Fixing Thor Hurricane Problems (Awning, Front Bed, Slide)
In the RV world, repairs and problems are a common occurrence. Once you become an owner you may wonder why you have to do more maintenance and repair work on an RV over your traditional home. Usually, the answer is the traditional home is built far better than an RV.
Some repair work is minor. For example, your Hurricane may be missing lug nuts or there may be some drain leaks. These are easy to fix even for those with minimal DIY skills. It is the bigger problems that require more money and effort.
To learn more about this topic, just continue to read our article. It explores the issue so you have the best information possible. Then you can use this information to resolve many of the issues plaguing your Thor Hurricane.
One Way To Fix Your Thor Hurricane
You may have found that your model of Hurricane has some unique issues that were not present when you bought it. Instead of going to the dealer or contacting the company to give them a piece of your mind, check the recall lists for this brand.
We have come across two recall lists for Thor RVs and the Hurricane was on at least one of them. The most recent one we found dates to 2020 but you may be able to get the company to fix the problem initiating this recall.
“Thor Motor Coach is recalling 2,061 model year 2019-2021 Hurricane and Windsport motorhomes, models 27B, 29M, 32T, 33X, 34J, 34R and 35M.
The electronic control center circuit board may be damaged from voltages over 17 volts or a reverse polarity situation. A damaged circuit board could increase the risk of a fire.”
And
“Thor will notify owners, and dealers will add an additional circuit module to the existing component board to provide reverse polarity and over-current protection free of charge.
The recall is expected to begin October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Thor customer service at (877) 855-2867. Thor's number for this recall is RC000203.”
These recall lists can be found on the Internet and will allow you to get your problems fixed for free or at a nominal amount. All the information you need to do this is included in those messages.
Common Thor Hurricane Problems
Like any RV brand or model, you will find that there are a set of common problems that every owner of the Hurricane can and will experience at some time. Here is a list of a few of those issues:
1. Worn-out tires- or you can label this section tire blowouts or uneven wear. This is a common problem as many RV owners just do not know when to stop loading or how to load their RV.
They either put too much cargo on board or they do not distribute the weight very well. These two actions can wear out the tread unevenly and cause fuel efficiency issues or blown tires, etc.
Or, the owner does not know that the alignment is off, or that the tires were under or over-inflated. All of these issues can cause tire problems on your Hurricane.
The solution is to learn how to pack your items better and learn how to eliminate some items from your trip. Also, good tire maintenance will help solve this problem.
2. Chassis suspension problems- this can be the result of misalignment of the tires, worn-out springs, or damaged shocks, and so on. The fix is to replace all components that are in bad condition and watch where you are driving.
Rough roads may be good for your passenger vehicle but the heavy weight of a coach or trailer will do a lot of damage to those components. Before you travel, make sure to have a qualified mechanic look at your suspension and alignment.
If all is well enjoy your vacation. If not, take some time to make those repairs and then enjoy your trip.
3. Plumbing issues- this is where you find leaks in the pipes, the drains, the seals, or connectors. This is often the result of poor construction on the part of Thor’s employees.
The reasons for the poor construction quality vary and are not really the issue. What is the issue is that those plumbing issues need to be fixed as soon as possible.
Don’t forget to check the holding tanks as those three items are part of the plumbing system, just like the water pump is.
4. Electrical issues- there are more electrical components in your RV than plumbing ones. That means you have more to go wrong with the electrical system than your plumbing.
The source for these problems could be wiring, connections, reverse polarity, bad fuses, a short, or inferior inverter, batteries, or other components. If you are not skilled in handling electricity, it is best to let an electrician handle the diagnosis and repair work.
Sometimes, the issue can be as simple as a bad ground wire or connection but it takes a while to find the different sources and that takes skill and patience to do.
5. Seal deterioration, mold, rotting wood, and more- these are common problems that are hard to detect as they are hidden issues. You do not normally know there is a problem until it is too late.
The seals can get holes in it and those holes let in the excess moisture which causes the next two problems on this list. Regular checks of the seals will help prevent leaks, etc.
6. Slide-out issues- the mechanical design of these important rooms in your RV often breaks down. The cause varies but the damage can be done to the cables, gears, motors, or alignment.
When you have a slide-out issue, check all the key parts to make sure there is power and nothing is broken. The solution could be as simple as lubricating the gears or as complicated as replacing the motors.
Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to common problems Thor Hurricane owners face. There are a lot more that cannot be dealt with at this time.
