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Old 07-30-2020, 11:03 AM   #41
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Model: 2020 Magnitude SV34
State: Florida
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Still waiting to gets an exact date or at least week in October to take it to Wakarusa. Just sent them an e-mail for an update on scheduling.

We will be using it a fair amount until then. We are leaving today for a long weekend trip today. We have a 10-day trip planned in August for Vermont. We also have trip planned to Chincoteague and the Smoky Mountains for October so I will need to schedule the visit around those trips.

I have decided that I am going to send an email to Thor Customer Service and ask for my warranty to be extended for 1-year for several reasons:

- My warranty visit at the dealer had to be cancelled in April and pushed several months because of COVID shutting down the dealer.

- This structural issue developing at about 9 months from delivery.

- The long list of issues under warranty that either the dealer had to address or I had to address myself.


I will probably write it and send it this weekend. If I ask for the year and they give me 6 months additional, I'd be happy.

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Old 07-30-2020, 11:48 AM   #42
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One other thing on my mind last night while lying bed....

How do they maintain structural integrity of the house "box" when they use a full wall slide-out?

At most there is one stud running from the floor to the roof in the very front and one in the very rear of the wall with the slide.

While the passenger side has a large window, there has to be a few studs running from the floor to the roof along that side of the coach. You would have to think the driver side would be subject to more flexing based on the design.

The only other Super C that I have found so far with a full wall slide is a Newmar. So while their quality is supposed to be very good, a full wall slide is not unprecedented. There are also several C's out there with a slide out right up against the Cab-Over so obviously they don't seem too worried about the slides weakening the box structure.

Number of studs would not be my primary concern if analyzing the structural integrity. I’d worry more about how the roof structure is supported over the long slide’s length, and what structural provision there is in place to resist (can’t be prevented) the large opening that makes up the slide to go from a rectangle to a parallelogram when the motorhome twists — and it will. To be clear, I’m not talking huge movement. It doesn’t take much displacement if the component resisting can’t yield much before failure (like screws between parts trying to move apart).

My best guess is that they try to make the roof, passenger wall, and floor act like a “C” channel to give the house structure some stiffness, but I doubt it works adequately. If the chassis and house body structures were actually stiff enough to resist twisting, there would be no problem opening and closing slides without first leveling the motorhome. I expect that when motorhome is not level, the structure can be twisted just enough that as the rectangular opening in slide wall tries to become a parallelogram, it could bind the slide box, making the drive motors have to work harder; or unable to move at all.

The only solution I’m aware of (other than not have a slide at all or make it/them much smaller) is for the chassis to be so incredibly stiff that it can’t twist a significant amount. Unfortunately, I’ve only seen that type of construction on luxury diesel buses. One company even made a video of their slide opening and closing repeatedly while the bus was parked with one front wheel way high.

Bottom line is that truck frames built with open “C” channels are not very stiff in torsion, and will twist a considerable amount as the truck is driven over uneven surfaces. If the RV body isn’t designed to twist some along with chassis, I expect they’ll pull apart after a while.

By the way, the real test will be when 4X4 F-550 motorhomes are driven off-road. I’m curious what problems they’ll encounter with entire structure.
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Old 07-30-2020, 12:20 PM   #43
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I don't intend to take it "off-road." I purchased the 4x4 option as an insurance policy if I end up in a soft campground / parking area or we run into unexpected snow traveling out west.

When I watched one of the first video about the Omni / Magnitude, Thor said it wasn't meant for true off-roading like a Jeep.
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Old 07-30-2020, 01:05 PM   #44
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The only solution I’m aware of (other than not have a slide at all or make it/them much smaller) is for the chassis to be so incredibly stiff that it can’t twist a significant amount. Unfortunately, I’ve only seen that type of construction on luxury diesel buses. One company even made a video of their slide opening and closing repeatedly while the bus was parked with one front wheel way high.

Bottom line is that truck frames built with open “C” channels are not very stiff in torsion, and will twist a considerable amount as the truck is driven over uneven surfaces. If the RV body isn’t designed to twist some along with chassis, I expect they’ll pull apart after a while.

