6K mile road trip report

[naturescott49]

We bought at 2017 Thor ACE 29.3 the end of October and have now really worn-in the new rig. First trip was just a 2-nighter locally, but that was followed by 17 nights on a trip from Atlanta to the Florida panhandle. We just got back from a 31-day, 5,676 mile trip across 10 states from Georgia to California and back.

Issues? None to speak of. We had several things right off the bat, but got them taken care of before the long trip.

The door striker plate needed adjustment, but when they did that, the two short square drive bolts that hold it work loose. On the long trip, one of them disappeared, the other almost locked us in as it was backing out and getting jammed. Make sure you have some square-head drivers! A little lock-tite should take care of that.

Wind noise was significant, until my wife perchance unlocked her sliding window. The instant she did that, wind noise disappeared! We do have a rather penetrating high pitched whistle that she can't hear. I can. Gotta get that taken care of.

We drove on some bumpy roads that loosened the 12 volt system's fuses. Make sure you have a pair of needle nose pliers to pull them out or push them in, and get a set of extra fuses while you're at it.

Our electric heater and coffee pot don't play well with each other when on the same circuit and blow the breaker. I have to think about this when plugging in the heater.

The gas cap is not lockable, so we bought a locking one. With 80 gallons, that's a big deal to protect. Bummer that it adds yet another key to the chain!

The main cabin lights are so bright that they become an issue for some when just lounging around. Is there a dimmer that can be placed in one of the switches? When working/cooking/washing, the bright lights are great.

We averaged 9.5 miles per gallon and I'm actually quite pleased with that. Lots of talk on the forums about the rough ride of the Ford F53 chassis, but I have nothing to complain about. I love the way it drives, even in heavy wind where it handled way better than I was expecting.

All-in-all we still love the coach. This trip was intense enough to give it a workout and it passed very nicely. It fits our needs nicely, and the 30 foot length was great for all the state and national parks we stayed in.

Just wanted a positive word on Thor as I've read lots of not so positive.

[SuperD]

Sounds like you had a Great time!


Sliding window on passenger side of our coach whistled too. I sprayed the felt with silicone spray and slid the window back and forth, slammed it closed a few times to seat it in the felt better, no more whistle and wife says it moves easier now. Did drivers side the same way.


I keep saying I'm going to buy a locking gas cap but haven't done it yet, going to hate losing the tether.

[Muggs]

Sounds like it was fun and the ACE behaved. Is good news. We are looking forward to long trips in Vegas.

[mrw]

Great report on your cross country trip. We are planning one this year. We own a 2016 ACE 29.3 which had same high pitch whistle. Ours was the grill. Notified our dealer which in turn notified Thor. They sent us a wire mesh that I installed on backside of grill. Easy fix. Also you may check your furnace outside vent door. The louvers on some were stamped upside down which lets water run in directly on furnace circuit board.