How is this for manufacturing quality?

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by txc2936@yahoo.com

you are doing this with a brand new 2022? This would all be covered under warranty. But then again, you are going to attach the sink in a manner a Craftsmen would.

EA37, are you saying quality programs would drive the cost of an RV up? Thats right. Warranty claims are covered under another budget.

I do all my own maintenance and warranty work. It will be a cold day in hell when I leave my motorhome at a dealer. Beside the poor workmanship they keep your RV on an unsecure lot and there is the high probability that your catalytic converter will be cut off by a thief. Then there is all the time you want be able to use your RV. I usually get Thor to send me parts but in this case I do not want another cheap faucet like the one the factory uses. They have already sent me a new drivers seat belt and a leveling jack control module. The leveling jacks only worked about four times and then crapped out. The seat belt was missing parts (yes they install the seats and seatbelts not Ford). They also sent me an LED strip that was missing under the counter.

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by powerboatr

it that a true corian countertop?
if so its just thermoplastic and they make glues that will attach like you would not believe. they etch into the layer and bond as if they are one
its an epoxy based adhesive.
stuff we used was made by west epoxy systems to re glue under counter supports
contact a good cabinet shop, they can guide you to the right adhesive


cant believe the sink is held on so scarcely

Thanks, good to know.

[chunker21]

People here are putting out misinformation and quoting wrong sources. QC, Quality Control is just one aspect of a manufacturing process to get a product out the door. Above QC is QA, Quality Assurance. To simplify, QA "makes the rules" and QC checks to see the rules are followed. Thor has no meaningful QA and as such any QC is hit and miss. Someone or department claiming to represent QC at thor is trying to check an inconsistent product.

Simple example. QA would establish the specific process to place and brace the propane lines. Each RV would have identical routing and with a good safe routing, every RV has the same routing. QC's responsibility is to make sure "fred" or "sally" follows that QA plan by random and scheduled inspections. But since QA has no plan, QC can't check an unknown. What happens is "Harvey the clown" shows up and makes up his own plan and propane lines get run through suspension systems getting cut and creating an extreme danger. Any purported QC couldn't find the error since there is no "plan".

You take that one example and apply it to front cap on the C installation. Improper attaching screws, wrong screw gun torque settings, improper placement of any sealants??, NO CONSISTENT[COLOR"Red"] PLAN[/COLOR].

They want to be a bottom feeder entry level manufacturer because "that's where the money is". Uninformed buyers, sleazy dealers, overwhelmed repair facilities, mean many errors or programmed deficiencies won't be found during that magic warranty period and the owner is stuck.

The bubble hasn't burst but it's leaking. Plenty of availability in the lower end, inflation is damaging everything, supply chain issues is just mismanagement all the way to the national scale. You can make a good quality lower priced product, but thor doesn't want to so those who continue to buy a thor influenced product get what they paid for.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans

I think most of us could build a better rv!
The question is could you, or I, along with a dozen others complete 8-10 units, whatever their quota, out the door each shift? Which is how ALL the rv assembly lines work, not just Thor.
Not making excuses for any rv manufacturers lack of quality control, but it is what it is!

I agree — most of us could build a stronger and more durable RV but it would take at least 6 months, and it wouldn’t look as finished. People today with little skills are building van campers and many do a pretty good job though they keep design and fabrication quite simple by comparison. That’s how they overcome weight, cost, and lack of experience issues.

Manufacturers could do the same and build simpler and smaller motorhomes on same chassis (like I would personally prefer), but motorhome would probably fail in marketplace because there is little demand. At same price point buyers seem to prefer extra space versus a heavy-duty simpler build.

A great point was brought up about using lightweight materials, staples, etc. which adversely affects “quality” (whatever that means to each of us), which in my opinion gets back to design choices made from the onset in order to compete with other manufacturers.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

I think I'll come out of retirement and start selling glue and staples in Elkhart. I can retire again in less than a year. I'll also start an employment agency..."how to get a job building RV's with less brains than it takes to scratch your a**".

You're gonna make a buttload of money!!

