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09-23-2017, 05:43 PM
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#1
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: North Carolina
Posts: 36
THOR #8987
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tire alignment
is it necessary to get an tire alignment before you take a trip on a new 2018 vega or wait until you get home after a trip of a couple hundred miles ?
thanks
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09-23-2017, 06:26 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 37LS outlaw
State: New Jersey
Posts: 516
THOR #5248
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My 2017 class c did not feel right as soon as I drove it off the lot. On the first outing I checked the tires at a rest area and the passenger tire was warmer then the drivers. When I returned home got an alignment Sure enough it was out of specs. Ford does an alignment check when leaving the factory. Then Thor adds the body. Thor doesn't re check it On ford class c's. You want to have it aligned with as much. Caster as possible and still be in specs. Not sure about your unit being on a f53 chassis ( I think).
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09-23-2017, 06:31 PM
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#3
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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If you are talking about the front end alignment you're probably ok with a few hundred miles (unless its really noticeable--e.g. it pulls left or right).
You'll want to get it done before any really long trips, however.
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09-23-2017, 07:27 PM
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#4
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
Posts: 62
THOR #8845
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieGeek
If you are talking about the front end alignment you're probably ok with a few hundred miles (unless its really noticeable--e.g. it pulls left or right).
You'll want to get it done before any really long trips, however.
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Where are good places to get an alignment? Our dealer is not dependable. We are in Michigan right now.
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09-23-2017, 07:30 PM
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#5
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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Quote:
Originally Posted by edanddonna
Where are good places to get an alignment? Our dealer is not dependable. We are in Michigan right now.
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We took ours to a Goodyear Commercial Tire Service Center for the alignment.
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09-23-2017, 07:31 PM
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#6
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
Posts: 62
THOR #8845
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Thank you I appreciate the information.
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09-23-2017, 07:35 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: S.O.B.
State: California
Posts: 1,368
THOR #3483
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Find yourself a reputable truck alignment/RV alignment shop in your area. Most of our Ford dealers in SoCal cannot handle alignments on RVs. By the way, I can almost guarantee your new Vegas needs an alignment and I would not wait to get it done. It is just a sad fact that most RVs seem to go to the new owner with suspension needs including the alignment so that they are comfortable to drive. I see brand new rigs at our local RV service shop getting new shocks, sway bars, sumo springs, Saf-T-Plus, etc., etc.... Just imagine if the auto industry sold new cars that way....
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09-23-2017, 08:21 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2023 Jayco Precept 31UL
State: Florida
Posts: 2,914
THOR #1589
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Go ahead with your trip if you can't get the alignment done before. Most have noticed a marked improvement in handling with this service.
It is suggested that you load the coach as you would travel, with your "stuff" and water and fuel.
Few dealers are equipped to do alignment. That your dealer is "not dependable" is not a huge surprise. You need to know that you can take your Thor coach to a different Thor dealer for warranty work. The dealer that gave us the best deal on our new Vegas from was a thousand miles from our home. We had warranty work performed by three different dealers during that first year. Let your fingers do the walking to find one that will work you in, most service departments seem to be overwhelmed.
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Life is better when you cry a little, laugh a lot, and are thankful for everything you've got!
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09-23-2017, 11:47 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Vegas 25.2
State: Missouri
Posts: 1,038
THOR #4687
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JamieGeek
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Glad to hear you say that. Goodyear I'd where we take ours.
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09-24-2017, 06:32 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 25.4
State: California
Posts: 28
THOR #6892
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I thought I'd wait with our 2017 Axis...went from southern California to Minnesota and the alignment went from good, to really bad. Took it to a truck center who specializes in alignments and it was well worth the money. Drove it about another 4,000 miles with no issues. I didn't realize how difficult it was to drive prior to the alignment (I just thought it was wind/road conditions/large vehicle) now I drive it one handed with ease. So my recommendation it get it done as soon as you can 👍
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09-24-2017, 01:09 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1 Windjammer
State: Illinois
Posts: 1,179
THOR #7074
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I have to agree. You're going to get one done sooner or later if you get it done first at least you'll know if something else needs attention other than the alignment.
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Rev. Jeffrey 2017 Thor Axis 24.1 E450 Windjammer.
