Thor's poor workmanship

[ducksface]

Thor did start to add, in 2019 or 2020 a VERY ugly vent in the generator door.
It looks like it fell off of a very shoddy homebuilt vw van conversion headed to Woodstock in1969, didn't make it, and Thor found the vent in the road.
Very unattractive.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by ducksface

Thor did start to add, in 2019 or 2020 a VERY ugly vent in the generator door.
It looks like it fell off of a very shoddy homebuilt vw van conversion headed to Woodstock in1969, didn't make it, and Thor found the vent in the road.
Very unattractive.

I remember seeing some coaches with a compartment door vent. I went back out to look at mine and it is actually saying overheating and generator damage can occur if operating with service door open. So my question still remains because the genset service door is needed to be closed to seal the unit presumably from itself ( meaning exhaust). Just trying to understand how is it really getting better circulation given the way it is self contained? Not quite the same design as the engines front air intake through the front grille.

[ducksface]

I don't know either except:
The notice is for their factory door which is part of an air circulation device/plenum.
Leave it open and it won't draw properly causing just a ball of air instead of a stream of air.

The thor goofy vent is for satiation of the terminal reddit readers..
They've heard a story of generator overheating. My guess is thor put that there as a 'shut up'.

Depending on needing a v10 belt so I have a reason to go dual alternator, or the generator needing work, I plan in machining off that horrific fan on the generator to cut the noise. Then install electric fans(that will oddly, be powered by that generator).

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I don't know either except:
The notice is for their factory door which is part of an air circulation device/plenum.
Leave it open and it won't draw properly causing just a ball of air instead of a stream of air.

The thor goofy vent is for satiation of the terminal reddit readers..
They've heard a story of generator overheating. My guess is thor put that there as a 'shut up'.

Oops so I may be about to spoil the game, kind of like being the one who leaks to the kids there is no Santa Claus

[bobhhoy]

I have been pleased with my 2017 Thor Compass. When I had a problem, concern or question, I called Thor and the employee answered my call with competence and professionalism.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by bobhhoy

I have been pleased with my 2017 Thor Compass. When I had a problem, concern or question, I called Thor and the employee answered my call with competence and professionalism.

I never bought a Thor, but when I was shopping for one I talked to Thor's Customer Service all the time. Sometimes I had to use the serial number of the new unit I was looking to buy. They always answered the phone and was always straight with me. They helped to reinforce some things I learned on this site as to who actually owned or were responsible for some of the things I saw. They even helped me to find coaches in other places like what I was looking for, but they were always too far, and always more than what I was willing to spend.

But just like some folks will never buy a house if there is any open item on their punch list, I was the same way when buying an RV. I didn't really care about how the system work, or how it is done in the industry, or the fix it yourself stuff done later. So I kept passing up on coaches and ignoring what I must have heard a 1000 times from the Thor Dealers, "don't wait because I was missing out on spending precious time with my family in the RV" I found what I was seeking and like you; I found the RV Mfg has been very competent and professional. They took care of every item identified under warranty and actually let it extend out two years.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

I remember seeing some coaches with a compartment door vent. I went back out to look at mine and it is actually saying overheating and generator damage can occur if operating with service door open. So my question still remains because the genset service door is needed to be closed to seal the unit presumably from itself ( meaning exhaust). Just trying to understand how is it really getting better circulation given the way it is self contained? Not quite the same design as the engines front air intake through the front grille.

The access door (the one attached to the MH) is NOT the service door. The service door is the one that's green like the generator.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

The access door (the one attached to the MH) is NOT the service door. The service door is the one that's green like the generator.

Exactly, browse post 60, 61 and 62 to get the progression of sequence.

My 1st comment was referencing compartment door hatch, and that Duck Guy raised a comment about how Thor had started to vent some compartment doors. That got me to thinking what I read, so I go out to RV to and the warning label and corrected that warning I was referring to was in fact Service door, not compartment hatch door.

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

What's unbalance able Goodyear tires have to do with Thor? And why didn't Goodyear replace them under warranty?

My exact thought!

