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Old 11-02-2021, 04:14 AM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: XG 32 Omni
State: Missouri
Posts: 842
THOR #4243
Omni/Magnitude front cap fix

It's time to take this front cap apart and see what surprises Thor has left for me to fix.

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Old 11-02-2021, 04:18 AM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: XG 32 Omni
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THOR #4243
Here is the project, and for the life of me I cannot get them to load right, I have tried rotating them but it does no good.
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Old 11-02-2021, 04:29 AM   #3
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
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THOR #4243
First off, the aluminum frame that the mattress lays on, total junk, the front will flex up and down while pushing it down with one hand 1" or more, there is no support at the front it is only supported at the back on the aluminum mount it is screwed too with only 10 self tapping screws, and their TIG welding leaves little to be desired and at all of the joints on the big main frame, only 1 spot weld at each joint. So I will be taking all of that out and welding them all up correctly. Then come up with a plan to support the front of the frame.
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Old 11-02-2021, 04:32 AM   #4
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
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THOR #4243
another pic of the frame and lack of welding.
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Old 11-02-2021, 04:40 AM   #5
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: XG 32 Omni
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THOR #4243
Surprisingly they did use plenty of screws (self tapping) to hold the cap to the cab roof and no empty holes. But this will not work, we're going to make this connection better.
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Old 11-02-2021, 04:48 AM   #6
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THOR #4243
This is looking at the back of the cab behind drivers and passengers seat. The fiberglass part that you see screwed to the cab side is a rounded piece on the outside that runs from the bottom of the cap down to the running boards, fortunately at the bottom they did seal it, but there is no insulation which I will fix.
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Old 11-02-2021, 04:59 AM   #7
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THOR #4243
This is where that rounded fiberglass part ends at the top of the cap, terrible job of sealing it up with foam you can see light coming in from the outside, this piece will flex and move so the foam separates from it, I cleaned the foam out and used an RTV/adhesive from 3M, it will stick to both sides yet remain flexible.
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Old 11-02-2021, 05:06 AM   #8
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
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THOR #4243
Pulled the interior padding off the passenger side and the overhead piece with the little puck lights in it to see what was behind them, SURPRISE, no insulation, that will have to be corrected also, in one pic the light you see is the clearance light on top of the cap.
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Old 11-02-2021, 05:12 AM   #9
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THOR #4243
The plan for tomorrow is to remove all the screws holding the cap to the top of the cab and install 1/4'dia SS bolts with poly lock nuts, on the top side I have some aluminum strips 3/16" thick X 1 1/2" wide that the bolts will go through instead of clamping down on the fiberglass and on the nut side I have some SS 1" dia fender washers that will go on before the nut, that will spread the load out on the steel cab roof.
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Old 11-02-2021, 05:22 AM   #10
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THOR #4243
The screws we see backing out under the molding on the outside of the coach actually screw into the aluminum frame of the coach, I have not pulled the molding off yet, but my guess is that they are over tightened and pulled the hole, too few screws used, too short and just not up to the job.
You can see in the pics the aluminum frame in the wall and in the roof that they use self tapping screws, to crew into.
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Old 11-02-2021, 05:29 AM   #11
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THOR #4243
My plan for the screws on the outside backing out under the molding is to use SS machine screws and poly lock nuts, run the screw all the way through the frame and the inside wall, run an aluminum strip down the wall inside and possibly outside, the molding outside will cover the head of the screw and the trim inside will cover the nut. I have some adhesive that is made just for bonding fiberglass to metal from Evercoat, it's $86 a tube and works great I have used it before on the race car. But I will know more on that repair when I get to it.
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Old 11-02-2021, 09:56 AM   #12
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Model: 2020 Magnitude SV34
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Outstanding work Kevin! Your the man! The pictures and play-by-play analysis of the construction is great!!!!

I have seen those wells from other owner reports on other models. One was for a slide where the welds broke and Thor wouldn't cover it and the Extended Warranty called it structural and wouldn't cover it.

Since you have the skills and equipment, I thnk you made the right call cancelling your appointment in Wakarusa to do the repairs yourself.

I'm so dang impressed I want to bring mine out to Missouri and pay you to do all the same things even though Thor already did their repair!!

It's at least a positive that the front cap and house connection is through an aluminum stud but given the history of these front caps on the Super C, Thor could have used bolts and nylok nuts instead of those small 1/8" screw under the molding and it would have saved everyone a lot of headaches.

It is also a shame they did not put more support in the cab-over bunk area at the cab roof. While that aluminum chanel was a start, there just isn't enough support for all that weight and the flexing that occurs when driving and leveling; especially with that heavy panoramic window adding more weight out over the windshield where there is no support.