Silver Safe-T-Plus Steering Control
SSF-106-40 SumoSprings Solo Front Bump Stop SSR-107-47 SumoSprings Rear Bump Stop
Hellwig 7718 Front Sway Bar & 7180 Rear Sway Bar
Koni FSD Front Shocks 8805-1042 / Koni FSD Rear Shocks 8805-1043
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09-24-2017, 03:06 PM
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#12
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Vegas 24.1
State: Missouri
Posts: 59
THOR #5711
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For Axis / Vegas give your alignment specialist the exact spec for optimal handling. The factory spec is a range and you'll have better handling at a specific setting in the range. If I recall correctly you want to have 2 degrees positive caster. There have been past threads on this so check out what has been posted for the specs previously.
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2017 Thor Vegas 24.1
Safe T Plus, SumoSprings Front and Rear
Hellwig Sway Bars Front and Rear
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09-27-2017, 01:51 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2013 31L
State: Florida
Posts: 2,183
THOR #908
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if it makes you feel any better.... your coach would have been driven from Indiana to your dealer, so a few more miles won't likely matter all that much except for driver comfort.
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09-27-2017, 04:07 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Challenger 37TB
State: California
Posts: 20
THOR #5906
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I lived this experience in person. Dealer never told us about getting it re-aligned after purchasing it and ended up having to buy new front tires and get an alignment while 1,500 miles from home. Good thing I caught it though. Its funny how when you call the dealer back and they say ford aligns the chassis from the factory but no one at Thor re-aligns the coach after the finish putting the motor home on top of the ford chassis. Then proceed to drive from Indiana to California with the coach never being aligned with all the weight on a chassis that was only aligned a basically just a frame and no weight on it. Long story short get it aligned asap.
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09-27-2017, 05:48 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: S.O.B.
State: California
Posts: 1,368
THOR #3483
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rcmark
I lived this experience in person. Dealer never told us about getting it re-aligned after purchasing it and ended up having to buy new front tires and get an alignment while 1,500 miles from home. Good thing I caught it though. Its funny how when you call the dealer back and they say ford aligns the chassis from the factory but no one at Thor re-aligns the coach after the finish putting the motor home on top of the ford chassis. Then proceed to drive from Indiana to California with the coach never being aligned with all the weight on a chassis that was only aligned a basically just a frame and no weight on it. Long story short get it aligned asap.
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Totally agree. Don't think those contractors that drove mine from Indiana to CA gave a rats behind about anything other than collecting their money, let alone how it drove....
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09-27-2017, 06:34 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Vegas 24.1
State: North Carolina
Posts: 184
THOR #6877
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Quote:
Originally Posted by edanddonna
Where are good places to get an alignment? Our dealer is not dependable. We are in Michigan right now.
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Bill Brown Ford in Livonia is a fleet truck service center. They did my alignment on 2018 Vegas 24.1 and they do great work, very trustworthy and I highly recommend them. (They service RVs, DTE service trucks, school buses etc.
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09-27-2017, 07:04 PM
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#17
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Tennessee
Posts: 62
THOR #8845
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Quote:
Originally Posted by croused
Bill Brown Ford in Livonia is a fleet truck service center. They did my alignment on 2018 Vegas 24.1 and they do great work, very trustworthy and I highly recommend them. (They service RVs, DTE service trucks, school buses etc.
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Thank you! That is where I will call!
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09-28-2017, 12:29 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 25.2
State: Florida
Posts: 361
THOR #4466
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Before going to the trouble of finding a shop and getting an alignment, check your air pressure. This was brought home to me on my last trip. The rv had been in the shop at CW and drove fine when I picked it up. Leaving a few days later the steering wheel was not centered and it pulled to the left. Not terrible but tiring and aggravating. Front end alignment? Did I hit something? This is going to cost me! That was my first thought as the Axis is out of warranty. Checking the air pressure I found one front tire 5lbs lighter that the other. Evened out the tire pressures and problem solved. Drives like a dream once again. Sometimes it's the simple things.
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Dennis and Pam
2021 Casita Independence Deluxe
2019 Honda Ridgeline AWD
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09-28-2017, 12:43 PM
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#19
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Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wonderdog
Before going to the trouble of finding a shop and getting an alignment, check your air pressure. This was brought home to me on my last trip. The rv had been in the shop at CW and drove fine when I picked it up. Leaving a few days later the steering wheel was not centered and it pulled to the left. Not terrible but tiring and aggravating. Front end alignment? Did I hit something? This is going to cost me! That was my first thought as the Axis is out of warranty. Checking the air pressure I found one front tire 5lbs lighter that the other. Evened out the tire pressures and problem solved. Drives like a dream once again. Sometimes it's the simple things.
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If its never had an alignment it should get one regardless of the air pressures in the tires.
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