By the way, the real test will be when 4X4 F-550 motorhomes are driven off-road. I’m curious what problems they’ll encounter with entire structure.
Motorhomes and "real" 4x4s are built for completely purposes, an their frame designs should reflect that.
You are correct: our RVs need as stiff a frame as is possible. The coach simply cannot take the twisting.
4x4s absolutely need a certain amount of frame flex in order to have enough axle articulation to keep all four wheels on the ground. That's what keeps them moving forward.
An RV with a 4x4 option is perfect for the Judge's intended purpose: to solve a problem in a soft campground.
https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1596114451
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Old 07-30-2020, 01:35 PM   #45
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Originally Posted by Judge View Post
I don't intend to take it "off-road." I purchased the 4x4 option as an insurance policy if I end up in a soft campground / parking area or we run into unexpected snow traveling out west.

When I watched one of the first video about the Omni / Magnitude, Thor said it wasn't meant for true off-roading like a Jeep.
And that would be a good use for the 4 X 4. When we bought our Class C a number of years ago we went to a campground where they placed us on a grassy site overnight and it rained and it rained. By morning we had sunk about 4 inches into the ground. The campground owners had to get us out with a F250 4 X 4 and about 75 feet of tow strap. The long tow strap was so they could be on the pavement and not sink in the mud themselves.

Since then we have been very particular about park and site selection.
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Old 07-30-2020, 02:11 PM   #46
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Once bitten; twice shy... right Dave?

Judge,
Getting your warranty extension is an excellent idea. Good luck: I hope they see things your way!
But my point (if there ever is one); is that 4x4 RVs aren't designed for anything more off-road than a soft campsite.
(or a snow-covered highway)
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Old 07-30-2020, 02:21 PM   #47
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Motorhomes and "real" 4x4s are built for completely purposes, an their frame designs should reflect that.
You are correct: our RVs need as stiff a frame as is possible. The coach simply cannot take the twisting.
4x4s absolutely need a certain amount of frame flex in order to have enough axle articulation to keep all four wheels on the ground. That's what keeps them moving forward.
An RV with a 4x4 option is perfect for the Judge's intended purpose: to solve a problem in a soft campground.
https://www.thorforums.com/forums/at...1&d=1596114451

You have some things right, and others very wrong.

Chassis flex isn’t needed for articulation. That’s what the suspension is there for. Yes, the chassis twist under load, but that’s a resulting evil, not a desirable trait engineers add to keep wheels on ground.

Additionally, keeping all wheels on ground isn’t necessary for real off-roading when vehicle is set up correctly. That’s why some type of locking differentials are added when one is serious about going to extremes.

Anyway, I knew Judge wasn’t taking his rig off-road, but I’m certain some owners out there will. And it will be interesting to see what happens to those rigs when abused. That should reveal weak points, similar to destructive testing.

Lastly, the F-550 is suitable for off-roading when set up correctly. However, the motorhome has to be designed and built very differently than the one Judge owns. I did not imply or question that his was being driven off road or that that caused the damage.

Example below that motorhomes can go off-road when designed for it. Typically they are much smaller, have much greater ground clearance, and no slides. I’ve seen a few pictures of serious off-road MH with slides, but slides were small.

I’m not going to discuss engineering with you. Will just say that in my opinion large slides must compromise structural integrity.


https://www.beautifullife.info/autom...dition-camper/

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Old 07-30-2020, 02:40 PM   #48
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If the chassis can't flex enough: all of the suspension mounting points will start binding up.
The trick ius: getting enough flex... without busting it!
And four wheels driving will always beat three...
(Been there, and done that...)
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Old 07-30-2020, 08:54 PM   #49
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I have a 2014 35SK with this same problem. I noticed it yesterday, it looks like a majority of the panhead screws are broken or missing at the vertical seam on the drivers side. Just a dinette/couch slide on mine. 26k miles on the unit, bought it 4 years ago with 2k on it. I'll be taking a closer look at it this weekend to determine a repair option. I looked at the passenger side, no molding deformation.
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Old 07-30-2020, 10:26 PM   #50
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Well.... the hits just keep on coming.

