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Old 08-04-2017, 11:54 PM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Compass 23TR
State: Texas
Posts: 111
THOR #7972
Compass 23TR ownership so far

Purchased our 2017 Compass 23TR May 25, 2017. The design is working well for my wife & I. The Ford Transit diesel has exceeded my expectations. My only problems have been quality control issues with self tapping screws & staples into particle board, wiring not secured under the home, rear mud flap bracket bolts missing & loose , and (the most expensive )house batteries failed. I still love the MH and wasn't really shocked by everything that has gone wrong. Below are some of my ownership high/low lights.

AC condensation:
Producing streaking on the side was making our MH look old fast. I found a 3/4"threaded x 1/2" tube 90 degree lawn sprinkler fitting at Lowe's. I trimmed the 3/4" to fit under the AC condensate drain. Think of your grandfathers pipe bowl. I had a 4' section of irrigation tubing that reached the rear corner of the roof. Temporarily taped it to the roof and it's still working great. Also added Trim-Lok Drip Rail w/ spouts on each end on the drivers side of the coach.

No spare, no problem:
Before we purchased our Compass I didn't think too much about not having a spare tire. Within a month of ownership the rear drivers side inside tire picked up a nail. Fortunately I discovered it in the driveway. Right away I bought a spare rim on eBay and a matching tire from Walmart. After mounting and balancing I'm in for about $225. Now where to carry? Hanging it off the rear defeats the purpose of having a short motorhome not to mention security issues. Mounting under the chassis would require a lot of thinking and fabricating I'm not ready to attempt on a new motorhome. The 195/75-16 tires are smaller than typical dually setups. After carefully measuring I decided that there's room under the couch for a spare. I removed the structure under the couch for storing the table top. Also lowered the access door to the floor(less than 1"), and moved the table post storage brackets up to clear the tire. I used nonslip cabinet shelf liner between the floor and rim. The table top rests on top of the upturned tire w/ liner on top of the tire. Although I'm still not equipped to change a wheel myself, I at least have spare if needed.

Ford Transit issues:
Issues might be to strong of a word. I'd poured a new concrete slab to park the new MH on and noticed an oil spot under the differential. I checked the level & it was still within 1/2" of the fill hole. Front seal was ok, just a tiny cover leak. Now here's what made it an issue. In the greater Houston area(over 6 million people) there is only "one" Ford dealer that is equipped to do warranty work on motorhome chassis. Once I had an appointment things went smoothly. It took a little over three weeks to get in. Three days for the repair and a front end alignment. Drives even better now.

Drawer slide fail:
During our second trip the drawer under the microwave wouldn't snap closed and would open if I turned right too fast. These drawer slides are anchored to a flimsy support structure under the cabinet. My support had come unstappled from the microwave main support. Repaired with wood screws.

Cure for Texas heat:
We discover early the ac couldn't keep up with heat loads coming from the chassis windows. I purchased driver, passenger, & windshield covers from Heatshield. They worked so well I contacted the company and they custom made a cover for the Compass23TR skylight. Super nice company to deal with. It took a while but the end result was great, $39.95 plus $17.89 shipping. The difference is dramatic!

Tall me - short her:
Although the shower is plenty big enough, the shower wand angle left a lot to be desired. Installed a Dura Faucet RV Shower Slide Bar. Also removed the restriction orifice so there is enough flow for the tankless water heater to work.

That's all for now but I'm optimistic. The design is awesome but execution could be a little better. Hopefully most of the bugs have been worked out now. I have pictures but haven't had any luck uploading from my iPhone.

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Old 08-12-2017, 02:53 PM   #2
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Compass 23TR
State: Texas
Posts: 111
THOR #7972
Awning update:
My Compass came with a Carefree Latitude awning. After it made a loud popping noise I noticed the arms weren't aligned properly. I didn't receive any documentation on it with my purchase. Fortunately Carefree has good web support. The adjustment was easy to make and extends/ retracts great. The problem was loose adjustment locking set screws. Another minor but annoying quality control issue.
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Old 08-13-2017, 05:44 AM   #3
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2017 Gemini 23TR
State: British Columbia
Posts: 215
THOR #5922
Great info

Thanks for posting...particularly like your spare tire solution. I have a problem with the AC effectively cooling even though I have the window/skylight shields. I do love the floor plan and am enjoying it (Bought mine in Dec 2016) and though the dealership worked out quite a few issues but I still have stuff: Norcold 3-way fridge only works on LP, awning leaks over doorway, emergency exit window over couch has water ingress, and as you mentioned screws in particle board requiring regular tightening. Will follow incase you have more solutions! Nancy
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Old 08-13-2017, 01:24 PM   #4
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Compass 23TR
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Nancy,
Fortunately our Compass has been water tight. The dealer I bought from does a high pressure rain booth test before delivery.
You might try Trim-Lok Drip Rail or EZE-RV gutter above the windows your having trouble with. There are several videos on YouTube. Good luck,
Hugh
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Old 11-12-2017, 12:45 AM   #5
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Model: Compass 23TR
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Spare tire photos

If been asked about my spare installation a few times so here's a couple of photos. Although The table storage shelf is permanently mounted it came up easily. The shelf wasted a lot of storage space under the couch. I keep a tool set under there also.
Hugh
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Old 11-12-2017, 01:12 AM   #6
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Thanks for the pictures!

