Thor Ace

[RonR2440]

We currently have a 25' Class C with the MB V-6 diesel engine. The unit tracks down the road very solidly. The only issue we have is lack of interior space. We started looking for an entry level Ford V-10 Class A at 30-31' that gave us a bedroom with a walk around bed, and lots of bedroom and exterior storage. We settled on the Thor Ace 30.1, we really liked the interior and it is in our price range. I drove one yesterday courtesy of our local Camping World and was really disappointed with the steering. It felt like the front end was loose and the unit had a tendency to wander all over the lane if not watched. I found myself having to carefully concentrate on driving and not feeling comfortable to even glance away at the instrument cluster. The sales person said this is a common trait with some Class A's. I am hesitant to buy the unit if this is the type of steering I can expect. For those Class A owners, is this typical, or did I just drive a unit that needs the front end aligned, Any thoughts will be appreciated.

[Finally_Time]

I just bought a new Thor Ace 27.1. Your description of the handling sounds just like mine. Following Thor’s recommendations in the Owners Manual, I adjusted the tire pressure to the loaded weight and had the alignment checked; it was fine. I had the "cheap handling fix" (CHF) done. That improved the handling slightly. The suspension and alignment shop owner said he had the same Thor chassis under his similarly sized motorhome with the same initial handling. He recommended air bags; said most of the wandering and bobbing around was due to soft suspension and the "tail wagging the dog" syndrome. He didn’t think anything else like the more expensive track bars or steering stabilizers would add anything over what the air bags would do. I drove his motorhome. The difference was amazing. I’m having air bags installed next week. I love the ACE floor plan and features but it is really disgusting that Thor shoves them out the door with such poor suspension and handeling.

[2bzy2c]

Mine is an older F-53. No, it holds the road just fine. However, tire pressure and alignment play a big part in the handling of the rig. Also I have inflatable air bags on the rear axle. They help tremendously.

Having said that, I would insist on driving another similar model that maybe is aligned a bit better.