Thor Forums

[orion6192]

Good afternoon all!

My parents just picked up a 2014 Thor Hurricane 32N with 4400 miles. The unit is flawless - some things look like have been never or hardly used.

Anyway - the hood. I've read and seen a couple of posts around the hood being though to open or close. Welcome to our world. However, ours may go where nobody else's has gone before.

The pistons / struts seem extremely stiff. The number on the side is 7785QB and they are rated at 190N (42lbs) and are 329/13 which translates into ML 13-40. Here is the rub - they are so tight or rigid that it bows the center of hood out about 3/4" if the corners of the hood are flush with the front. If you try to collapse the cylinder with your hand or pushing on the ground, they seem to be much more rigid than 40lbs.

The dealer, who is not a Thor dealer, they took it in on trade for a larger more expensive Newmar, could only pull the corners in to help suck in the middle a little. They could offer no more.

So - being an Engineer, I popped the cylinders off to start looking around. We closed the hood with no cylinders attached and everything aligns beautifully!

So I ask you fellow RV owners of Thor products - most specifically Hurricanes (if it matters) what struts / cylinders / pistons do your have on your hood?

I called Thor and they said they only seen a ML 15-40 which is 2 inches longer and just the same poundage. They offered nothing else other than saying that maybe someone swapped out the incorrect cylinders or they are located incorrectly. He could even really tell me what I really needed. He did say at the end of the conversation he sees a ML 13-20 - but not really linked to our VIN.

I am asking for any help you may be able to offer. The bow looks horrible, but the hood is stiff. And a 42lb cylinder for such a light hood seems over-rated - but it could be because of the wind resistance?

Thanks -greatly appreciated.

Scott