2017 Axis chassis

[EA37TS]

I was watching a you tube video yesterday where a dealer was describing a newly arrived Axis. He mentioned it was on the Ford E350. Did Thor go back to the E350 for 2017 or is this another case of a dealer not knowing the units they are selling?

[DocMike]

Dave,


I was at the CW in Statesville Friday and was talking with the salesman that sold us our 2016. He said all the ones they are getting in are on the E450...he liked the extra towing and weight capacities.


We stopped at another Dealership today in Kings Mountain (they were having a pre-Memorial Day Sale) as they had several Vegas's on the lot and only the one older 24.2 was on an E350.


Maybe the Video man needs an updated script.


Doc

[Chance]

Originally Posted by DocMike

....cut....

Maybe the Video man needs an updated script.


Doc

Or maybe Thor needs to update their product information.

[Dbeskan]

how can you tell if a 350 or 450 chassis? on the engine? inside somewhere? i don't want to take anyone's word and i seem to have an Ace's manuals ad not my Axis manuals!
thanks

[fhenn]

The vin on it should tell you

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Dbeskan

how can you tell if a 350 or 450 chassis? on the engine? inside somewhere? i don't want to take anyone's word and i seem to have an Ace's manuals ad not my Axis manuals!
thanks

Decode the VIN. The Thor owner's manual is not model specific and includes all class A gas models. It is rather generic in that manner.

[vkb]

Originally Posted by Dbeskan

how can you tell if a 350 or 450 chassis? on the engine? inside somewhere? i don't want to take anyone's word and i seem to have an Ace's manuals ad not my Axis manuals!
thanks

The window sticker shows that info as well as the VIN

[Chance]

If you have a good eye for dimensions, and are casually walking around a lot and want to quickly know whether it's an E-350 or E-450, you can see the difference at the rear wheels.

The narrower 94-inch body of the Axis/Vegas was likely designed for the narrower track width of the E-350. When Thor switched to the wider E-450 chassis, the rear tires clearly stick out beyond the body. I can spot the difference easily.

Obviously if knowing is important it has to be verified through VIN.

[gentilebrian]

Punch the VIN number into this site and it will tell you everything you need to know.

VIN Decoder - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

[TerryJames]

My understanding is that during last year There were some problems with the F350 Stripped Chassis.
A few of the other RV manufacturers had enough E350 chassis on hand to keep producing till the problem was solved. For a time, Thor had to switch to E450s to keep producing and are perhaps returning to E350s now. We stayed in touch with the Thor plant to be able to “pull the trigger” on our recent new purchase to get a E450 chassis on the first batch of the 2017 Axis 25.2 models. (Ours does have a 2016 VIN E450 chassis on a 2017 VIN 25.2 Coach.)
So there will be some new 2016s and some new 2017s with E450s and some with E350s. However, I’m led to believe they are going back to E350s on the 2017 models. Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
James

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by TerryJames

My understanding is that during last year There were some problems with the F350 Stripped Chassis.
A few of the other RV manufacturers had enough E350 chassis on hand to keep producing till the problem was solved. For a time, Thor had to switch to E450s to keep producing and are perhaps returning to E350s now. We stayed in touch with the Thor plant to be able to “pull the trigger” on our recent new purchase to get a E450 chassis on the first batch of the 2017 Axis 25.2 models. (Ours does have a 2016 VIN E450 chassis on a 2017 VIN 25.2 Coach.)
So there will be some new 2016s and some new 2017s with E450s and some with E350s. However, I’m led to believe they are going back to E350s on the 2017 models. Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
James

Wow! That is really interesting and good information to know if you are in the market for a 2017. I have a 2016 Axis 24.1 on a 450 chassis and I can tell the difference in ride and steering from my 2014 Vegas 24.1. I like the 450 and would look hard to get one, if I were in the market for. 2017. There had also been some discussion about the possibility of the Ford V-8 showing up in the 350/450 line in 2017 or 2018. That will also be something to watch for.

[DocMike]

Oneil,

Just a guess here but could there have been more stripped and stretched E350's with transmission cable routing problems? I remember the email I received and they were caught off guard when they found than several Units that Thor had on their lot had improper routed transmission cables...found fteryou posted your cable problem and things got looked into.

