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Old 12-02-2021, 09:39 PM   #1
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Battery removal

I have a 2017 Thor Axis any idea how to easily remove the battery?

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Old 12-02-2021, 10:15 PM   #2
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I assume you are speaking of the chassis battery. It can be accessed by removing the flip up table in front of the passenger's seat. Then there is a plywood floor to it that has pre cut outs. Take some perforated steel strip and screw it to the inner panel. Then cut through the remaining spots and remove the plywood. The battery is deep down inside.

Remove the cables from the terminals and then unscrew the clamp that holds the battery to its base. Remove the old one, replace it and reconnect the terminals. The piece of plywood you removed will fit back in the hole and the steel strips will hold it in place.

There are videos on how to do it here if you do a search on this forum.

David
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Old 12-03-2021, 01:03 AM   #3
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I knew it wouldn’t be anything simple ! Thor doesn’t do simple! Cheap yes! Simple no!
Thanks
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Old 12-03-2021, 01:45 AM   #4
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In the mind of a THOR engineer who takes public transportation, who would ever want to remove and replace a battery?
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Old 12-03-2021, 01:59 AM   #5
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Not defending Thor but after several MH's from different mfgrs I have found there is nothing easy in RV maintenance.
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Old 12-03-2021, 02:28 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by MJC62 View Post
Not defending Thor but after several MH's from different mfgrs I have found there is nothing easy in RV maintenance.
Taking the time to relocate Ford's battery placement on the stripped chassis doesn't sound very difficult in the context of engineering/building an entire motorhome. Ford has no idea what type of body the end user is using.

Considering the value added to the consumer experience, there's no excuse for not doing a function that probably takes less than one man-hour and negligible material cost. Is that REALLY going to inflate the price??
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Old 12-03-2021, 03:50 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad View Post
Taking the time to relocate Ford's battery placement on the stripped chassis doesn't sound very difficult in the context of engineering/building an entire motorhome. Ford has no idea what type of body the end user is using.

Considering the value added to the consumer experience, there's no excuse for not doing a function that probably takes less than one man-hour and negligible material cost. Is that REALLY going to inflate the price??
In a class A motorhome unless the chassis battery ends up being moved to a basement compartment, taking up valuable storage space and adding extra battery cable, the location under the hood though hard to access is the most logical place to install it. Reality is how often does the cranking battery have to be replaced? The extra expense to locate the battery in a more easily accessible location doesn't warrant it.
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Old 12-03-2021, 03:56 AM   #8
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99% of rv owners Do not change their own battery so it isn't an issue for thor or all the other class a coaches doing the same placement.
It's less than an hour to change battery.
If you have a complaint, hire it out.
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Old 12-03-2021, 12:21 PM   #9
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The location of the Axis battery is actually pretty roomy. The only real negative is it is deep so you are working with your head and hands down in a hole to remove it. If you have ever seen an Axis front end, you will know that there is no other place to put it, other than in the coach basement itself and I wouldn't want it there- as noted above it would take up valuable storage and lengthen the wiring runs to it.

FWIW, it took me about an hour to get to it and attach a wire to the terminal as I wanted the dash outlets powered directly (through another fuse) and not through the engine compartment fuse. That fuse box is almost impossible to get to on the new V8 chassis.

David
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Old 12-03-2021, 01:36 PM   #10
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ducksface, If this is the only way to the battery why doesn’t Thor make it accessible?
Why put it on the owners to have to jump through all those hoops or hire someone to cut through the panels and etc when they could have easily done that during the build! It seems as though they give some things little to no thought!
Of course I will hire it out! I’m a woman with no means or brawn to do the job! It’s just another expense the price of which could have have been lessened if they had dealt with at the factory.
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Old 12-03-2021, 02:28 PM   #11
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Here's an informative thread from 4 years ago. ENJOY!
https://www.thorforums.com/forums/f4...-1-a-6417.html
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Old 12-03-2021, 03:47 PM   #12
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It's a kit.
You get basics with your rv then you modify toward your personal happiness.
If the battery placement isn't to your liking, consider the moving of it as an available
Post Delivery Option.

Be glad you weren't forced to buy three $3,000 tv's as standard equipment.
The tv is a
Post Delivery Option.


The added $200 in labor and cables would have been born by every single thor buyer whether capable or not, had Thor moved that battery.

While they are changing your battery be sure to get a quote for them to move that battery to whichever storage bin you choose it to reside in.

In my signature thread it shows where to move that battery without losing any storage space.

The 'kit' belief is a very good way toward real RV happiness.

I guess my real question is
Why does mopar put them under the back seat?
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Old 12-03-2021, 04:51 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by ducksface View Post
...I guess my real question is
Why does mopar put them under the back seat?
To avoid the inevitable body rust in Chrysler products?
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Old 12-03-2021, 05:53 PM   #14
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You guys are lucky: mine is under my feet!
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Old 12-03-2021, 07:54 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by sforl View Post
I knew it wouldn’t be anything simple ! Thor doesn’t do simple! Cheap yes! Simple no!
Thanks
Back on topic - I recently replaced mine. The difficulty in lifting the battery out was that it had to be rotated around obstructing hoses as it was being lifted. I bought a battery lift strap and it made it much easier to lift out. I think it would be pretty difficult if you lift the battery without a handle or strap.

I suggest replacing it with a battery that has a handle built in. I opted for a high-quality AGM battery. The battery I chose required that I reverse the cables. The + was on the opposite end but there was sufficient slack in the cabling to do that.
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Old 12-08-2021, 07:38 PM   #16
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I have a 2016 Vegas 24.1 and have replaced the battery. Once I found out how to do it, it was quite simple. I was able to do it on my own. I did reroute a few hoses (minor) permanently to make it easier. As with most things, once you know how, it is often not difficult. Good luck.
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Old 12-08-2021, 10:53 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ducksface View Post
99% of rv owners Do not change their own battery so it isn't an issue for thor or all the other class a coaches doing the same placement.
It's less than an hour to change battery.
If you have a complaint, hire it out.
Can't change a battery, who pushes the brake and gas pedal down for them when they are driving. Does this happen at a certain age like 70, does this mean in a few months all my capabilities are going to disappear and I'll need to take it in for everything. Who will move my seat back and forth for me and turn the key to start it. My wife will have another 8 months to help me and then she will be 70 what will I do after that?
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Old 12-08-2021, 10:58 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad View Post
To avoid the inevitable body rust in Chrysler products?
Chevy has a lot of them in the backseat as well. My old Cobalt's was back there as was the battery in all my 60's vintage bugs. But in no other vehicle I have owned was a saw part of the tools list for replacing a battery.
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Old 12-09-2021, 12:30 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ducksface View Post
It's a kit.
You get basics with your rv then you modify toward your personal happiness.
If the battery placement isn't to your liking, consider the moving of it as an available
Post Delivery Option.

Be glad you weren't forced to buy three $3,000 tv's as standard equipment.
The tv is a
Post Delivery Option.


The added $200 in labor and cables would have been born by every single thor buyer whether capable or not, had Thor moved that battery.

While they are changing your battery be sure to get a quote for them to move that battery to whichever storage bin you choose it to reside in.

In my signature thread it shows where to move that battery without losing any storage space.

The 'kit' belief is a very good way toward real RV happiness.

I guess my real question is
Why does mopar put them under the back seat?
Mine was in the bottom front fender behind the tire
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Old 12-09-2021, 12:43 AM   #20
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There is no easy way. See answer from David below. I made a door with hinges out of the panel he talks about removing to get into the engine bay and find the battery.

Alajeu
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