Please keep us posted of your progress along the way. This is a great project to follow!!!
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Old 11-02-2021, 10:55 AM   #13
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Smile Thanks for showing us the project! <3

Quote:
Originally Posted by kwplot34 View Post
Here is the project, and for the life of me I cannot get them to load right, I have tried rotating them but it does no good.
Edit your picture.
Any slight edit to size will do. Do a crop.
The edited picture will post in the upright orientation instead of sideways.
It works for me every time without fail.
(Source of quote)
https://www.thorforums.com/forums/sh...38&postcount=1
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Old 11-02-2021, 03:19 PM   #14
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Omni XG32
State: Arizona
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THOR #24995
Quote:
Originally Posted by kwplot34 View Post
It's time to take this front cap apart and see what surprises Thor has left for me to fix.
I'll be following your progress intently as I may be in the same boat. We recently picked up a preowned 32 (private sale) b4 being aware of the cap problems. Ours is showing 2 popping screws under the vertical trim on the passenger side. I've inspected all the joint seals everywhere the cap meets the rest of the rig and see no evidence of cracking etc. We took it to a THOR dealer for inspection and told them about the frequent cap problem. They're analysis was it needed a couple of screws replaced under the trim (surprise surprise)
We also contacted Thor just to get on record within the rigs original warranty period for whatever that may be worth.
Living in AZ however, I just don't see the value in driving back to Indiana should this blossom into a problem.
I don't have any welding equipment, so if I did open things up, would there be another approach to reinforcing the frame?
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Old 11-02-2021, 11:15 PM   #15
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: XG 32 Omni
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THOR #4243
Quote:
Originally Posted by Judge View Post
Outstanding work Kevin! Your the man! The pictures and play-by-play analysis of the construction is great!!!!

I have seen those wells from other owner reports on other models. One was for a slide where the welds broke and Thor wouldn't cover it and the Extended Warranty called it structural and wouldn't cover it.

Since you have the skills and equipment, I thnk you made the right call cancelling your appointment in Wakarusa to do the repairs yourself.

I'm so dang impressed I want to bring mine out to Missouri and pay you to do all the same things even though Thor already did their repair!!

It's at least a positive that the front cap and house connection is through an aluminum stud but given the history of these front caps on the Super C, Thor could have used bolts and nylok nuts instead of those small 1/8" screw under the molding and it would have saved everyone a lot of headaches.

It is also a shame they did not put more support in the cab-over bunk area at the cab roof. While that aluminum chanel was a start, there just isn't enough support for all that weight and the flexing that occurs when driving and leveling; especially with that heavy panoramic window adding more weight out over the windshield where there is no support.

Please keep us posted of your progress along the way. This is a great project to follow!!!
When I get done with mine bring yours on out. It amazes how Thor can assemble some of the coach correctly and then you remove something else and it makes you go WHAT THE HELL and the design of that cap is one of those WTH moments. The only thing supporting the frame that the mattress is on is that thin aluminum pedestal and no reinforcement what so ever in that fiberglass cap, they could of at least glassed in some stringers.
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Old 11-02-2021, 11:15 PM   #16
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: XG 32 Omni
State: Missouri
Posts: 842
THOR #4243
Quote:
Originally Posted by shi ammi View Post
Edit your picture.
Any slight edit to size will do. Do a crop.
The edited picture will post in the upright orientation instead of sideways.
It works for me every time without fail.
(Source of quote)
https://www.thorforums.com/forums/sh...38&postcount=1
Thank you, I will give it a try.
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Old 11-02-2021, 11:49 PM   #17
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: XG 32 Omni
State: Missouri
Posts: 842
THOR #4243
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lamokadave View Post
I'll be following your progress intently as I may be in the same boat. We recently picked up a preowned 32 (private sale) b4 being aware of the cap problems. Ours is showing 2 popping screws under the vertical trim on the passenger side. I've inspected all the joint seals everywhere the cap meets the rest of the rig and see no evidence of cracking etc. We took it to a THOR dealer for inspection and told them about the frequent cap problem. They're analysis was it needed a couple of screws replaced under the trim (surprise surprise)
We also contacted Thor just to get on record within the rigs original warranty period for whatever that may be worth.
Living in AZ however, I just don't see the value in driving back to Indiana should this blossom into a problem.
I don't have any welding equipment, so if I did open things up, would there be another approach to reinforcing the frame?
I am sure you have some professional welders in your area or some fabrication and welding shops that you could take the frame and pedestal too and have them weld it up for you. Using brackets in the corners with nuts and bolts would not last very long, the aluminum tubing is thin walled and you will crush the sides when you try to tighten up the fasteners.
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Old 11-03-2021, 12:00 AM   #18
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
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THOR #4243
Got started on the reinforcement today, pretty straight forward and easy to do.
The pic with nut, bolt and washers is how I am sandwiching it all together.

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Old 11-03-2021, 12:09 AM   #19
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
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THOR #4243
Removed the pedestal so I can weld it up correctly, and no surprise here, self tapping screws and pretty small at that. Had to cut away some of the fiberglass cap to remove it because they put the cap over part of the base and a couple of the screws, no big deal, got out the DeWalt wheel of death cut off machine
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Old 11-03-2021, 12:36 AM   #20
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THOR #4243
have not removed the self tapping screws along the front yet, they actually go into a pretty beefy reinforcement in the cab roof just in front of where the cab clearance light holes are at, so I am going to leave them for now. I still plan on using the nuts and bolts in that area to clamp the cap to the cab roof better, instead of the aluminum strip like I did down the sides I want to install either an aluminum box or C channel just in front of the self tapping screws, this will serve 2 purposes. 1) it will serve the same purpose as the strips, better clamping against the fiberglass cap, 2) it is approximately 10 1/2" in front of the pedestal and will give more support to the big aluminum frame that is only supported by the pedestal.
I have some other ideas to reinforce the fiberglass cap floor to help support the big frame, it will have to be reinforced because the cap is pretty thin and flexes easily and it is not made of hand laid mat it is done with a shredder gun and that stuff is just not very strong.
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