What options would you order if you could?

[FotoCEO]

Reading through the forums has been extremely helpful - a wealth of information indeed! We are getting ready to order our TM and I was wondering if you all would give input as to what options you wish you had and why. Also, if you know of something that they can do that isn't in the official list of options that we should consider, I'd love that info as well!

Some of the things we're considering are: microwave instead of oven, all vinyl floor instead of carpet (I think I'd rather cut a remnant to size than try to keep the installed carpet clean), AC.

The available options for the 2006's are:
• Air conditioning
• Awning
• TV antenna with power amplifier
• TV shelf
• Bike carrier receiver
• Satellite dish
• Solar panels (anyone know what size - and whether we should consider this??? Is this just for boondocking?)
• Electric tongue jack
• Microwave
• Hanging Kitchen Cabinet
• Swing-around tongue, reducing storage length two feet
• 3 drawer dresser
• Stove cover


Thanks! Joni

[Bill]

You'll get a lot of different answers, and of course they are all related to the way different people use their TMs. Will you use your TM the same way I use mine? Probably not, so my answers won't be right for you. That being said, my list is:
Vinyl floor - yes
Airco - yes
Awning - yes, though only for resale value, we've never used ours
TV antenna - yes - I like my quick morning news fix, and occasionally use it for rainy days
TV shelf - no, we don't lie in bed and watch TV, esp when we are camping
Bike carrier - no, we carry our bikes on the tow vehicle
Sat dish - no, we don't lie around and watch TV much
Solar - ONLY if you are going to do serious boondocking
Electric jack - hmmm, maybe, never had one but it would be handy
Microwave instead of oven - no, we like to be able to cook when we are boondocking
Hanging cabinet - yes, much to my surprise. It is handier than I thought
Swing tongue - only if you need it
Dresser - no, we have plenty of space without it (there are only two of us)
Stove cover - no. I don't know what is good about it, but I bet it falls on the floor
Good luck

Bill

[rtcassel]

In our TM, the stove cover is attached to the rear of the stove in two places and swings up against the wall behind the stove as a (sort of) grease shield. It can also be folded in half so that it does not cover so much of the wall behind the stove. When covering the stove top, it keeps the grate from popping off during travel.

[rtcassel]

The microwave drawer is almost an essential, in my opinion. It fits between the counter beside the stove and the wardrobe, making the counter surface level and giving you another drawer. The surface that it sits on is lower than the rest of the counter in order to make room for the rear bed to slide in.

[cmc211]

I like vinyl floors(no worry about getting musty and easy to clean.
Hanging cupboard. yes I love it!! Great for cups dishes, etc
I did get the TV shelf it is nice to lay in bed and watch TV sometimes.
I got the microwave, electric oven combo. So far I like it.
Swing away hitch no because can't fit a 3326 in the garage anyway
TV antenna Yes
A/C South Texas a BIG YES!!!
Satellite, From what I here 80% of the time you can't get reception based on camper placement. If I were to get a dish I would get a portable one on a tripod that I could move to clear trees but so far no need.
Awning yes however have found I don't use as much as I thought. Just too windy every where we camp.
Thats my 2 cents!! Good luck

[Bill & Lisa]

Some items work better in some models than others..This is what we have in our 3023