Looks like a great way to carry a spare...plus, no loss of function for the table top/leg storage.
I reread my post just above and I should report that all but the A/C performance were dealt with by my dealership in October. Turned out the emergency window leak was caused by a screw preventing the window from properly seating...now all is well. Nancy
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Old 11-22-2017, 03:19 AM   #7
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Vfrhuge,
Thanks for the info on your spare tire storage.You solved my biggest issue.
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Old 11-22-2017, 03:51 AM   #8
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Al little peace of mind having a good spare��
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Old 11-24-2017, 10:12 PM   #9
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vfrhugh,

Did you pull the couch out for this mod? I hope to get started on mine early next week. I am thinking of adding a pull out storage for 1 gal water containers as well. Haven't done the measuring yet to see if its feasible.
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Old 11-24-2017, 10:52 PM   #10
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This is a really GREAT review of the rig: it shows off your creativity, and your "Imagineering***" skills!





*** Apologies to Walt Disney for appropriating his term: it just works so well in this situation.
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Old 11-26-2017, 01:39 AM   #11
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I didn’t remove the couch but I did lower the access door to the floor(less than 1"), and moved the table post storage brackets up to clear the tire. I put blue tape on the access door frame and couch frame. When you remove the screws holding the access door, setting it on the floor, you’ll measure the exact amount needed to relocate the door strikers. Look in the lower left of the bottom photo and you can see the tape I used.
I did a lot of measuring and head scratching before I pulled the shelf out. I’d recommend y’all do the same. I don’t know how precise thes things are built. What worked on one might not work on another.
Good luck,
Hugh
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Old 11-26-2017, 04:46 PM   #12
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Thanks vfrhugh,
I’ll let you know how mine turns out. This is such a good mod it seems Thor could easily have built them that way. Maybe they are watching. Thanks
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Old 11-26-2017, 05:40 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mountainsam View Post
Thanks vfrhugh,
I’ll let you know how mine turns out. This is such a good mod it seems Thor could easily have built them that way. Maybe they are watching. Thanks
One can only hope...
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Old 11-26-2017, 08:08 PM   #14
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Model: Gemini 24TX (Formerly)
State: California
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I have the Gemini 24TX, but just looking, I didn't measure, it sure doesn't look possible to stuff a full size spare under the sofa. Maybe the tires are bigger on the 24TX. I wouldn't mind having someone that knew what they were doing, fabricate an under chassis rack? for the spare, but I've already been told there are tanks in the way, and now I have added an HWH hydraulic leveling system, so now there are jacks under there to deal with too. As for the AC not cooling well, I also added a second roof AC in front, we were out last week, it was 97 degrees outside, 71 inside.
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Old 11-27-2017, 10:53 AM   #15
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Model: Gemini 23TR
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Laco, have you weighed the rig loaded since your additions?

I'd be a bit concerned with my GVWR if I added this much to my 23TR.

We don't have much left (480lbs) after loading for a 2 week trip.

I do know we have different chassis, but was curious.
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Old 11-27-2017, 09:37 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vfrhugh View Post
Al little peace of mind having a good spare��
Thanks again vfrhugh. finished my spare tire mod this morning. I don't carry a rim, leaving it to the road service truck to mount my tire, for now anyway. May change my mind about that later. Mod took about 2 hours to gather a few tools and complete.

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Old 11-27-2017, 10:41 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jnjrappe View Post
Laco, have you weighed the rig loaded since your additions?

I'd be a bit concerned with my GVWR if I added this much to my 23TR.

We don't have much left (480lbs) after loading for a 2 week trip.

I do know we have different chassis, but was curious.
Didn't weigh it after the adds, but before the adds, I had over 1500 pounds to spare. The AC weighs 97 pounds, the leveling system just under 200, so I'm still good. Still would like to hang a spare tire and wheel somewhere, just don't know where, yet.
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Old 11-27-2017, 11:32 PM   #18
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Model: Gemini 23TR
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I looked at hitch carriers and can't find one that folds out of the way so we can use our rear slide.

May have to go with under couch mod.
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Old 11-28-2017, 12:51 AM   #19
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Model: Forest River Forester 235
State: Indiana
Posts: 4,883
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I have a Roadmaster 195225 hitch mount. It’s a pretty useful piece of kit that will carry your spare and still let you use your hitch - I use mine for a cargo basket to carry a pair of bikes. It also easily swings out of the way. The feature is intended to permit easy access (without lifting) to a large, heavy spare but it also would move it out of the path of your rear slide. Just need some sort of a lockout or memory assist so you don’t forget. It’s very well made and likely would damage your slide if you forgot to lower it first. It’s pretty spendy at about $500 but it’ll outlast your coach and maybe the one you buy next!
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Old 11-28-2017, 12:56 AM   #20
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The hitch carriers I have seen, look like they would interfere with the rear slide. I wonder if something could be mounted on the rear slide, and be solid, or would that be too much weight too far to the rear, for the slide mechanism to handle?
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