Doc

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by DocMike

Oneil,

Just a guess here but could there have been more stripped and stretched E350's with transmission cable routing problems? I remember the email I received and they were caught off guard when they found than several Units that Thor had on their lot had improper routed transmission cables...found fteryou posted your cable problem and things got looked into.

Doc

I wouldn't think that the shifter cable issue would be serious enough to warrant a chassis change. From Thor's point of view its easier to pay a lackey to inspect and fix all the incoming chassis for the routing problem than it is to pay an engineer to make sure the E450 fits under the Axis/Vegas. (Even though you're paying the engineer once and the lackey hourly.)

My guess it was something bigger/more serious.

[DocMike]

Jamie,

I am sure it was a series of problems, just never know which was the last straw.

Doc

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

Wow! That is really interesting and good information to know if you are in the market for a 2017. I have a 2016 Axis 24.1 on a 450 chassis and I can tell the difference in ride and steering from my 2014 Vegas 24.1. I like the 450 and would look hard to get one, if I were in the market for. 2017. There had also been some discussion about the possibility of the Ford V-8 showing up in the 350/450 line in 2017 or 2018. That will also be something to watch for.

Ford announced on March 1st that the 6.2L V8 from the Super Duty pickups will be available as an option. The 6.8L V10 will remain the standard engine according to the Ford release. The V8 is already included in the owners manual.

I think we are beyond a rumor or possibility with the modern V8 for the E-Series chassis. It doesn't mean, however, that motorhome manufacturers will order it in lieu of the V10.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by DocMike

Jamie,

I am sure it was a series of problems, just never know which was the last straw.

Doc

Doc, I don't recall reading anywhere that the cable problem affected the newer chassis with the 6R140 transmissions. All reports I recall affected older 5R110 transmissions, so it should not have been an issue for a while.

The likely problem for going to E-450 was emmissions related. It's a different weight class, so requirements are different.

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by Chance

Ford announced on March 1st that the 6.2L V8 from the Super Duty pickups will be available as an option. The 6.8L V10 will remain the standard engine according to the Ford release. The V8 is already included in the owners manual.

I think we are beyond a rumor or possibility with the modern V8 for the E-Series chassis. It doesn't mean, however, that motorhome manufacturers will order it in lieu of the V10.

Reading some of the discussions of the two engines, I am still unclear if the V-8 is an improvement when used in a 350/450 chassis in a Class A motorhome. According to Ford, it is going to be an option on the 350/450, I'm just not sure it is better capability wise or worth the extra money (if it actually costs more). Interesting questions.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

Reading some of the discussions of the two engines, I am still unclear if the V-8 is an improvement when used in a 350/450 chassis in a Class A motorhome. According to Ford, it is going to be an option on the 350/450, I'm just not sure it is better capability wise or worth the extra money (if it actually costs more). Interesting questions.

More power, better fuel economy, inherently better balanced, smoother and quieter. What's not to like?

Although I've had great luck with V10s, I'm not opposed to trying something new, even if there is a "slight" risk. Having said that, older buyers may resist change, so manufacturers may keep ordering the much older V10.

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by Chance

More power, better fuel economy, inherently better balanced, smoother and quieter. What's not to like?

Although I've had great luck with V10s, I'm not opposed to trying something new, even if there is a "slight" risk. Having said that, older buyers may resist change, so manufacturers may keep ordering the much older V10.

All the comparisons that I have seen so far, have been on the F Series and with the 6.2L 6 Spd and the 6.8L 5 Spd. I'll wait until someone puts them both in an RV with the 6 Spd before I'll trust the claims enough to buy one.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

All the comparisons that I have seen so far, have been on the F Series and with the 6.2L 6 Spd and the 6.8L 5 Spd. I'll wait until someone puts them both in an RV with the 6 Spd before I'll trust the claims enough to buy one.

I'm not sure which claims you are referring to.

There is also too much difference between an unloaded pickup and a motorhome to make a direct comparison between the two engines significant (unless they were both towing). Light power loads should definitely favor the smaller-displacement higher-compression-ratio V8, while in a motorhome working much harder at < 10 MPG it may not make much difference.

I'd gladly buy one of the first to test for you.