Thor Forums

[DavidEM]

I just picked my new Thor Axis 24.1 from Albany RV today. Here are my first impressions. More will come as I get more familiar with it.

The PDI went great. The only glitch was the power driver's seat didn't work and the tech found a loose connection after just a few minutes of searching. Everything else checked out fine.

Handling

I drove about 100 miles home today. I was quite happy with the handling: no dead spot, easy but quick enough steering, little road feedback to wheel on pothole bumps. The return to center was a little weak but I plan to have a front end alignment done and bring the caster to 5+ deg which should add some return force. I think this is the only thing I will have to do. No SUMO springs, sway bar or Safe T Plus or similar spring steering damper.

Size and liveability

I think it will fit our needs well- a small Class A with enough inside room but maneuverable. The only real compromise I have noticed so far is a tiny shower.

New Ford V8 with upgraded chassis

I don't have anything to compare it too, certainly not the old V10 chassis, but I think it was quiet enough. Most of the noise came from the road probably though the wheel wells and not the doghouse. Will have to look into adding insulation inside wheel wells.

Sway was quite tolerable and although I only drove on the interstate for 25 miles or so, the big trucks didn't bother me. On 2 lane roads several 18 wheelers passed coming the other way with no wind gusts pushing me around but those were 50 mph rural roads so higher speeds may be different.

The gearing seems perfect. In high gear (it has a 6 speed) the engine was turning 2,100 rpm at 65 mph. There is no real time mileage indicator, but judging by the fuel used in 100 miles it should do 9-10 mpg at 65 mph.

I climbed quite a few short hills on the rural two lane run but the posted speed was only 50 mph. I took most of them at 40 mph and the transmission shifted down to 4th I think at 2,200 rpm.

Tires

It has extenders for the inside wheel on the rear which lets you easily read and pump up both inside and out. Someone asked whether the new F53 based coaches have a TPMS. This similar E350 chassis does not.

Other quick nits and grits:

The rear and side camera display is a Thor addition and is powered separately by the coach batteries and won't work with the battery switch off. Seems Thor should have powered it from the chassis system. But it worked well except when the side was in the shade.

I measured the resting coach battery current with the battery switch on and off. With it on it drew about 0.5+A which is no doubt the Rapid Camp display and other parasitic loads. With the battery switch off, it drew about 0.1A which is probably the CO monitor and similar that are required to be powered at all times.

Going to investigate this more thoroughly for boondocking and storage purposes, but the chassis alternator definitely charges the coach batteries while the engine was running. I also think that the coach system charges the chassis batteries when there is something charging it like the solar panel or the shore power/generator converter.

It has a Precision Circuits BIM 160 mounted in the front drivers side of the engine compartment that manages the above and is easy to get to.

The coach has one factory installed 100 watt panel feeding a Go Power 10A PWM controller which worked fine. If I add more panels (and there is room for 3 more) I will have to add a bigger controller, probably an MPPT type.

More to come.

David