[chunker21]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

I think I'll come out of retirement and start selling glue and staples in Elkhart. I can retire again in less than a year. I'll also start an employment agency..."how to get a job building RV's and become a thor factory manager with less brains than it takes to scratch your a**".

You left out part of the job goals

[MLP]

Originally Posted by Bob Nodine

Since purchasing our 2022 JM31 we have had issues with the kitchen faucet leaking around the base. It seems to actually be inside the housing. I pulled the handle and could not see any evidence of leaking around the ball so decided to take the faucet out. There is no way for a 75 year old man to get back behind the sink and take out the faucet. I tried to drop the sink but it seemed to be glued in and I did not want to take a chance in damaging anything so decided the best plan of action was to remove the dinette seat and take out the luan panel giving me access to not only the faucet but all the plumbing and water heater. In the process of dismantling the dinette I found a cross brace that had been the victim of a happy staple gun operator. Picture below. I am quite handy at woodworking so will make a new brace and attach it with screws.

I am sure that someone at the factory thinks that you got your moneys worth since they used more than one staple!
I wonder just how many rigs that it took for them not miss both boards? The new lucky owners of those rigs may have only one staple!

[Chateau_Nomad]

Clips and screws (into particleboard ) are used because it's quick, cheap and easy... AND hidden out of sight. Most hold for one year - just enough to clear the warranty period. Looks great until your sink full of water falls and floods your camper.

NO under-mount kitchen sink should be mounted with adhesive - ESPECIALLY if one of the bonding surfaces is particleboard! Screws will pull out, and regardless of the epoxy adhesive, the constant tugging on a particleboard will cause the wood fibers to separate.

Although I've heard of it being done, I wouldn't adhere a home sink under a granite, quartz or marble countertop! The professionals use physical/mechanical supports from underneath which DO NOT rely solely on an adhesive/epoxy bond. The sink itself should be supported (stand alone) without the countertop... there are actually kits made specifically for this - four legs for support, with two (usually metal) runners between which support the sink under it's side... where they tried to use screws. The counter just sits over top of that assembly. It's not that hard to make your own support frame from scrap wood.

Bottom line... if your sink fails under these conditions - FIX . IT . CORRECTLY.

[Drpaul78]

No one at Thor knows or understands quality assurance. I have had two Tuscany’s and it has been one mishap after another. My first got into the shower and my foot went through the bottom. There was no bracing!

Good luck!

[williamprunty]

Originally Posted by Bob Nodine

I do all my own maintenance and warranty work. It will be a cold day in hell when I leave my motorhome at a dealer. Beside the poor workmanship they keep your RV on an unsecure lot and there is the high probability that your catalytic converter will be cut off by a thief. Then there is all the time you want be able to use your RV. I usually get Thor to send me parts but in this case I do not want another cheap faucet like the one the factory uses. They have already sent me a new drivers seat belt and a leveling jack control module. The leveling jacks only worked about four times and then crapped out. The seat belt was missing parts (yes they install the seats and seatbelts not Ford). They also sent me an LED strip that was missing under the counter.

In regards to quality, bought my new unit in July 2021, and it’s still sitting in service. They can’t get parts, not even for the propane line safety recall. So buy a $243,000, put $7,000 accessories in it, and guess what, you don’t get to use it for 7 months. I guess the Joke was on me.

Even better that can’t duplicate a major electrical issue, that is intermittent, so it doesn’t get fixed. I even have the failure on video, but since they can’t fix it, I am on my own.

[Drpaul78]

I was in Elkhart at the factory and a Thor rep said they add 20% to the Sal price to cover warranty work. Very sad.

[Karl404]

Yep - we had to have the linoleum replaced under warranty because they (a) didn't blow out the debris under it before applying the linoleum in the main cabin, and (b) used a piece with a seam down the middle between the seats and taped the back of the seam with gaff tape which came up and tore within a few weeks.

The irony is that blowing out the debris (2 minutes of work at worst) and using a single sheet of linoleum ($50 is generous) would have saved them a $2000+ warranty repair.

[Drpaul78]

No horror stories surprise m. Seems like we are dealing with the Village Idiots!!!

