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Old 07-25-2017, 10:54 AM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: challenger 37YT
State: Michigan
Posts: 247
THOR #6874
Hood won't stay closed

I have a 2017 Challenger 37YT and the hood won't stay shut as long as the struts are hooked up. The hood popped open the day I brought it home, so I unhooked the struts and bungeed the hook . I added it to the repair list. Took the coach back to the dealer and all seemed fine afterwards with no incidents with the hood. I went to check to oil and low and behold the tech removed them !
I had to return the coach for a couple more repairs and I asked him what good reason would the tech have for removing the struts completely because obviously they were originally installed at the build. It confused him also so he had another pair put back on.
On the trip home, up comes the hood again.
I called General and told them that the dog ears on the latches obviously weren't long enough to stay inside the slot brackets. He said they have a machine shop Down the road and they'd have some longer one made up.
I told him from the first incident that was the solution but the tech ignored it.
Looks like I unhook the struts again because really, who needs the excitement of a hood coming up in heavy traffic driving a 24,000 motor home down the road ?

A lot of unhappy customers in the waiting room waiting for stupid repairs that should've been caught before sending it down the road. ( leaking holding tanks, drain traps not hooked up, burned out lighting etc)

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Old 07-25-2017, 11:09 AM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2017 Windsport 29M
State: Indiana
Posts: 3,692
THOR #5196
The hood mechanism is pretty standard on numerous different coaches, I don't understand why yours need longer latching tabs? I've made several adjustments to our hood to get a better fit and the tabs are more than long enough to engage the slots.
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Old 07-25-2017, 11:25 AM   #3
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: challenger 37YT
State: Michigan
Posts: 247
THOR #6874
They tried adjusting and nothing seems to work. I'm going to see if the slot brackets will move.
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Old 07-25-2017, 11:34 AM   #4
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2017 Windsport 29M
State: Indiana
Posts: 3,692
THOR #5196
There are numerous adjustments to make. There are four bolts the adjust the closure mechanism, on at the top and bottom on each side. After you get the closure adjusted then you will probably need to adjust the depth of the tab on the threaded rod from the lock, it's trial and error. I did remove ONE of the struts on the hood, mine were so strong I had a hard time getting it closed, opens and closes much easier now.
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Old 07-25-2017, 11:43 AM   #5
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: challenger 37YT
State: Michigan
Posts: 247
THOR #6874
I'll give that a shot, thanks.
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Old 07-25-2017, 11:51 AM   #6
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: challenger 37YT
State: Michigan
Posts: 247
THOR #6874
I watched the tech close the hood after showing me the struts and he pushed really hard to get it to latch. To the point where you can see an indentation at the key mechanism.
How tight should the latches be ?
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Old 07-25-2017, 12:10 PM   #7
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2017 Windsport 29M
State: Indiana
Posts: 3,692
THOR #5196
Quote:
Originally Posted by rick kirby View Post
I watched the tech close the hood after showing me the struts and he pushed really hard to get it to latch. To the point where you can see an indentation at the key mechanism.
How tight should the latches be ?

The latches should be snug to prevent movement of the hood. After closing the hood and when turning the latches I usually have my shoulder against the hood but I'm not pressing hard.
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Old 07-25-2017, 12:29 PM   #8
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: challenger 37YT
State: Michigan
Posts: 247
THOR #6874
I went out and loosened the two bolts that hold the slot bracket and tried to move in inward. Wouldn't budge. Took the struts off and I'll let them deal with it when they do the other work. My luck hasn't been very good lately and I don't want to mess something up. I know something is moving in there to allow those tabs to come out of the slots, and he had it so there was a LOT of pressure on that latch.
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Old 07-25-2017, 12:33 PM   #9
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2017 Windsport 29M
State: Indiana
Posts: 3,692
THOR #5196
The hood is thin fiberglass so you don't want a lot of pressure on the latches, vibration will eventually cause the glass to crack. I think at this point I would let the dealer fix the problem but I would certainly check the operation before leaving.
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Old 07-25-2017, 12:54 PM   #10
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: challenger 37YT
State: Michigan
Posts: 247
THOR #6874
Will do.
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