[twovillagers]

[QUOTE=vdub;329128]Why is it that Thor, and almost every other RV manufacturer, puts out such shoddy workmanship? I mean, it really is crap. Workers and management both should be ashamed of their quality. I am hoping this thread will draw more examples of "you only had one job to do...." type workmanship. ------

I can sympathize with your frustration! I always advise my "senior" friends not to even consider an RV if they are not willing to understand every system and personally do easy to intermediate level repairs on their own. And, I suspect quality has become worse since I bought my Vegas in 2019. In addition, the dealers are short on technicians and the wait for repairs and parts has been extended.

If all of the manufacturers would invest 5-10% of the cost in improved design and components, training, and quality control, the quality could be vastly improved. I believe most customers would pay the difference-especially for the purchase of their next RV.

The fix does start with "us", the customers. If we are willing to live with quality as it is, what is the incentive for manufacturers to change?

As for me, I now have my Vegas to the point where I am reasonably happy with it. BUT, I won't buy another RV and go through it all again!

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I don't know either except:
The notice is for their factory door which is part of an air circulation device/plenum.
Leave it open and it won't draw properly causing just a ball of air instead of a stream of air.

The thor goofy vent is for satiation of the terminal reddit readers..
They've heard a story of generator overheating. My guess is thor put that there as a 'shut up'.

Depending on needing a v10 belt so I have a reason to go dual alternator, or the generator needing work, I plan in machining off that horrific fan on the generator to cut the noise. Then install electric fans(that will oddly, be powered by that generator).

Actually the vent in the storage compartment door was stated by Forest River a number of years ago. It solved the problem FR was having so Thor followed suit.

[ducksface]

Originally Posted by Jimbo56

My exact thought!

I think it's everyone's exact thought.

The stories we read and the tales we're told.
It's like someone tore the last chapter out of a badly written book we've been chore-reading just to help a friend with their homework.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

If Thor's quality was so good, why did you buy a Tiffin? Be honest, you dumped your Thor for what you thought was a superior product.

My reasons for buying a new RV are well-documented in here.
Or did you forget them?

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Or, he no longer needed the size and toy hauling capability of an Outlaw since giving up Spyder riding and needed something smaller to fit he and his wife's current needs and capabilities. The Tiffin fit the bill.

There are plenty of people that abandon Thor for another manufacture due to bad quality experience with their Thor. Most don't stick around on this forum. Bob is not one of them.

Play nice Bob

[Striderking]

Yep, we all can relate to this problem. These beautiful RV’s are just pigs with lipstick. I won’t do the long list but I will point out one thing that seems so lazy and inconsiderate and potentially dangerous. FOD! Those in aerospace know what I mean. When you open up a closed area you could find almost anything from loose screws, sawdust, chunks of wood, discarded wire, false teeth. Just kidding about that last one unless somebody actually did find some. Is the concept of a vacuum cleaner so foreign on the assembly line? I worked in aerospace manufacturing and I could make some value added changes in a heart beat if I were in charge there. But, retired. 😁

[ducksface]

Specifc Vacuum system
$120,000
A three potential hours of labor added to the line, at intermittent line positions, and if they miss one pocket of sawdust, the complaints are the same as 15 pockets of sawdust.
Vacuum clogs, line shuts down. $10phr Sammy no shows, it's an hour to get a replacement Sammy.


Most commercial and many small Planes are HEAVILY SUPER government SUBSIDIZED.
rv builders are only lightly subsidized.

Punchline
Acute Vacuuming costs $250,000 per year per line, maybe more.
1:10,000,000 won't buy the rv due to sawdust behind the kitchen drawer.

But
I hated fod walks.
Believed in them whole heartedly, but hated them.

Then some engiturd thought super-brittle reflective tape HEAVILY applied to all tools was a good idea. I bet they're still scraping the scrapings off of the floor and walls and product and clothes.

And
I'm not saying fod-walk is an anal cult thing.
I'm saying it's a brain-worm, hard to kill.
It easily becomes more important than the job at hand if you're of that mind.

