gas filler tube problem with California VST pump handles

[jbrosecity]

Hello

I was an active member of the RV Life Forest River forum for several years while I owner my Forest River Forester. We upgraded this year to a 2019 Thor Motor Coach Miramar 32.2 and we absolutely love it
2019 Thor Miramar 32.2 Motorcoach
This is our tenth coach including a Tiffin Allegro Bus tag axle and a Country Coach tag axle, so I am pretty experienced with Class A coaches.

One small problem... surely other Thor coach owners have had this same problem and I wonder if anyone has come up with a solution. I emailed Thor support about it as well. The gasoline filler port on the rear cap of my 2019 Thor Motor Coach Miramar 32.2 is mounted inside the flip open cover door in such a way that California style gas pumps will NOT permit fuel to be pumped into the tank without special accommodation.

We have not experienced the problem up in Oregon and Washington where we live. Gas stations there either have the long rubber boot or no rubber boot... whereas pumps throughout California seem to be using this VST style handle with the short boot. see this image:

http://www.wind-seeker.com/temp/gas-pump-handles.jpg

Because of the angle of the filler tube beneath the flipup cover, it is impossible to drive the pump handle down into the opening far enough to trigger the short boot on the VST. After a lot of frustration, I finally mastered a technique whereby I drive it down as far as it will go, then holding the hose under my left arm, I use two fingers of my left hand to pull back the short boot and with my right hand I attempt to squeeze the handle lever and engage the lever lock. This is a clumsy process with only two hands available but I can usually manage to do it after some swearing.

I was trying to either find some kind of temporary filler tube extension to fit into the factory filler tube, or some kind of clip that would hold back the short boot and permit gas to flow freeely into the filler tube. I have not been able find anything online.

I wonder if any forum members have any suggestions to eliminate this problem?

Thanks

Joe Burkle

[Sappy2]

Is this what is needed?

https://www.mccuff.com/

I know it is for bikes, but it looks like what is needed to trigger the boot.

[jbrosecity]

Originally Posted by Sappy2

Is this what is needed?
https://www.mccuff.com/
I know it is for bikes, but it looks like what is needed to trigger the boot.

THANKS!!! Dunno if it will fit but for $20 it is sure worth a try. I just ordered one... the McCuff. I'll post a followup in a few weeks after it arrives and I go fill up and see if it works!.

Anyone else have any other ideas, much appreciated. I'll try em all, one by one, until I find one that works and will report back to the forum!

[chunker21]

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the OPs second sentence and agree about CHS comment. It's hard enough to fuel a thor vehicle anyway much less adding complicated needless state mandates. Explanation; the way thor made the fuel fillers for the omni/magnitude you can't use large diesel nozzles correctly. Too much flow and pressure for the poorly designed filler tubes. Unfortunately that's the size nozzles in some diesel lanes.

[Sappy2]

Some diesel nozzles are "quick fill" and designed for large mouth side tanks (like what a truck uses). These nozzles must be throttled down if used with a fill pipe system.

[Tominfaribo]

I assume your talking about the nozzels that have to be continually depressed during the entire fill. Costco uses them. I use the gas cap. Prop it in between the top filler neck and side of back of coach. It only depresses on one side of nozzle but works fine. Have to hold it but you have to keep the nozzle depressed during the entire fill regardless. so now its a 2 handed operation rather than one.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by jbrosecity

Hello

I was an active member of the RV Life Forest River forum for several years while I owner my Forest River Forester. We upgraded this year to a 2019 Thor Motor Coach Miramar 32.2 and we absolutely love it
2019 Thor Miramar 32.2 Motorcoach
This is our tenth coach including a Tiffin Allegro Bus tag axle and a Country Coach tag axle, so I am pretty experienced with Class A coaches.

One small problem... surely other Thor coach owners have had this same problem and I wonder if anyone has come up with a solution. I emailed Thor support about it as well. The gasoline filler port on the rear cap of my 2019 Thor Motor Coach Miramar 32.2 is mounted inside the flip open cover door in such a way that California style gas pumps will NOT permit fuel to be pumped into the tank without special accommodation.