[txc2936@yahoo.com]

So buy a $243,000, put $7,000 accessories in it, and guess what, you don’t get to use it for 7 months. I guess the Joke was on me.

That is awful! I can only imagine your frustration. For most of us, this is our retirement savings and RVing was finally a way to get out of the office and home to explore some with family. With COVID, this was our only choice. NO way were we getting on a airline or staying in some flee bag hotel. So sorry.

[Lt Keefer]

I agree with Chance about the van build folks on youtube. For a tenth of what a Thor product costs van dwellers are buying blank slates and converting them into livable units. These van dwellers are living freedom based lives off the grid with a minimal investment in their dwelling. The entire RV industry could take a lesson from them.

[71_340]

That type of "craftsmanship" is unfortunately the norm. When I installed a solar system and a roof mounted satellite dish in our ACE I removed most drawers and just about every removable panel to properly run the wiring for both systems. I can't even remember how many hidden things I fixed while I had everything apart. None of those shortcomings could have been caught during the QC process (if that exists).

I recently sold the ACE (for over 16K more than we bought it last year) and bought a travel trailer. Once the weather turns I have quite a few items to install.....I am prepared to fix stuff again. At least this time I expect it rather than being surprised by it. I am retired and it gives me something to do.

[Lemonlimehomer]

Hello fellow Thor owners.
"First time caller, long time listener ", here. My wife and I own a 2018 four Winds 31' class C, -Elvis.

When we first bought (new) from CW, we were extactic about using it. Then came the small issues. Some were fixed in a timely manner, others took weeks. The last fix took months (3) with nothing done, except someone cutting our Propane Guage wires and (I'm assuming) trying to "siphon" Propane (?).

Anyways, canceled the extended warranty and now we take Elvis to a independent RV repair shop that's a short distance from CW. We also take HIM to an independent garage that can handle big diesels and rvs, who are also next door to a suspension garage. All are good honest people, who take pride in their work and are easy to talk to.

Anyways (again), my original intention of this reply, was to comment on rigged up camper vans. I recently purchased (and currently TRYING TO REGISTER) an estate sale 1974 Dodge Travco 27' with a 440 engine and 727 tranny. My hope is to restore it (with a little remodel or upgrade) to use on short weekend to the coast🤞.

My belief is that the older rvs were better made with quality materials and time taken to build. Like the earlier Lazy Daze and Born Free's. My preference has headed towards the fiberglass shell and/or airstream-ish design like the Argosy's.

With the money spent on restore/remodel, you would get a RV that's well made (and QA'd) by you (or someone you hired), that would equal the money spent on a BRAND NEW RV that still needs assembly (!!?). Or it could be cheaper (?), who knows.

IDK,... that's just my .02
Currently, we're considering selling Elvis, and maybe finding another project RV after this one if the outcome is good.
K, thank you all.
Happy traveling.

[Lemonlimehomer]

Wouldn't there be a "Lemon Law" type of application for this? I'm sure, depending on the state, but trying to get your money back is better then waiting and doing nothing (like what they're probably doing at the shop)?

[Irishacres]

After finding many quality control issues, ie: shelves cut crooked, bad/many staples, decals not straight, etc- I called the Thor "concierge line." I stated my disappointment with their finishing. I was told "well we turn out 80-90 units a day, what do you expect?" I countered with, maybe do 50 per day and do it right, especially for what they cost. I basically got a F.U.
So I guess Thor doesn't care about their finished product.

[Lemonlimehomer]

After finding bits and pieces of construction materials pop up after each trip out, the wife and I kick ourselves for not doing enough research before buying new.

We traded in a 2001 Tioga Fleetwood, that we bought used, because we couldn't sell online. The wife said that we should have kept that one and paid for the problems that would have popped up, which would have equaled the price of the Thor (more or less).

Either way, our problems pale in comparison to some of the horror stories of other rv owners. Thank God for that.

I've been considering making up some stickers to apply on the back of Elvis with the "Thinking" emoji 🤔 and two other stickers with the words "Ask me about my THOR and Camping World".

This way I can enlighten future prospective RV owners of what to lookout for.

Yes, I know. But it would be considered IPO, "IN MY PERSONAL OPINION".