FOD=FOREIGN OBJECT DETECTION.(or used to. Lord only knows if or why it would change)

[MLP]

Originally Posted by Striderking

Yep, we all can relate to this problem. These beautiful RV’s are just pigs with lipstick. I won’t do the long list but I will point out one thing that seems so lazy and inconsiderate and potentially dangerous. FOD! Those in aerospace know what I mean. When you open up a closed area you could find almost anything from loose screws, sawdust, chunks of wood, discarded wire, false teeth. Just kidding about that last one unless somebody actually did find some. Is the concept of a vacuum cleaner so foreign on the assembly line? I worked in aerospace manufacturing and I could make some value added changes in a heart beat if I were in charge there. But, retired. ��

Try a bottle of nitroglycerin pills! I kid you not. I hope they lived to get more.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Striderking

Yep, we all can relate to this problem. These beautiful RV’s are just pigs with lipstick. I won’t do the long list but I will point out one thing that seems so lazy and inconsiderate and potentially dangerous. FOD! Those in aerospace know what I mean. When you open up a closed area you could find almost anything from loose screws, sawdust, chunks of wood, discarded wire, false teeth. Just kidding about that last one unless somebody actually did find some. Is the concept of a vacuum cleaner so foreign on the assembly line? I worked in aerospace manufacturing and I could make some value added changes in a heart beat if I were in charge there. But, retired. ��

When I first saw this I was thinkin "New RV Issues" your title

Then I red Lipstick on the pig, long list and potentially dangerous.

So my curiosity peaked. So out of your long list you picked the lack of vacuum cleaning in a closed area as Exhibit 1? OMG

Wow and double wow. I am sure TMC as every RV mfg has some defects, but most of the bashing I see on this forum are generalized and usually only half the story being told.

I give you an analogy, I once went on Home Depot to look at a simple hammer. When I read the feedback or some of the reviews, I might have been scared to buy any of the hammers because some people complained about everything possible under the moon. i.e. the hammer rusted, but they did say where they kept it, the hammer was strong enough to do their job well what the job were they try to do, did they need a sledge hammer? The box it shipped in was torn lousy packaging and on and on. You get the idea.

[MLP]

Originally Posted by ducksface

Vacuum system
$120,000
An hour of labor added to the line, and if they miss one pocket if sawdust, the complaints are the same as 15 pockets of sawdust.
Vacuum clogs, line shuts down. $10phr Sammy no shows, its an hour to get a replacement Sammy.
Most commercial and many small Planes are HEAVILY SUPER government SUBSIDIZED.
rv builders are only lightly subsidized.

Punchline
Acute Vacuuming costs $250,000 per year per line, maybe more.
1:10,000,000 won't buy the rv due to sawdust behind the kitchen drawer.

But
I hated fod walks.
Believed in them whole heartedly, but hated them.

Then some engiturd thought super-brittle reflective tape HEAVILY applied to all tools was a good idea. I bet they're still scraping the scrapings off of the floor and walls and planes and clothes.

Then the FOD requirements! Ended all use of lock washers. That was fine, but customer requirements calling for them had to be reconciled with their same requirements not allowing them. Torque and stake. Which pushed on the requirement to lower the cost! Then adopting the EU requirements to end all lead content. Low and behold pure tin whiskers! And yes they push out of conformal coatings. A year and a half to get to allow pure tin FOD to exist in electronic devices so long as the power driving from the source can blow the short open and not destroy the equipment along with surviving the glitch created. All becomes second nature in designing after a few weeks since it only affected very fine pitch components. Now we are all digressing from the original topic.

[lwmcguire]

Originally Posted by ducksface

I think it's everyone's exact thought.

The stories we read and the tales we're told.
It's like someone tore the last chapter out of a badly written book we've been chore-reading just to help a friend with their homework.

Great analogy

[Striderking]

Thought I was specific. List of “excess parts” found in motor home. And yes a vacuum solved the problem aside from the pieces too large for it to pick up. Fix was quite easy too. You know finding 6” long pieces of 14 gauge wire, ground neutral and hot along with pieces of dropped plumbing then the sawdust and scrap wood, I could of filled a 5 gallon bucket so yes that’s my peeve. But it’s fixed it.