your modification ideas. My wife would probably like the towel hook idea too. Too bad Thor didn't come up with some of those but suppose they can't think of everything.
Don't care for the accordion door on bathroom though. Like that as it stands and as you said it was a selling point for us.
__________________
Larry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 06:30 AM   #10
Moderator Emeritus
 
FW28z's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2011 Four Winds 28Z
State: Michigan
Posts: 1,273
THOR #531
I love RV projects. Nice to see that you are doing them.

You can also buy those sewer things as a commercial item. I think Valterra makes them. Probably costs more than what you can buy at Home Depot and do yourself, but it is an option for those not wanting to assemble their own.

I think though, the Valterra ones use round PVC residential sewer hose so they can cap it off with a screw on cap.

I have also seen RV'ers that use the square posts rivet the square cap onto a hinge, so the cap doesn't fall off.
__________________
The only thing that works on a RV is the owner...
FW28z is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-01-2014, 11:37 AM   #11
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
These products:
EZ Hose Carriers Archives - Valterra.com | Valterra.com

I saw one of those at campingworld just after I installed mine. I don't think those have a large enough diameter to hold my Rhino sewer hose I use, and I'm not sure the mount holes line up with the frame (that isn't that big of a deal because they could be held to the frame just like I did with some "U-Bolts").
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2014, 08:27 PM   #12
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
Here is another mod I just did to ours:
With all of our mobile devices (we have about 5 between phones, tablets, etc.) needing a place to charge there isn't enough chords, and places to put them in the camper. Over this summer we've ended up with the front two USB jacks in use with stuff on the table, and then chargers plugged into the two outlets above the couch in the slide with the phones stuck in the cupholders. Very inconvenient.

For my fix I went to Camping World and picked up this mail organizer:
Wall Mount Mail/Key Rack- Bronze - Interdesign 95870 - Racks & Holders - Camping World

Now we just put the phones in that, coil up the chords and hang them from the key hooks. As a bonus it matches the decor of our Axis:

I will probably pick up a 2nd one and put it on the other side of the slide/couch as well.
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-06-2014, 11:08 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
aa9zz's Avatar
 
Brand: Still Looking
Model: 2016 Newmar
State: Indiana
Posts: 323
THOR #1075
JamieG,

You have a wealth of information as well as resources to share with other Axis and Vegas owners. I can’t wait for mine to arrive so I can put some of your mods into use as well share some that I may come up with.

Thank you for your help.
__________________
aa9zz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2014, 12:41 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
aa9zz's Avatar
 
Brand: Still Looking
Model: 2016 Newmar
State: Indiana
Posts: 323
THOR #1075
Has anyone made a screen room from Axis/Vegas awning?
__________________
aa9zz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2014, 12:53 AM   #15
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
We haven't. For reference the awning is a Carefree Eclipse:
Carefree Eclipse Patio Awning
(Well at least ours is).
They do offer a room as an accessory:
http://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/ca...&categoryid=32
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2014, 11:47 AM   #16
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
Update: I've since picked up a second "envelope basket" and installed it on the other side of the slide to even things up (and have more spots for mobile charging).

You can see the outlets on the underside of the storage at each end.
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2014, 09:02 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
aa9zz's Avatar
 
Brand: Still Looking
Model: 2016 Newmar
State: Indiana
Posts: 323
THOR #1075
I pick mine up tomorrow, then a ten day excursion. I may need to call you Jamie, if I get into trouble with the new unit.

Phil
__________________
aa9zz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2014, 10:01 PM   #18
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
LOL Hopefully you'll be just fine. I would examine the right rear mudflap before you drive away. Check that it isn't pliable enough to hit the exhaust pipe (as that seems to have happened more than once on here and IRV2).

So far for us, knock on wood, we haven't had anything major. Hopefully your experience is as good if not better (heck you are picking it up from the plant right??).
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-14-2014, 10:34 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
aa9zz's Avatar
 
Brand: Still Looking
Model: 2016 Newmar
State: Indiana
Posts: 323
THOR #1075
I purchased it at Tom Raper in Richmond, IN. Thanks for the heads up on the mud flap.
__________________
aa9zz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2014, 11:27 PM   #20
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
Got the mud flap weights put on. A pretty easy install. Just line them up, punch some holes, slide the plates on either side, and finally tighten up the nuts. The only real difficulty is that there isn't a whole lot of ground clearance below the Axis/Vega which makes it hard to crawl around underneath. I just eyeballed them for alignment--as long as they are close to horizontal I'm happy (since due to the low ground clearance its really hard to see them anyway). The net now is that if the passenger side one does hit the exhaust pipe the stainless steel weight will hit it, not the rubber. (Note that the mudflaps aren't even close to being cut at a right angle. I think they just have a spool of the stuff and a guy with a knife cuts it off using a "oh about this much" method.)


__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Thor Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.




All times are GMT. The time now is 09:45 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2