We just got to the KOA in Bellefonte, PA for a long weekend. After setting up and sitting in our chairs to relax my wife smells propane. I thought it might be the bleed valve but it was tight. I went into the coach and made up some soapy water and this is what I found....

I sent a video of the leak to Thor and told them to send me out a new regulator ASAP.

I am starting to think I'm snake bit. I mean at the end of the day I can't blame Thor for a faulty regulator that doesn't even last a year...... but I am out of fingers and toes to count all of the issues I have had in 9 months of owning the coach.

I really love this coach but I have been trying to convince the DW we may want to think about trading it in for a Renegade or Dynamax Super C... but she doesn't want to spend another $70K+ on another coach.

I will be writing an e-mail to Thor as I mentioned earlier and asking for an extension on my factory warranty. I have spent over a quarter million with Thor in the last three years. If they won't extend my warranty for another 6 - 12 months, then if I ever do buy another coach it will be SOB.
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Old 07-30-2020, 11:23 PM   #51
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As I look at the regulator Thor uses.... it is a really crappy design.

Most of the better two-stage regulators are assembled with screws holding the two halves together. Thor uses one form GASFLO and the two halves are crimped together.

Here are pictures comparing the one Thor uses to other two stage regulators. I think I am going to order a better one from Amazon and then I will keep the replacement Thor sends me as a spare.
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Old 07-30-2020, 11:29 PM   #52
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I'm sorry that this issue popped up on you guys.
You have been having a pretty poor streak of bad luck, and I hope it ends quickly!
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Old 07-31-2020, 11:00 PM   #53
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I'm sorry that this issue popped up on you guys.
You have been having a pretty poor streak of bad luck, and I hope it ends quickly!

Ended very quickly for me, as the replacement is chosen and deal being made. As much as we've enjoyed it, and it really is a great rig for the $'s, the Magnitude is going to someone else to enjoy and we'll be rolling in a 21' Newmar Dutch Star 4369
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Old 08-01-2020, 12:14 AM   #54
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Glad to see that you've put it all in your rearview mirrors.
Please post some pics of it for us!
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Old 08-01-2020, 03:24 AM   #55
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Glad to see that you've put it all in your rearview mirrors.
Please post some pics of it for us!

Will do. They haven't even pulled the transport tape off of it yet, so when it's all cleaned up I will tease you a bit It's bigger than what we thought we wanted, but after checking out and driving a New Aire, then stepping into this big beauty, there was no going back. A little concerned about the power to weight ratio in the mountains in comparison to the strong F550 or a 600/650hp rig, but the slower climbs will at least be quiet, comfortable, and likely come over the other side with all parts still on board!
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Old 08-01-2020, 10:36 AM   #56
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I have ordered a Magnitude XG32, delivery in September. Needless to say, I'm interested in the outcome of your cabover separation issue. Do you think my shorter wheelbase will help? Have they responded to the thought of jack placement? These won't help with a damage during travel issue, has Thor commented on that?
I ran across a list of changes you made and have interest in battery and solar panel addition. BTW, please tell me were the batteries and water pump are located. Thanks!
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Old 08-01-2020, 11:09 AM   #57
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I have ordered a Magnitude XG32, delivery in September. Needless to say, I'm interested in the outcome of your cabover separation issue. Do you think my shorter wheelbase will help? Have they responded to the thought of jack placement? These won't help with a damage during travel issue, has Thor commented on that?
I ran across a list of changes you made and have interest in battery and solar panel addition. BTW, please tell me were the batteries and water pump are located. Thanks!
The shorter wheel base of the XG32 would help with flexing IMHO and you don't have a full wall slide so I think that is also a bonus. I think you should be ok.

The XG32 didn't fit our needs because we want a king bed and the DW wants an outdoor kitchen.