We have not experienced the problem up in Oregon and Washington where we live. Gas stations there either have the long rubber boot or no rubber boot... whereas pumps throughout California seem to be using this VST style handle with the short boot. see this image:

http://www.wind-seeker.com/temp/gas-pump-handles.jpg

Because of the angle of the filler tube beneath the flipup cover, it is impossible to drive the pump handle down into the opening far enough to trigger the short boot on the VST. After a lot of frustration, I finally mastered a technique whereby I drive it down as far as it will go, then holding the hose under my left arm, I use two fingers of my left hand to pull back the short boot and with my right hand I attempt to squeeze the handle lever and engage the lever lock. This is a clumsy process with only two hands available but I can usually manage to do it after some swearing.

I was trying to either find some kind of temporary filler tube extension to fit into the factory filler tube, or some kind of clip that would hold back the short boot and permit gas to flow freeely into the filler tube. I have not been able find anything online.

I wonder if any forum members have any suggestions to eliminate this problem?

Thanks

Joe Burkle

I found this, the etrailer part is longer it just doesn't show in the photo both ends are longer

[jbrosecity]

Not sure what those etrailer parts are... if you have the part number I can study them to see how they work. the problem thor's filler tube location is that the angle is so steep you cannot push the nozzle in far enough to depress the short rubber cuff they use in California. I ordered the McCuff mentioned in another post and just received it. It is intended for motorcycles so I am not sure it will work in this application but I plan to try it today and I will report back if it works. Clearly it will not be hands-free operation, since there's nothing for the pump handle to catch on to - I'll still have to held the hand against the Cuff but that would be preferable than having to stick my fingers down in the hole to hold back the boot. The suggestion to use the gas gap doesn't really sound any simpler than than holding the boot back with your fingers turning it into a two handed operation. Not sure how those etrailer parts are designed to work,

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by jbrosecity

Not sure what those etrailer parts are... if you have the part number I can study them to see how they work. the problem thor's filler tube location is that the angle is so steep you cannot push the nozzle in far enough to depress the short rubber cuff they use in California. I ordered the McCuff mentioned in another post and just received it. It is intended for motorcycles so I am not sure it will work in this application but I plan to try it today and I will report back if it works. Clearly it will not be hands-free operation, since there's nothing for the pump handle to catch on to - I'll still have to held the hand against the Cuff but that would be preferable than having to stick my fingers down in the hole to hold back the boot. The suggestion to use the gas gap doesn't really sound any simpler than than holding the boot back with your fingers turning it into a two handed operation. Not sure how those etrailer parts are designed to work,

Etrailer Item # FTE3 Item # FT10719

[sportcoupe]

Originally Posted by chunker21

It's hard enough to fuel a thor vehicle anyway much less adding complicated needless state mandates. .

Pretty broad statement. I refuel my Thor just as easy as any vehicle I own.

[Tominfaribo]

Originally Posted by jbrosecity

Not sure what those etrailer parts are... if you have the part number I can study them to see how they work. the problem thor's filler tube location is that the angle is so steep you cannot push the nozzle in far enough to depress the short rubber cuff they use in California. I ordered the McCuff mentioned in another post and just received it. It is intended for motorcycles so I am not sure it will work in this application but I plan to try it today and I will report back if it works. Clearly it will not be hands-free operation, since there's nothing for the pump handle to catch on to - I'll still have to held the hand against the Cuff but that would be preferable than having to stick my fingers down in the hole to hold back the boot. The suggestion to use the gas gap doesn't really sound any simpler than than holding the boot back with your fingers turning it into a two handed operation. Not sure how those etrailer parts are designed to work,

The gas cap trick is not for simple minded people who have never tried it.