2011 Thor Hurricane Motorhome Slide Problems
We touched on this common issue in the last section. When you are having problems extending or retracting your slide-out, there are more than enough sources to keep you busy for hours.
1. Mechanical issues- there are a lot of mechanical parts to the operation and design of the slide-out and any one of them failing can give you slide-out headaches.
The motors may be wearing out or damaged, the cables may break on you, or the gears may be damaged and the two sides are not in sync. Or you simply lack lubrication.
The solution is to grease those moving parts if needed and then replace broken or damaged parts. If the slide sides are out of sync the owner’s manual should have instructions to solve that problem
2. Slide-out sticks or fails to move- this situation means that there may be obstructions in the way of the gears, etc. Those obstructions simply need to be cleared.
Also, you should check the electrical system to make sure the wires are not damaged, broken, or have a loose connection. When you do this inspection check to make sure there is power reaching all electrical components.
Just fix the problem as needed replacing damaged, etc., wires or tightening up their connections. Also, check to see if the fuses have blown or not and replace them when needed.
3. Water damage- this can happen when the seals break down and let excess moisture inside. Check your seals and repair them as needed. Then clean up any rust before it gets worse.
Also, check for and clean up any mold or mildew you may find during your inspections. Hidden damage is the hardest to find and the most costly to fix.
Thor Hurricane Awning Problems
As you may already be aware, many common problems have overlapping sources. The reason for that overlap is that all mechanical and electrical devices operate in the same manner.
Awnings are no exception and when you are having trouble with your Thor Hurricane awning, it is good to know that there are fewer sources to check than other systems on your RV.
If you are having difficulty retracting or extending your awning, there are about three main sources to check. The first is the material to see if it has worn out or has lost its tension.
If this is not the problem then you need to check your electrical sources, e.g. fuses, breakers, batteries, etc., as well as the motors and the switch. No matter the problem, you have to replace those broken or damaged parts.
Some may be repairable like loose connections or loose wires but other sources need replacement parts to fix them. Replacing the entire awning is more of a last-resort solution when all other solutions fail to solve the problem.
Thor Hurricane Front Bed Mechanism Problems
It seems that some Hurricane models have a mechanical and electrical operating system on the front bed. This system is also built by Lippert/Schwintek and it operates similarly to their slide-out mechanism.
What that means is that you should not do partial openings and closings of the front bed. This action will through the motors out of sync and create a problem when you want to close it for travel. The controller is the same as the one used for the slide-outs.
If the system gets out of synch you you may find one side closing faster than the other side. You can try the slide-out syncing-up method but that does not always work for some owners.
Also, when you do partial openings and closings, you can damage the pinion gears, the drive racks, and the motors, all of which need to be replaced not repaired. It is possible to do the repair work yourself especially if you do not want the dealer to hang on to your RV for weeks on end.
Go to the Lippert/Schwintek website to find a manual to help guide your work.
Other Thor Hurricane Problems
1. Roof leaks- this is where there is a puncture in the roof membrane or tree branches, etc, scrapped the roof creating a hole in it or the seals. This is a hidden damage issue as you never know where the water came from or went until you see the signs of water damage.
The fix for this would be to use a brand of sealant, tape, or re-cover your roof to seal the leak.
2. Hydraulic systems- these systems can spring a leak like any other component using liquids can. Check your hoses, pumps, and other parts for damaged seals, holes, or rips. The best fix in this case is replacing those damaged parts.
3. Leveling jacks- sometimes this seems like an easy part to damage or break. The sources can be a hydraulic leak, a lack of fluid in the system, or an electrical problem.
Also, damaged jacks and a faulty controller can stop your leveling jacks from working correctly. The fix is to investigate the jacks, find the source, and then make the appropriate repairs. These repairs can be as simple as filling the hydraulic fluid tank or as complicated as replacing the damaged jacks.
4. Paint or decals peeling- this is more of an aesthetic problem than a vital operational one. The fix for this problem is to scrape the loose paint off and repaint your RV and repaint it.
Or for the peeling decals, remove the old ones and replace them with new ones, if you can find the same decal.
Some Additional Words
Unfortunately, there are more common problems with the Thor Hurricane models than can be listed here. But this will give you a head start in solving the one you encounter.
Do not forget to check those recall lists as your model may be listed on one of them. Keep up your regular maintenance program to ensure these problems do not go from bad to worse.
