Community Forums

Firstimers · 07-14-2013, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoguy1313

Update on my slide situation ...

Having an appointment this coming week to have the large slide repaired, I attempted to retract the slide, knowing I would probably encounter the same 2-3 inch gap at the bottom of the slide, but not bad enough to preclude me driving it to the dealer. Well, I ended up in the same situation one other member encountered, namely the top of the slide would not retract at all, and the bottom retracted 8 inches and then stopped! None of the recommended workarounds would get the slide to move from this cockeyed position. Thor support authorized a mobile RV service to come out & free it up. After 2-1/2 hours of trying everything he & I could come up with to try, Thor recommended cutting both of the aluminum shafts that connect the upper & lower gears on each end. The shafts were severely bowed indicating the tension they were under. Once this was accomplished, the motors were able to retract the top of the slide sufficiently to get the slide parallel with the sidewall, and we were able to push the slide in manually.

As you can imagine I'm quite apprehensive about the successful slide mechanism replacement at other than the factory. Traveling there is just not an option for us now. Will keep you all posted ...

Norb

Hope it all works out, Thor is flying a master tech down to Safford on Monday to replace my entire mechanism after the same happened. I was able to get the slide back in by jacking up the outside bottom edge of the slide to get it to jump the gears back into place. Side note I used a ten ton jack with a 4x6 that was about 8 feet long to disburse the weight and enough pressure to be able to visibly see the slide and coach moving, but it wouldn't jump gears until I started to retract the slide. I will let you know what they did next weekend when I get back in country. Thor said they sent an entire new mechanism to include steel rods and new gear rails for the slide.

James

RKNOLA · 07-15-2013, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RKNOLA

Thank you very much for the heads up! I will call the dealership right now!!

I am glad all of you warned us. We did get a call from a rep from Thor and they said "Your coach has newer components so you shouldn't have any slide issues". The dealership did change the Lippert motor to the larger model as recommended by Thor. Well, we picked up our new 2013 Thor Palazzo 33.2 on Saturday 7/13/13 (maybe too many 13's). We luckily decided to camp overnight at a campground about 7 miles from the dealership just in case we had slide issues. When we arrived the slide went out fine. We stayed the night then in the morning when we tried to pull the slide in that is when all the trouble started!! The slide started going in crooked. The bottom half was sticking out about 6 inches. So we tried extending the slide to straighten it back out. The front of the slide would extend but not the back end of the slide. Rick had to go outside the coach and with the help of another male camper they were able to physically PUSH the slide while I pushed the "slide retract" button. (I guess if you own a Palazzo you have to always camp with 2 or 3 extra people to help you get your slide in!!). Luckily I had the cell phone number of the owner of the dealership. We called her, told her about the slide issue. She met us back at the dealership and rented us a car to drive home. (We live 4 hrs. away from the dealership!)
The dealership still has the coach and I am seriously hoping we didn't make a VERY expensive mistake by buying the Palazzo!
I called the Thor representative that told us we wouldn't have any slide issues and left her a voice message: "should I say I told you so now or would you like me to wait until later"??? I hope they don't avoid my call because they don't want to hear me complain!
I will give them today to look over the coach, then I will start calling to find out what is going on! I am also saying prayers that we won't regret buying this coach!!

audigger · 07-15-2013, 01:27 PM

We also are having issues with the large slide. Purchased the rig 2/25/2013 and it has been in the shop HALF the time we have owned it. The last time was for 29 day at CW of Chattanooga. Took it out this weekend and when extending the slide there was a lot of "popping and cracking" but the slide extended. When we went to retract this morning the front came in about 6 inches and the back not at all....re-extended the slide and then retracted with me pulling in on the back end of the slide while the DW held the button and fortunately it retracted fully and I was able to start the coach and get it to our storage unit. Call TMC and was on hold 58 minutes before getting a tech. Told him what was going on and that I wanted to bring the coach to Thor since I felt that CW could not adequately repair the unit (they have had 4 tries). He advised that it would be mid September before they could get me in -- there goes two more months with out the coach. Then before I could say "pencil me in" the call dropped.....I am so freaking frustrated!!! Sent my "TMC Concierge" an email asking her to have the tech call me back....we'll see what happens....

