Jayco-Thor.. Have things changed

[gunafulltime]

Originally Posted by Hollander Mutthaulers

X2 gunafulltime

Soon learned that RV and quality rarely fit in the same sentence in a positive way.

Also learned that owning an RV is full-time repair, modify, and in general customizing it and making it better than new - and that can be fun. We've made over 50 modifications and repairs and are keeping our eyes out for whatever needs or wants to be done next. This has been enjoyable, sometimes challenging, and always gratifying.

Fortunately, Thorjayco provided an adequate axel, frame, and shell upon which to build a really nice customized trailer. It's now just about perfect for us and we really like our 2017 16XRB even though it's one of the first to come off the Thorjayco line.

Exactly!

[gunafulltime]

Originally Posted by TaftCoach

The underlying assumption in this thread is Jayco on their own would not have made these same changes. I’m not certain that’s true. As I recall folks have been complaining about the declining quality of everything for the three score years I’ve been on this planet. The acquisition by Thor gives us a nice dividing line but I image a step back will see a steady decline in quality beginning well before that mark.

Very true. It's an unfortunate reality of our times across the board. I was raised under the values that espoused saving for things, having a few quality items is better than having a bunch of cheap stuff, and only take on what you can honorably steward. That kind of child rearing is all but extinct.

[kirkelli]

Originally Posted by gunafulltime

Exactly!

You nailed it.. Certainly has mede my retirement life a little fun.. If i didn't have my 5th wheel to tinker with, i think my wife would divorce me

[TaftCoach]

Originally Posted by gunafulltime

Very true. It's an unfortunate reality of our times across the board. I was raised under the values that espoused saving for things, having a few quality items is better than having a bunch of cheap stuff, and only take on what you can honorably steward. That kind of child rearing is all but extinct.

True. I seriously wonder if that is even possible today for most people.

[gunafulltime]

About a month into our first RV, I realized that these things are really big toys. I quickly started to view ours as a doll house on wheels. It's actually quite true. They're like adult doll houses. The materials used in them say it all.

Once I solidified this in my awareness, I started to rest in the fact that it's not so much about the RV as it is about our occupation with it. It's a place for DW and to rest, recreate, and hobby ourselves to our hearts' content. That perspective has made all the difference.

The Jayco is also our remote office now. The RV has allowed us to unplug the TV and internet from our home. When the work day is done, the devices get turned off, and we enjoy the peace of our home. It's freed us to realign our priorities and spend our limited days on home, health, family, friends, and faith. The technology and negative noise of the world are not dominating us like they were. It's amazing how fast we realized the negative impact that the technology and news of the world obsessions have on us. Thank you, Jayco, for giving us this lifestyle flexibility.

I used to be really irritated and chagrinned with the cruddy materials and construction practices. That's because I was making idols out of my material "stuff." But now I see it as a temporary blessing that will go the way of all the other wood, hay, and stubble of this world. Just enjoy it with our loved ones while we can, be grateful, and keep our devotion on eternal things, the only things that really matter.

[TaftCoach]

^well said

[Jopopsy]

There was a marked drop in quality and materials between my 2015 29MV and the 2019 29MV I had. My 2019 MV felt like a Redhawk compared to the 2015 I had before it.

I found the build quality of the unit to be roughly on par w/ the 2015 however. Which is to say, the haphazard wiring, plumbing, fastening, etc. was the same; generally poor.

Great floorplan though, and it drove pretty well. Both of them.

[gunafulltime]

I hate to report this, y'all, but I found another unfortunate quality decrease between our new 2021 Flight and our, last of the pre-Thor, 2016 Feather.

It's the loss of the double bulb seals around the slideout for which Jayco was well-known. Our Feather had a very substantial double bulb seal. It was one piece that they firmly secured all the way around the wall cutout for the slideout. I was always impressed that Jayco did that.

Well, you think I would have already discovered this, but I guess I took it for granted. After all, it's a Jayco. Right? I was taking pictures of the wall/roof seam where the coach was not fitted with a bulb seal. I am sending the pictures to the dealer for an inquiry to Jayco support. It definitely looks like they built it intentionally without the seal over the screws. It's screwed into the gutter. There is no lip for a bulb seal to click into. The metal for the gutter is also about half as thick as our Feather's gutter material. This is an approach that I have only seen on cheaper brands.

To my original point, That's how I discovered the slideout seals. The rubber is easily half the density of the pre-Thor seals. It is about half the diameter, and it is definitely not a double seal anymore. Additionally, instead of it being one continuous piece neatly and tightly wrapped around the slideout opening, it is three cruddy cut pieces with open exposed ends. The single piece across the top is open on both ends, and the two side pieces are open at both ends. Who thinks that's a good idea? Our Feather's seal was also neatly fastened at the bottom of each side with a screw; it was topped with Quad sealant, as well.

Oh well. We were not happy about it. I am not sure how I am going to cap the exposed ends. Every wasp in Alabama is gonna have a blast if I do nothing. I also hope they hold up. The rubber is a very low grade product. I am very sorry Jayco has adopted these practices. I hope they stop. It's getting harder to say with pride, "It's a Jayco!" I hope the bones are solid. Sorry, I'm a little bummed. The Bontrager family did not make these types of compromises - Not to this extent anyway.

[gunafulltime]

Sorry, folks. I found another post-Thor quality decline issue.

Today while I was inspecting the chassis, I realized that our slideout floor is not covered. Our 2016 pre-Thor Feather was tightly wrapped in the tarp-like plastic material they used to encapsulate the floor. It had angled metal trim around it that was fastened with screws. Our 2021 Flight just has the exposed floor base of the slideout. Instead of the sturdy metal trim, it has plastic pieces that are unsealed and unfastened. There is also a gap between these plastic strips and the floor (unsealed). In my view, this is another significant quality loss in materials and design.

Now, I am concerned about water. I have to clean the slideout walls, roof, the chassis under it, and the wheel wells. I was always careful with the water with the Feather, but I was much less concerned about damage and penetration than I will be with this exposed floor base. In addition to water, potentially harmful contaminants from the road, lubricants, cleaning products, etc. can degrade the material. From previous experience, I know it gets pretty mucky under there. I hope Jayco is listening/reading.