I have been looking at other Super C's while camping this weekend and I don't think Jack Placement is a concern. When I take it to Wakarusa I will talk to the repair guys who really know the coaches to get their thoughts.

In my SV34, the batteries are located under the entry steps. It comes with two 6V and there is room for two more. I am very happy with my setup and the way I rewired the battery compartment and added a battery disconnect.

You may have a challenge with your water pump. In the SV34 we have the King Tilt-A-View Bed (which we love). The water tank, pump, winterization port, water tank drain valve and electronics are all under the bed.

I can take the bed platform off by removing a few screws to access everything. From other posts, I hear that is not the case with the XG32 and someone else was having an issue trying to access the water pump.

I added a fresh water tank drain valve under the coach so I didn't have to take the bed apart after every trip to drain it. Another guy added an electronic waster valve and he just flips the switch. This winter I may add the electronic water valve under my coach where I installed the manual valve.

I may also try to relocate the winterization port but that will be some work. I may also opt to leave it as is since I only need to access it once a year.

While I am having trouble convincing the DW to consider a move up to a Renegade or Duramax Super C, I also still really like a lot of things about this coach.

I sent a note to Thor on Thursday to get an update on scheduling the visit to Wakarusa but no response yet (or to my propane regulator issue).

I am going to write a very politically correct letter to Thor outlining all of my issues. I am also going to cite COVID causing my dealer to close so I could not get service for a couple months. Remind them I have purchased two new coaches in the past three years and then politely ask for a 12-month warranty extension as a result of the structural and other issues..... and then see what they would be willing to do.

I found an RV speciality shop about 2 hours north of us at our summer home in PA that I have heard good things about. They do complete restorations, upgrades, body work, fabrication, etc. If I had to have them fix it right if I run into issues after the warranty is up and it cost $10K - $20K, I would still be ahead versus spending $75 or more on a Renegade or Duramax Super C.

So at the moment...... I'm in it for the long haul..... unless I turn the propane on while the regulator is leaking, we build a camp fire tonight and then take the dog for a walk until we hear a BOOM..... and I call the insurance company on Monday. Only problem is our TOAD this weekend is the Spyder so getting me, the DW and the dog home would be a problem!!!
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Old 08-01-2020, 01:04 PM   #58
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Thanks for succinct reply...and your sense of humor. I knew I had reached the right contact with the first Judge Post I read! Sorry for being new to this forum and Thor, but what is Wakarusa? Is it in northern Indiana? My only previous Thor experience was when I turned down a new Four Winds for a used Leisure Travel Van FreeSpirit SS 3 years and 20,000 miles ago. This year we shopped for something a bit bigger than our Class B and LTV doesn't offer.
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Old 08-01-2020, 02:43 PM   #59
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Wakarusa is literally a factory service-center.
If your rig has issues that nobody else can fix: they're the Guys to call!
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Old 08-02-2020, 09:37 AM   #60
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[QUOTE=Judge;245743]
The guys that assemble these coaches have their screw guns set at max power and they just over tighten every screw. I found a bunch on my last coach and this one as well.

I just put a set of mud flaps on this weekend and was attaching them to the exiting plastic flaps they have protecting the bins behind the rear wheels. They have a metal strip across the center of the plastic flap and then they have it attached to the sheet metal on the inner wall to keep them from flapping around. Of course one side was missing the screws because they over tightened the screws and stripped the sheet metal.

The vertical weather strip on the slide wall was coming off last year and I had them fix it. Now I just noticed it is again. It is just held on with adhesive. I am going to try to clean the old adhesive and fix it myself.

It is disheartening. We really do like the coach. There are only a few options and none great. The choices are.......


Could the issue be with the fasteners (panhead screws) and not the screw guns? I'm reminded of the airline issue and foreign made fasteners. The industry I work in has bolt specs that require usa-made bolts. The issue is poor quality steel and when torque is applied the fastener develops cracks that leads to failure in use. Maybe Thor needs a different screw supply.
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