Bob

audigger · 07-15-2013, 08:11 PM

Concierge forwarded my email to tech who said he would get me the first available appointment....still waiting on date....

RKNOLA · 07-16-2013, 09:56 AM

[QUOTE=photoguy1313;1631953]I'm experiencing a major issue with the large slide on our 33.2 (manufacture date January 2013). When I attempt to retract the slide from the fully-open position, the travel is smooth for the first 1/3 of the distance, then I begin to hear shuddering and banging from the top of the slide, and it appears as though it's jumping "teeth" on the upper tracks. The slide comes all the way in on the top & makes contact with the top of the sidewall, but there's a 2-3 inch gap at the bottom along the entire slide. Examination of the upper gear tracks both front and rear shows galling of the gear teeth.

Has anyone else experienced this? I can't really use the rig for fear of driving it in rain and getting a major flood inside the coach in the hardest-to-reach places! Have an appointment with a local Thor dealer, but not till July 17th. Given TheArnolds comment on the larger motors and replacement gear shafts, I was wondering if this was fixing the type of problem I'm experiencing ... TIA

Norb[/QUOT

Welcome to our nightmare. Have owned the coach for 3 days but only able to camp overnight then slide malfunctioned. Still trying to get answers as to what happened and what is going to be done to fix the problem.

cucamelsmd15 · 07-16-2013, 10:15 AM

Is the slide problem isolated to the 33.2 and 33.3, or is it happening on the 33.1 as well. Most reports Ive seen are the large slide models, i.e. 33.2 and 33.3.

RKNOLA · 07-16-2013, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cucamelsmd15

Is the slide problem isolated to the 33.2 and 33.3, or is it happening on the 33.1 as well. Most reports Ive seen are the large slide models, i.e. 33.2 and 33.3.

The 33.1 is the only one without the "super slide". Maybe that is why. I hope we don't regret our decision to purchase the 33.2 instead of the 33.1. We shall see......

audigger · 07-16-2013, 12:24 PM

Now have an appointment at Thor for the second week in October for large slide repair...3 months

Butte64 · 07-16-2013, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by audigger

Now have an appointment at Thor for the second week in October for large slide repair...3 months

Is it usable with the slide in?
With the 33.1 access to the refrigerator is tight but the coach is still very usable.
I hope you don't totally lose out on summer.

audigger · 07-16-2013, 01:13 PM

Coach is usable but sure is cramped....and it's not what I paid for....

Redridge · 07-16-2013, 01:14 PM

^^^ what? so the summer is pretty much shot. I wonder how the 36.1 guys are doing, now that is a huge slide!

ChallengerRN · 07-16-2013, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redridge

^^^ what? so the summer is pretty much shot. I wonder how the 36.1 guys are doing, now that is a huge slide!

Don't you think the slide on the 36.1 is the same as the 33.2 ?? The 33.2 is very usable with the large slide in. You have to run the small slide out to get to some dresser drawers. Thor fixed my large slide & it is still working fine. But I'm with everyone else. We never bought them to keep the slides in. If someone is out of business and willing to drive to Elkhart they should not have to wait 3 months.

audigger · 07-16-2013, 02:59 PM

I wouldn't exactly say that it is "very usable". The access to the fridge and laundry are quite restricted. Access to the bath is also restricted if you are an extra large....

but yes the coach is still usable....I'm just a little frustrated as I feel that the large slide with all it's weight was under engineered and Thor should be a little more accommodating.

ChallengerRN · 07-16-2013, 03:14 PM

You are right. Usable is all it is. Should never be that way I agree. When they fixed mine they also explained how to best use it. Now I think it should be able to be use anyway one wants. It should work. That being said. It is huge & it is heavy. Jacks must be down and level & electric power should be on to keep it at full power. Not inverter.