Your Suggestions on Manufacture Design Changes

[Gerall]

Lets use this thread for the members to suggest design and operational changes they would make to their RV if they were the engineering department head.

[wildtoad]

I'll go... I have few issues with the design/op issues with my 2000 30Q except for the following:

1) What idiot decided to put the toilet and black tank on the passenger side of the unit resulting in having two handles to dump and very inconvenient to flush the black tank.

2) A few extra moments of design could have resulted in the front seats being able to turn and fully face the rear of the mh. My 31 ft '88 Winnie (same size as the 30Q) would allow this. As it is they will turn about 90 degrees before bumping into the sofa or barrel chair.

3) A light switch at the entry door would be nice.

4) More outside storage. What we have available is fine for a short weekend but more would be needed for longer trips.

Other than these, quite pleased.

Tom

[offshore]

Electrical outlets outside the coach.

[ToledoCharli]

THOR A.C.E. 30ft gasser. Install water tank drain valve accessible close to underside of chassis as opposed to lifting up bed and standing on head to reach down to reach drain valve. Recently purchased so may add more later.

[wildtoad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToledoCharli THOR A.C.E. 30ft gasser. Install water tank drain valve accessible close to underside of chassis as opposed to lifting up bed and standing on head to reach down to reach drain valve. Recently purchased so may add more later.

I bet someone got a bonus for that design. Probably saved 10 cents on the total cost of building.

[Pairajays]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildtoad I bet someone got a bonus for that design. Probably saved 10 cents on the total cost of building.

I don't want to get into a big argument about this. I think manufacturers build there units at the lowest possible cost for their final price point. It may not seem like it, but, the reason they design the way they do is cost. I don't believe the design folks are just not knowledgeable. The build quality and price difference between a Thor/Winne is considerably different than say a Country Coach, Monaco, Beaver, etc. Part of the higher cost is design. Without complete knowledge of the design parameters one cannot judge or question the particular desigh features.

That's my story and I am sticking to it.

Jim E

[Mekanic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerall Lets use this thread for the members to suggest design and operational changes they would make to their RV if they were the engineering department head.

I can't complain about mine,....cause I AM the person that designed It.
So far so good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by offshore Electrical outlets outside the coach.

that was one of the first things I did on mine.
Its easy to do just use a weather proof box. And not one of those plastic things what the RV industry calls weather proof.

[Gerall]

I understand some of the major design decisions are based on engineering vs cost, but I am referring more to the small annoyances. For instance putting the shore water bib on straight out from the enclosure while the water hose comes up from the bottom of the bay. Hook up a hose and you cant close the bay door without kinking it, ergo had to buy a 90 degree elbow. Not a real biggie, just an annoyance.

[exrench]

How about using thirty stainless screws to retain the outside light lenses,side markers etc. Such investment would avoid a two year old coach that looked like a scrap heap with all the corroded crusty screws all around the rig.

[NLOVNIT]

Put in cup holders that actually HOLD cups. There isn't a single style of cup that will sit in what we have without falling out of it. Plus I ALWAYS stub my foot on it or kick it getting in/out of the passenger or driver seats (it's on top of the doghouse between the seats). It's worthless.

Lori-

[JimM68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by offshore Electrical outlets outside the coach.

I like this one. Our old 99 PA had an outside outlet. The Knight has it inside a storage bay.

[JimM68]

Our Knight has a nice lil notched trapdoor in the wet bay for the water hose to pass through.

It also has a very nice automatic light, open the door, the light comes on!

Unfortunately, it has nothing that the business end of the sanicon will fit through, so when we are fully hooked up, the door is open an inch, and the light is on.

[JimM68]

I'm a bit bothered by the cockpit, too. No switches at all on the steering wheel, cruise and radio controls would be handy. The ICC switch being there, or on the side console where it could be reached would be way nice.
All the switches and controls on the dash are just plain too far away, I have to lean way forward to work em. ICC switch, lights, wipers, visors, forget it. Practically have to stand and lean way over to change the volume on the radio. Can't reach the trans controls either, or the cruise control.

Oddly, the jack system and ebrake are easy to reach, yet I never ever seem to need to reach them while buckled in the driver seat and moving.

[ctpres]

1. Ladder on drivers side - less tree action for antennas
2. City water connection centered between bay doors - so you can open doors without stressing water connections
3. Exterior electrical outlets - same as 2.
4. Place electical outlets so they can be still be used with slide retracted.
5. Double ditto on dash controls being to far to reach without bending forward.
A lot of problems stem from component mfg's. Maybe the bigger RV mfg's need to get purchasing dept involved with design. If you buy enough your suppliers will listen.