[Air conditioning - Yes, most camping happens in the summer and most places in the lower 48 get warm enough to need it (it IS a metal box in direct sunlight.....besides with DW's allergies we use it regularly
• Awning - We like and use ours. We have lights to put out and during some parts of the day it is nice to keep the sun from shining through the big window the 3023 has on that side and baking the insides. We do not leave camp for any length of time with it up unless we have it staked down. Having one blow over the top of your TM and smack your A/C can ruin your day
• TV antenna with power amplifier - Ours came with it, we use it, and it is a good resell value item.
• TV shelf - We put in two corner shelfing units from shelf expressions and DW's small TV fits fine as well as a ceramic heater when it is cold out. (We use 2 heaters because the design of the TM doesn't make for good distribution of the heat from the main cabin back to the back bed area. For the "front room" you can find several do it yourself shelves including one I made. Adding a memory foam pad has made my original choice no longer useable. we also found that sitting with our backs against the forward bed and looking towards the kitchen the couches are much more comfortable than facing forward. We have come up with a new triangler design that will take up 3-4" of the self above the refridg, and hook to the TM wall using hanging cabinet mounting brackets, hold our 17" flat screen and the Direct TV reciever box. Pictures to follow once we build it.
• Bike carrier receiver - We have one installed. Haven't used the bike rack in it yet but have used the wheeless trailer to haul blue tote and satelite attenna. Currently have a 6' tool box where I keep lightweight stuff. (ground mat, satelitte dish, hose, ardco cover etc.) see pictures at this link http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3766&highlight=rear+hitch
• Satellite dish - concur with CM211 - We like to camp in areas with trees. We went the route of stand alone antenna (DW found good deal on ebay) haven't tried it yet but we will eventually.
• Solar panels (anyone know what size - and whether we should consider this??? Is this just for boondocking?) - Again, we prefer to camp in areas with trees so it doesn't work for us. We did put a second battery in to extend our legs a little when a/c is not available. We mostly camp with at least electric and water.
• Electric tongue jack - Didn't have one originally but got one soon after switching to equalizer WDH. Numerous cycles up and down to attach/detach trailer, raise tongue and rear of vehicle up to put bars in place or remove bars soon made an electric tongue jack a very worthwhile investment
• Microwave - We have a seperate Micro wave and toaster oven. DW is very accomplished cook and sometimes needs full size oven. (peach cobbler this last weekend was fantastic :) )
• Hanging Kitchen Cabinet Use it all the time. Not sure where we would put the stuff in it if we didn't have it but it would definately be tougher to get to. It does make the sink area a little dark and the installed light casts your shadow over the sink so we installed a single tube plug in florescent light under the cabinet that works great.
• Swing-around tongue, reducing storage length two feet - our model will not fit in our garage so we don't have. Some folks have had problems with the induced stress this option has above and beyond normal solid tongue so if you need it to stow the TM in your garage go for it, if not avoid it as it is one more "complication" that you shouldn't add if you are not going to use it. THat said, it may be a good idea for resale value but I don't plan on selling ours any time soon and a search on the topic will show that the modification can be done afterwards if desired.
• 3 drawer dresser - Lovely idea and doubles as a TV stand but no place to put one in a 3023....
• Stove cover - We have one and wouldn't be without it. It keeps so much stuff from falling into the stove burner pan. Even though we have modified the metal grate so the 4 legs are held in with cotter pins vice pressure washers it still is not the easiest thing to remove to clean the bib area. The cover looks good when closed (as well as providing another flat surface). We normally lay a towel across the top to provide pressure between the underside of the rear shell and the top of the cover to prevent it bouncing around.
+ Flooring - ours was a tech rep demo and came with the carpet and vinyl mix and we have been pleased with it so far (8 trips and counting). I can see where over time the carpet will show wear quicker than the vinyl. I guess we can always add a throw rug over the carpet as easily as over the vinyl.

Anyway as others have said each person has their own preference. These are ours. I hope they give you ideas and info to outfit your TM to your liking. After all, in the end it comes down to your preferences and happiness so go with your instincts.

Bill
One option not on the list is the 40 Gal potable water tank vice the 20. we have the 40 gal on our unit. It may not be on option on all models since I believe the 2720's have their tank under the sink. Ours is under one of the couches

[PopBeavers]

One option not on the list is the 40 Gal potable water tank vice the 20. we have the 40 gal on our unit. It may not be on option on all models since I believe the 2720's have their tank under the sink. Ours is under one of the couches
My 2005 TM 272 was ordered with the 40 gallon tank under the street side seat. This past weekend I used all but a few gallons in a dry camp at a race. 2o gallons would only last me through a weekend. I am glad I had the 40 gallon tank.

It was muddy, glad I had vinyl instead of carpet.

I discovered that if the wind is strong enough to fly a kite is is strong enough to rip the awning. Not sure what I will do to repair/replace it. The factory awning requires zero wind.

We always use the hanging cabinet.

Since we mostly dry camp the microwave is of no use. In the future I might buy a small one to take on the rare trip where we have hookups. The gas oven makes nice biscuits and cookies. Trust me.

Without the swing away tongue I would have gotten the 2619 instead of the 2720. We like the queen bed and extra storage. There is a recent thread where Dinuba RV is apparently now recommending that they add the swing tongue as a modification instead of the factory tongue. I also have a long thread regarding the cracked tongue I encountered. Basically, if the swing tongue allows you to get a longer unit into the garage then go for it. If you have no need for it then skip it.

For the rest of your questions I have nothing to add beyond what others have already said.

[genesc]

If you are going to order your TM with an oven, I strongly recommend that you order the model with the pizeo light, in order to light the burners and oven. Just press a button to light the burners and oven.

genesc

[Bill]

Genesc -

I wasn't aware that there is such an option. Can you tell us more?

Bill

[genesc]

TrailManor has not offered this option, but if enough people request it, I would think that TrailManor should be able to make it available. It is much easier to light the oven with the piezo knob. We do not have it. If I would have known such a feature existed when we ordered our TrailManor, I would have wanted that model oven installed. I am now looking into seeing if there is a retrofit.

genesc

[rickst29]

- - - Increase the Payload - - -
The 'load capacity' in the current flyer, for models 2720SL and 2720SD, is only 1210 lbs. But this is before adding heavy options like A/C and Awning. It's also before watering up, at 8lbs/gal. A 40 fresh water tank, which others have also recommended for dry camping, is over 300 lbs.