[jbrosecity]

OK... so I was able to try the McCuff today... Twin / Cruiser Model. That was just a wild guess. I slipped it over the fuel nuzzle and then pressed the nozzle down into the down spout. Took a little jostling but with a little effort I was able to pull the trigger on the handle and click in the catch, then all I had to do was keep pressure on the handle and it continued to fuel up... McCuff work as intended and depressed the short California boot so the trigger did not cut off. I did notice gasoline starting to leak out the bottom of the spout but by holding the handle up against the inside life of the fuel door-opening, it stopped leaking. I think I may experiment with slicing half an inch or more off the MCuff which would allow the pump spout to dive deeper down into the filler tube. I doesn't need to be nearly as thick as it is to accomplish its goal.

But over all, McCuff worked and allowed relaxed one hand dispensing of fuel.

[Junodtim]

I have a different fuel filling problem in California with my 2019 Quantum RC25. There is not enough drop in the fuel fill tube. The rear of the RV must be higher than the front to fill the tank. I used to drive myself nuts trying to find the perfect slope with an available pump. I've had to leave for another gas station before filling up. Now when the pump doesn't work, I use my big foot Levelers in the manual mode to raise the the back of the RV. No more PTSD at the gas station for me.

[chunker21]

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

Pretty broad statement. I refuel my Thor just as easy as any vehicle I own.

Apparently many of the thor products don't have a good slope between the fuel filler port and the tank. Additionally with the diesel omni, this makes fueling in truck stops with large high flow nozzles virtually impossible. Too much flow for the slope of the tube and foaming of the diesel. It did work OK with small nozzle and slower pumping rate. A justified pretty broad statement.

[Grumpy Grampa]

I have a 2017 Thor 37.1 Miramar, very hard to add fuel, I hv to force the nozzle and hold real tight, pan in but , but works.

[jbrosecity]

Originally Posted by smithgarnat@aol.com

I have a 2017 Thor 37.1 Miramar, very hard to add fuel, I hv to force the nozzle and hold real tight, pain in butt , but works.

With my 32.2 Miramar there is just no way to push the California pump handles in far enough to push back the short rubber boot... Never had a problem in Washington and Oregon where we live... they use the longer rubber boot in metro areas and none at all in outlying areas and it works fine... but just no way with the short Calif boot as I explained unless you manually use you fingers on one hand to hold it up while dispensing gas with the other. It has been a painful exercise but the McCuff has made it much simpler. Can't just start the pump and walk away and wait for it to click off like with the car, but at least it is now a painless one hand operation

[Raeburn2000]

Let me know how the MCuff ends up working. We have a 2019 Miramar also and it is truly a pain to fill up. If the adapter works, I’ll spring for one before our trip to CA.

[vdub]

Originally Posted by sportcoupe

Pretty broad statement. I refuel my Thor just as easy as any vehicle I own.

That's not true with mine. I have a 2022 Magnitude SV34. It is a bitch to fill. It is near impossible with a truck diesel pump. Even with a car diesel pump, you have to fill it at the lowest possible setting while holding the pump at a specific angle. Its not a good design.

[jbrosecity]

OK, so the results are in after several refuelings in California, all with the VST pump handles, the McCuff worked and allowed me to fill the tank with minimal hassle... Press the spout (wearing the McCuff) into the filler tube, set the clip to hold it pumping and then I can just lean on the pump handle and it fills the tank. Btw, we're in Las Vegas now and there are no EPA boots on the spouts here and so you can just set it in there and let it run handsfree til it shuts off. Thanks to Sappy2 for the tip!

[jbrosecity]

Just a quick followup on this thread... we made it back home from our 3 month adventure. Leg one of the trip was the trip down to San Diego and out to Palm Springs and the return trip took us out to Las Vegas and then up to the SF Bay area and up HWY 101 along the Oregon Coast and back home. An excellent adventure with no mishaps, and thanks to Sappy2 for the tip about the McCuff, we had no more issues with filling the tank. Once in Oregon we returned to normal filler spout cuffs and we could put McCuff away. Now looking forward to summer at the lake with our beloved sailboat. Praying for peace in Europe!