So, for 2619 and 2720, if you want to be able to load heavily, you might ask for the un-publicized factory option "upgrade my axle, wheels and tires to the one used in the 3023 and 3124 models". In 2006 models, this is now a difficult field upgrade (lots of cutting and re-welding), because the axles are now welded rather than bolted to the frame.

- - - Improve braking power, tire life - - -
In addition to allowing for more payload, the bigger wheels might have more braking power. (I'm not sure about this... but if the number and magnetic power of the components are the same, mounting them on a bigger radius makes them more effective.) And the load on the tires is much further below max, which might be good for tire life.

But the stiffness of the heavy axle will tend to shake your TM a lot harder, you need to reduce your tire cold PSI per Goodyear recommendations (tune to the loading) so that they perform with the proper amount of "spring".

- - - Improve Ground Clearance - - -
This upgrade is also helpful for ground clearance and approach angle (as in, steep curbs into gas stations, you don't want to drag your TM bumper on the ground.) Although the bigger wheel and tire only add 0.8 inches, the total increase in ground clearance is about 2-1/2 inches- the bigger axle adds a lot.

Still, if you want just ground clearance and aren't concerned about the load capacity, the "lift kit" is a much cheaper way to get it. If you're really roughing it, consider both-- although you might need to consistently use

[Harry Womack]

I talked to the stove/oven factory and they do not have a kit to add pizeo to the original stove/oven.
I am going to see what parts it will take to change out and add all burners and oven with pizeo light.

[genesc]

I talked to the stove/oven factory and they do not have a kit to add pizeo to the original stove/oven.
I am going to see what parts it will take to change out and add all burners and oven with pizeo light.

Please keep us informed about what is involved.

genesc

[Freedom]

In addition to allowing for more payload, the bigger wheels might have more braking power. (I'm not sure about this... but if the number and magnetic power of the components are the same, mounting them on a bigger radius makes them more effective.)

If all the components of the brake system are the same, the bigger tires would give you LESS braking due to the larger radius of the tire. (Leverage is greater the larger the radius.) The difference would probably not be noticeable, but the larger the tire, the harder the brakes have to work to stop it. Ask some of the guys that put huge tires on their trucks and then they can't stop as easily as before - then they have to get bigger brakes or put on disk brakes. In our state, Washington, if you put the big tires on and get in a wreck, you're at fault even if you're in the right because the cops assume that if you hadn't modified your truck you could have avoided the wreck. A friend of my son's found that out the hard way - got blamed and had to pay for somebody's car that ran into him.

[rickst29]

If all the components of the brake system are the same, the bigger tires would give you LESS braking due to the larger radius of the tire.

You are 100% correct about this-- IF the tire radius increases while the brake shoe radius stays the same (as in, putting on tires which are too big). The tire has more rotational energy.

But that doesn't happen in this case: The bigger tire comes with a 15" wheel, which takes a larger brake shoe. The DXQ "3500" electric brakes are named by Dexter as "10x2-1/4", and the DXQ "5200" brakes are named as "12x2". Apparently the brake shoe radius goes up about the same as the tire radius, maybe even a bit more. And it's not just the radius giving you more leverage, it also creates a bit more surface area: in spite of being 1/4 inch skinnier, 3.14*12*2 is about 5 square inches more than 3.14*10*2.25.

Having looked at the parts list, I suspect that the magnet is also more powerful (it's got a different part number). For whatever reason(s) apply, the little axle has brakes rated as "3500 lbs", and the big axle has 'em rated as "5200". `I think that means the big axle wins, though probably NOT for the reason I guessed all by itself. (The magnet is probably a factor too, maybe a bigger factor).

An assumption here is that TM uses the lower-end DXQ brakes (there are more powerful and expensive types available, but I don't think we've got 'em.)

[Freedom]

Absolutely! The caveat of my first statement was, "If all the components of the brake system are the same." If the drum radius and/or width of the shoe change, braking will also change since the area of the friction pad determines the braking ability, but the radius of the drum in relation to the radius of the tire also affects that ability. Maybe I mis-understood your first statement where you said,"mounting them on a bigger radius makes them more effective." You had only talked about the tire size and that you were "not sure about this" In addition to allowing for more payload, the bigger wheels might have more braking power. (I'm not sure about this... but if the number and magnetic power of the components are the same, mounting them on a bigger radius makes them more effective.) I'm not trying to be argumentative, and it appears from your last post that we are in total agreement!

[rickst29]

I had been thinking about the "wheel", rather than the tire. But, before you inspired me to look at the Dexter products pdf's, it was a mere guess... and now we know for sure. Thanks!

[radiojon]

I'd like to know more about the "Satellite Dish" option. Does anyone have any info on what kind it is, where it mounts, and how it's set up?

- Mark